To middle name or not to middle name?

[raviolidreaming]

I have a middle name; DH doesn't. We can't agree on whether to give DS a middle name or not - and I'm losing the argument for!

Any thoughts?

It's good to give your child another option for a name (in case they hate their first name).

Also, you never know, they may want to become a famous actor or writer and need a more distinctive name (eg think of Sarah Jessica Parker, Steven jay Gould - they sound more interesting/ memorable with their middle names in there).

Forms etc always assume you have a middle name, some online forms won't let you leave it blank, so you'll end up writing "NA" meaning not applicable, and then they'll think your middle name is Na (happened to a friend).

So overall middle names are good.

I don't have one. DH doesn't have one. None of our 3 DC have one. It's fine, it really is. Makes form filling easy.

I have a double barrelled first name and a middle name having a middle makes a name more interesting, and it's a nice opportunity to give a name for a relative :)

I don't have one. It stressed my parents out to settle on the one they named me.

I think it was because they didn't want to lumber me with Doris after my maternal Grandmother. On the otherhand it could have been Edith after my other Grandmother.

If your child wants to change or add in the future there is always deed poll.

I have two, DH has none. In my family you get a middle name in honour of another relative, not just for a spare name or it because it sounds nice (both of mine aren't pretty). My DS has followed my families tradition so has two (his are nice though). One first name, one surname - same as me.

You need a middle name otherwise how will theythey know when they they are really in trouble?

Excellent points - thank you So far, the case is resting against.

Chosen first name already honours family, so it would be a middle name for the sake of it - like TroysMammy, the remaining family options for a middle name aren't ideal!

Ha ha! Excellent point sheepasaurus!

Friend of mine gave his son 2 middle names....thinks it will loo more distinctive when the names is up on the board when they play cricket for Surrey or England....

We've all got one middle name.

Sorry for typos.

Think RJF Smith....

We initially didn't give DD one, but then ended up giving her one that had a special meaning significant to her/us.

This time round we're waiting to get to "know" DD2 before we choose one that has resonance for her.

DH has no middle name, it's caused problems in two ways: 1) he's worked for two employers who use middle initials in emails and since he didn't have one IT substituted 'X' and so people were constantly asking what his middle name way since it started with an X and 2) US immigration apparently use middle name as well as date of birth to make sure you are who you say, which caused significant issues with a visa. Maybe less of a problem with a v distinctive name. Our children are definitely getting middle names as a result!

DH has never had problems with visas but the work email is something worth thinking about.

Maybe we'll wait a bit and see if he seems like he'll be going places and then middle name accordingly!

My husband and I both have middle names. Well technically I have a double barrelled first name rather than a middle name but I just go by the first part of it. Our son is named after my granddad (first name) and husband's granddad (middle name). He has my maiden name as his surname while I have taken my husband's name. I like middle names because it can aid as a compromise if you can't decide between two names, as well as (as someone already said) giving you a Sunday best name to yell when you are angry!

You never get called by your middle name. However a school teacher used to call out our full names when taking the register. Lots of giggles and red faces. Not mine obviously.

I wasn't given a middle name and I always felt sad about it - especially as I dislike my forename. Consequently I gave DS 2 middle names. Most of his friends have 2 middle names too.

One thing - the more names you have the less likely it is that somebody else will have the same combination. James Smith will be very common but James Daniel Evans Smith might be unique. Useful for credit scoring/police vetting etc!

I don't have one, nor does DH. Our children do because I was really jealous of all the people with middle names when I was younger

I don't have one and can't say it has ever really been a problem /something I've missed. That said I gave both my children middle names. DD's was chosen for sentimental reasons, and DS's because we picked a more unusual first name and wanted to give him a legitimate alternative (also the middle name we is lovely but very popular so we opted against as a first name)

Yeah where I worked once also assumed for email addresses that you had a middle name and those without got an X I.e. joe.x.bloggs @workemail.com

I am youngest of six and the only one without a middle name.

People always assume that I do have one, but that I'm embarrassed about it! I wish I did!

My DD has my sister's middle name and DS is based on my Grandad's name. Both lovely names and go well with my DCs short first names. I love having a middle name, seems a missed opportunity not to have one.

Ah, I don't want him feeling left out and/or thinking we just didn't bother... but then, he could always choose his own.

The case continues!

If you are going to at least start up using their first name. My parents started using my middle name, assuming that I would use my first name school. Unfortunately at the age of five I decided that was my name and I will always be known by it. This caused problems later on down the line with bank account, qualifications etc being in the "wrong" name when I needed to provide formal ID.

SingaSong, I know other people who have always gone by their middle names and they all seem to have struggled at one point or other. It's one of DH's arguments for keeping it simple!