Irene - middle name

[ZebraKid71]

Hi all

We are due our third child in July and throwing around names. Our two other children have two middle names each, a family name from both sides. This time my dh wants Irene as the family name from his side buuuut I really don't like it.

He has agreed to my favourite name as a first name, and Irene is after his grandma so I feel I should just go with it. Do middle names really matter? I can't decide if I'm would be being too controlling given that I have picked her first name and one of her two middle names or whether I should accept the name he wants even though I'm not a fan.

Also - is Irene even that bad? Part of me feels its inoffensive enough to just go with it.

Thanks for your opinions!

Irene is a bit dull. It's one of those old lady names that hasn't come into fashion yet, and I'm not sure it will. For example, there are lots of Evies, Ediths, Pearls etc.

But as a middle name and to honour someone, yes go for it it. You wouldn't be calling her Irene, but she'd have a special middle name for her and your DH.

I was saddled with Irene. I hate it, it makes me cringe.

Depends how it’s pronounced. I’m not keen on EYE-reen but I like Eye-REEN and Eye-REEN-ee.

I love Irene! Definitely go with it, especially as a middle name, and especially if you’ve picked the first and the other middle name. Irene also has the benefit of not ending in a or ee sound so it will flow nicely with lots of other names.

How about Irena or Irina?

If it’s to honour a family member I would do it. Especially as you have your first choice for first name. No one really mentions middle names much after birth, I am named after my grandmother as my middle name and it’s awful but it’s never hindered me in any way and most people don’t know. I would let it go, so long as I got my first name choice

Exes new wife is Irena and has caused unimaginable problems for us so it’s a no from me
However for the sake of dh and yes, middle names are rarely known or used I’d just go for it

I actually quite like Irene. Definitely think you should let your dh choose one of the two middle names !!

My dd has Irene in her name after her great grandmother. She has always loved the connection, and it made the family very happy. Do it. Names mean a lot.

I am in my 50's and have never used my middle name, other than to fill out documents where it insists on inserting 'all names'. None of my friends know my middle name (they have never had a reason to ask).

I think, seeing as it would be honouring your husbands grandma, it would be a nice compromise, seeing as you are getting to choose the main name and another middle name. Maybe put Irene as the second middle name if it would bother you that much.

I really like Irene - it's in first-name territory for me!

One of my dd middle names is Maureen (after mine and dh deceased grandmothers) she loves it. It might be an ugly name but it's just a middle name. I don't take much notice of middle names tbh.

My DD has this as her middle name after my grandmother.

It was chosen to honour my grandmother and is very special to us.

My dd has Irene as a middle name after my grandmother and I love it - although we pronounce it the Italian way.

Irene (eye-reeny) is pretty. People will say Eye-reen but as it's a middle name that's ok.
It became I-reen when -reen names (Maureen, Eileen, Doreen etc) were popular but greek names (Penelope, Persephone, Hermione) are popular now. You can spell it Eirene, and it means peace.
I know a lovely Irene and it also is a bit Forsyte Saga so yes go for it.

I like it. It means peace. It’s my grandmother’s name and I would use it for a middle name if I had a girl. I don’t think middle names really matter that much anyway- I think they’re quite a nice place to put a bit of meaning even if you aren’t thrilled with the name!

Sorry, cross post on means Peace!

Just a thought... but what will the initials be?

Using a middle name that starts with a vowel can sometimes lead to unfortunate initials. With girls, you might need to take into account that their surname could change in future as well.

I do like Irene though.

Apart from anything else, you’ve picked two of the three names- it’s pretty outrageous to veto his only choice!

Thanks everyone, I have one very happy DH right now! 😊

I know a couple of irenes and I think it's a nice name. As long as it flows well I'd go with it if I were you. I like the spelling Eirene better if you like the look of it better. Or what about Irena?

I think it's perfectly fine to give your child a middle name that you don't love, if it's a special name to your DH. You never have to actually call her by it, after all.

What I absolutely would not do, given that the whole point of using it is as a family name, is give her some other name. Irina or Eirene or whatever. It's not the same name, it doesn't honour whoever it is that's called Irene.