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Baby names

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

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Original poster

How many middle names is too many?

47 replies

Notrobusta · 29/07/2015 20:57

My nephew and niece both have two middle names. They also have fairly long first names and double barrelled surname therefore creating a really huge name when written on forms etc. I like the idea of two middle names so this is by no means a criticism of them however has got me thibking and wondered what the consensus was on this. Is two middle names too many ?

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RVPisnomore · 29/07/2015 20:58

In my opinion one middle name is too many. I have one and hate it!

ch1134 · 29/07/2015 21:57

One is not necessary, 2 is ridiculous!

Cloggal · 29/07/2015 21:59

Agree - one not needed; two too many. DH, DS and I are all one-name wonders. Hard enough picking one name!

Wafflenose · 29/07/2015 22:07

I have two and think it's great. More than two would be too many, but I know a girl who has 3 middle names (3, 3, and 5 syllables!!) and a double barreled surname.

Mamabird3 · 29/07/2015 22:15

My ds's have two middle names, one is a bit of an old fashioned name that's a family name from my dhs side of the family, all the men have it and have done for many generations, I decided to give them the second middle name in case they decided to not use the first middle name. My dd has one middle name as she hasn't been given an "inherited" name, although all dcs middle names are in honour of a family member anyway.

Sophronia · 29/07/2015 22:17

I think two middle names is fine, three is maybe too many.

GunShotResidue · 29/07/2015 22:19

I have two and I love it, both are family names and mean something to me. My DD has two, again both names with strong family meanings. My MIL has three, which I think is a bit much, but she's never had a problem. And we all have a double barrelled surname.

There was a thread on here not that long ago asking people with two middle names if it had ever been a problem and most people said it hadn't.

reuset · 29/07/2015 22:20

It's all subjective is it not? I don't think two is too many. More than three would be too many, personally.

Clarissa Dickson Wright had ten en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarissa_Dickson_Wright

I know of a few people who have three, but this is to include a maiden family surname or the like.

LibrariesGaveUsPower · 29/07/2015 22:21

All my kids have two middle names. I wouldn't have done it with a double barrelled surname though.

NeedSpeed · 29/07/2015 22:21

I hate middle names. It is such a 'I want to be posh' thing to do.

calzone · 29/07/2015 22:23

For me the name has to flow.....

Both my boys have 2 middle names and are after family members. I don't really like random middle names.

Ds1's middle names are after DF and DBIL.

Ds2's middle names are after DH and DH's GF.

LibrariesGaveUsPower · 29/07/2015 22:24

Having a middle name isn't the slightest bit posh! I did my family tree and it goes back generations through very working class stock, all with middle names.

DH's family too.

CloserToFiftyThanTwenty · 29/07/2015 22:26

Three or more is unnecessary unless you are super posh (like Clarissa Dickson Wright) when you may as well have ten as three, because you're never going to use them all anyway

reuset · 29/07/2015 22:26

I was wondering what's 'posh' about middle names How would people know how many you had unless you broadcast it, they rarely get an airing beyond the first middle name (no room on forms etc)

2tired2bewitty · 29/07/2015 22:27

Two is fine, entire Chelsea football squad of 1978 is too many.

Cornberry · 29/07/2015 22:33

I'm planning two middle names and double barrel. I think it's fine. You don't say all your middle names every time you say your name :)

Only1scoop · 29/07/2015 22:37

I think middle names and then a double barrel surname sound a bit ridiculous and slightly tastique to be honest.

Cloggal · 29/07/2015 22:41

Funnily enough through my family tree my ancestors who were the poorest had the most names! I don't think it's posh to have several, I just think it's an unnecessary faff.

birchygoo · 29/07/2015 23:27

does it really matter as they are rarely used and you can choose not to use them.

I do like having my middle name jane as it is my connection to my family. great great grandmother's, great grandmother grandmother and mother all have variation of name. Im so glad its not my first name though as its quite bland

sweetpeame · 31/07/2015 08:24

Middle names are largely irrelevant. Very few people actually use them and it isn't usually necessary to write them on forms etc when registering for things, you can simply give the first name. Family names are usually nice as middle names if you have a strong connection to them. But it doesn't matter if your child has one, two or three because they'll probably never use them. Although three with a double barrel surname is probably a bit silly.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 31/07/2015 08:27

Two middle names is fine. My dc have two. DBro has three with our quite long surname, I think thats a lot.

pingoose · 31/07/2015 08:33

Ex BF had 4 middle names - 2 English and 2 from his mother's culture. He's ended up dropping his first name, and using the 3rd middle name - the more middle names, the more to choose from!

d1157230986361b000875 · 31/07/2015 08:55

I have one mn (same as my mum and sister and various distant relatives) My DD has one mn and my DS has two, their mn honour someone :) I've never had a problem writing them out on forms. Both children never get called them, but they both know who they are named after :)

I think it's personal preference on how many mn you choose for your children, if any.

swimmerforlife · 31/07/2015 09:08

DS two middle names, one was deeply personal for me and the other DH and I liked it, both middle names are only 5 letters long. His first name was a family name of DH side. DS also has a double barrelled surname.

This baby is likely to have two middle names as well.

I do admit it is a total PITA and faff on forms, I wonder if it was all worth the bother but they are all such lovely names.

Brambles35 · 31/07/2015 09:32

I have 2 and love it. They are names of relatives that mean something. I did the same for my DS. I don't see the point of 2 names if they are meaningless.

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