Middle name Ernest (DH family tradition)

[tuliipi]

I hate it so so much. DH won't budge. How much can a shitty middle name really affect a child?

First name we both love Samuel.

Well "The importance of being Ernest" is a wonderful play so I have soft spot for the name.

Samuel Ernest also sounds fantastic!

My DC do have middle names but they are rarely used so it's not going to bother him in future life.

Why not give him two middle names if you have another name you like as well.

I think it's one of those old names which are going to be viewed in a different light from the Ernie shortenings of the 70s and around then.

I like Samuel Ernest. It sounds solid, grounded and wholesome, but with potential to be a renegade or maverick if he chooses to be
It's a name transcending fashion, which he can make his own.

Think Hemingway or Shackleton rather than the comedic milkman who's virtually forgotten now.

I certainly don't think it's a name that'd be regarded as odd or old fashioned amongst his peers.

I agree OP, it's awful.

I couldn't and wouldn't give a child a name I hated, even for a middle name. It's important to me that I like the sound of the whole name, and not particularly important to honour family members.

But will a horrible middle name affect a child? I don't think so. My brother has a hideous family middle name that our DF insisted on and it has never bothered him. And it really is hideous, it's worse than Ernest!

I actually love it! Samuel Ernest is gorgeous!

You could always give him another middle name between Samuel and Ernest. For example, Samuel John Ernest. I have two middle names and the second middle name is frequently left off 'official' documents like medical letters etc. The same is true of my daughter. So it would likely happen to your son too.

It only really needs to appear on hood passport. After that he can drop it if he chooses.

My middle names are pretty dire and i got teased (in a humorous way) by my friends at school, but I chose to tell them to them! No one made me. And it really hasn't affected me at all having these names. If anything i love that i am named after two women who were very important to my mum.
My children have 2 middle names too, named after grandparents and great grandparents. And they're not names I would have chosen myself but i love that they are a tribute to their heritage.

Just to clarify, by naming him Samuel John Ernest Surname, he would probably usually be referred to as Samuel John Surname on bank records and medical records etc.
That's what has happened to me. Unfortunately for me, it's the first middle name that I hate the most! Ha ha!

My son's third name (we have two mn) is Ernesto. It really doesn't bother me - it's only seen on his passport. Apparently it's the first name of some really important (to my DH) footballer.

I personally don't like Ernest and would also suggest a second middle name of your choosing. DH is insisting on Mary as a middle name if we have a girl (after his nan). I really don't like the name but I know it's important to him. So we will add a second middle name.