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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

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Original poster

My name for middle name?

21 replies

Cuppatea14 · 05/12/2014 08:16

So we have settled on a first name for our DD, due any day now, but have been struggling with a middle name. We had thought of using Margaret as it's both of our mother's names, but neither of us like the name at all.

DH came home last night and announced he'd like to use my name as middle name. Really sweet gesture and also it does sound beautiful with the first name we've chosen, but I will feel like a prat telling people! He says to just tell people that he insisted. What do you lot reckon?

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NaiceNickname · 05/12/2014 09:55

If you like it and it goes nicely with the first name then go for it. Plenty of people name their DS after their DH for example, and then there's me.... I have my mum's first and middle name

Legionofboom · 05/12/2014 11:04

I don't see the problem with using your name as a middle. I think it's much nicer to have a middle name with some meaning rather than just a name that 'goes.'

Shame you don't like Margaret though as that would be a lovely tribute.

Original poster

Cuppatea14 · 05/12/2014 12:22

I know, I still feel we should maybe use Margaret as we both adore our Mums and it would mean more to me than using my own name... But I do really hate it . One bit of me thinks we should use it anyway, does it really matter if a middle name isn't the prettiest if it means something lovely?

OP posts:

Legionofboom · 05/12/2014 12:55

I would go for Margaret because it has so much meaning and it would probably mean a lot to both your mums. Once the name is announced you don't often use the middle name anyway so I would always pick meaning over 'prettiness' or flow.

But I must add the disclaimer that I like the name Margaret so perhaps my response would be different if it was a name I really didn't like.

Legionofboom · 05/12/2014 12:59

I think perhaps it really depends on how much you and your DH really dislike Margaret as a name.

Is it something you could get past if it was part of your daughter's name do you think or is it a real deep held, almost irrational loathing of the name?

BikeRunSki · 05/12/2014 13:01

My name is dd's Middle name. It's a family name though.

jazzyjenbo · 05/12/2014 14:10

I've heard afew ppl doing this and tbh i really like my name so would b inclined to use it if it flowed nicely... I'm intrigued.. Will you share the name?

florascotia · 05/12/2014 14:38

OP - on the thread about giving a boy's name to a girl, you'll see that KatieKaye and I have been swapping notes about Scottish traditions, which often included giving the mother's maiden surname to a daughter as a middle name.

I think your husband's suggestion is very thoughtfiul - and romantic. If you like your first name, it would be lovely to pass it on to your daughter. If you're not so keen, then perhaps you'd like to consider the Scottish way, and use your surname as a middle name, instead?

DramaAlpaca · 05/12/2014 14:57

I think it's a lovely idea.

If I'd had a DD she'd have had the Irish version of my name as her middle name.

It's not quite the same, but one of my DSs has the same middle name as DH.

Could you give her two middle names, Margaret and your own name?

Flywheel · 05/12/2014 15:01

I have dm's name as a middle name. I don't love the name (yours is obviously a lovely name so your dd won't have that problem) but I'm so proud of the connection to my dm. I have used it as a middle name for one of my dds.
Go for it

TrevaronGirl · 05/12/2014 15:12

I think it sounds a lovely idea and I'm sure most people will too.

In this part of the country, we have a tradition that all girls have the same middle name (very old Cornish) so in my village the choice is always very simple! :)

MehsMum · 05/12/2014 15:17

Go for it.
Germans seem to give parents' names as middle names as a matter of course.

pilates · 08/12/2014 18:16

I think it's a very nice thing to do.

What is it BTW?

HenriettaTurkey · 08/12/2014 18:21

My sister has my mum's name as her middle name. I think it's lovely.

Stella29 · 09/12/2014 23:25

I say go for it. I think it's a lovely gesture and we do it all the time for boys!

rockybalboa · 09/12/2014 23:44

DS3 has DH's first name as his middle name as we'd run out of ideas by then. Is also my dad's name though so that helped.

CoffeeandNumbers · 09/12/2014 23:59

Well I don't want to be the party pooper but I know someone who did this and I may have made a face like this
It's a bit weird and egotistical imvho.
But I am in the minority here.

Margaret is a lovely name though, or what about Maggie? It's a cool name, and still honours both mothers.

Congrats on your expanding family.

AlwaysLurking38 · 10/12/2014 00:02

My son's middle name is his dad's first name, I think it's a nice touch. My daughter has both her grandmother's names as her middle names. I don't particularly like my name so wouldn't ever give it to my child lol but if I have another girl she can have my middle name as her middle name. I think it's nice when .middle names mean something

JakeyBurd · 10/12/2014 00:47

My middle name is my mum's name, and goes back every second generation for over 200 years to my 7Xgreat-grandmother. So I'm very proud to be the last female in the current line to bear the name (no dds), and always use my full name, including mn, for everything.

Mind you, if it were an awful name I might not be so keen to use it! If you like your name, OP, then do it, and your daughter may be proud to bear the name too.

radiobedhead · 10/12/2014 02:07

I have my dm's name as my middle name and my brother has our dad's.

I think it's nicer than choosing any random name (and they're all usually shit).

I agree using margaret would be lovely. Could you use a variant or diminutive?

Margery, Margaretta, Marjorie, Marjory, Madge, Mae, Maggie, Mamie, Marge, Margie, May, Meg, Mayme, Midge, Peg, Peggie, Peggy

humblebumble · 10/12/2014 02:24

I love the name Margaret.

However, I think using your own name as a middle name is lovely. My DS2 has his father's name as his middle name because it went so perfectly with it. He was slightly embarrassed but I insisted. (He is called a derivative of his "proper" name so it isn't as obvious).

You could also have two middle names?

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