Will we damage our child with an "out there" middle name?

[AlaskanSnow]

We know we are having a DS. We've chosen the first name, which is in the top 30 of last years ONS, with a nice normal spelling.

We've not really decided on a middle name, neither of us want to use a family name as we only plan on having the one child so it seems unfair to pick from one side and not the other.

DH has come up with the idea of having (in his words) a spectacular middle name. Something uncommon that we weren't brave enough to use as a first name. On the list of names we loved but wouldn't use were Greek Gods, a constellation, a Shakespearean character, a historical figure and a couple of film/TV show characters.

All of these names did appear on the ONS list, so clearly they are being used as first names by some.

I just worry that DS could be embarrassed by it, despite the fact that we might think the name was great. DH doesn't think it is something to worry about - he himself had a common family middle name that he has always disliked, so thinks DS could hate whatever innocuous name we choose.
I love my middle name, it is relatively uncommon but still very much a name people know and it flows prettily with my first (boring) name.

Am I worrying too much? I mean DS could hate his perfectly reasonable first name for all I know!

Since it's a middle name I don't think you need to worry as much. I didn't like my middle name (it's a bit of an old granny name before they were coming back into fashion) so I just never used it, except on official forms where you have to.

Nobody uses middles names. No-one will know it unless he goes out of his way to tell people. It won't really matter what it is.

Do it. I have two eyewateringly boring names that were fine, but I'd have loved an unusual middle name.

A bit like how one of Dumbledore's name is Brian. It's nice to have something unexpected.

I think you should go all out with middle names, you only really see them on your passport so what does it matter?

I remember a few sniggers at a friend's wedding when his previously unknown and very "out there" middle name was shouted out for all to hear. But I don't think it bothered him on a day to day basis!

Love a quirky middle name, I say go for it! Mine is Louise, which was also the middle name of pretty much every girl in my year at school! Very dull.
Fully intend to give my DC (when they eventually make an appearance ) sensible first names and whimsical middle names.

Out of interest I'd love to hear some of the spectacular middle names you're considering?

I'd known my friend for almost 15 years before I found out she had a ridiculous middle name and that was only because we went on holiday together and I checked her in and saw her passport.

We did it and don't regret it a bit! Both DS's have very staid timeless first names then we went wild with the middle ones. To our mind that is the joy of middle names, if they don't want to use them they don't have to. Plus is always makes a good talking point

Go for it! Wish I was brave enough to use Ancient Egyptian/Greek names such as Ptolemy, Horus or Seth.

This is all very positive!

The list is long currently, here is a few off the top of my head;
Orion
Apollo
Archer
Hunter
Mortimer
Wilberforce
Montgomery
Caleb
Wyatt
Dixon

None of those are even that 'weird' so I wouldn't worry. My middle name is Scott, I am female. It hasn't filled me with joy, but hardly anyone knows it and nobody who does know has ever made a thing of it.

You can do better than that OP. I know the following:

Woody Twilight
Kit Moon
Nessie Prunella Druscilla
Tennessee William
Poppy Sherab

If you're going to go out there, do it properly

One of my DS's middle name is a type of mango

No you won't damage him. I have a very unusual middle name, named after a character in a not-well-known book (and not even a particularly nice character!). I forget I even have it apart from when I use it for official things or have to spell it out occasionally. I don't love the name but it has no impact on my daily life at all.

Go for it ! 😄

The only one on there that would make me raise an eyebrow (for a second) would be Wilberforce but only because I have never heard of it before!

Middle names won't inpact his daily life at all

A lot of middle names are family surnames, so I think there's a lot of scope to have whatever you want.

Yes you are worrying too much

I was expecting Trigger or Hades to be on the list ...

Those aren't weird or wacky!

I went to school with three brothers who all had Shakespeare as a middle name

None of those are bad!

We have picked an uncommon but simple and well known first name for our little DS due in a few weeks. We just fell in love with the middle name Beaux and I have't even told anyone yet as I'm worried it's too "out there" but we love it and it is only a middle name.

I have 2 middle names, one of which I like and one I hate, so I've simply dropped the one I hate from forms I fill out and only use it if I absolutely have too, it's not an issue :)

Sorry Beau, not Beaux! not relevant anyway

My son has one from your list as his mn, and he loves it! Go for it!

My DH doesn't like his middle name so just pretends that he doesn't have one! (Except for important documents).

Our 2 children have middle names in memory of people (one from each side). But we are on 3rd and final baby so won't be doing that this time.