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Initial for Middle name?

31 replies

goggles43 · 17/07/2020 21:14

Hi all

Just as the subject says really -
Could I register my newborns birth with just an initial for the middle name?

For example:

Michael P Jones

The P is for personal reasons but would prefer not to use the entire name

Let me know if I can do this please!

I live in London, UK

Many thanks

OP posts:
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AragornsManlyStubble · 17/07/2020 21:18

I know some one who’s birth name is KC not short for anything so I imagine so.

AragornsManlyStubble · 17/07/2020 21:18

*whose

goodthanks · 17/07/2020 21:19

Initially thought you mean the P would stand for personal reasons, as in Michael Personal Reasons Jones.

lookoutfor · 17/07/2020 21:20

Of course, go for it!

CurtainWitcher · 17/07/2020 21:21

Awful.

smodssmeds · 17/07/2020 21:23

I don't see why not op. Jack P Shepherd (David off Corrie) has done it.

user1493494961 · 17/07/2020 21:25

Anything seems to go here. Perhaps your child would prefer a name rather than initial.

AragornsManlyStubble · 17/07/2020 21:25

Though I can say that it is a pain the arse to have initials that mean nothing and the explanation of why it is only the initial. Also if the initial is ‘P’ I immediately thought of Baby P, though that may just be me.

user1493494961 · 17/07/2020 21:27

Jack P Shepherd's middle name is Peter, so there is actually a name behind the initial.

noitsachicken · 17/07/2020 21:29

Like Homer J Simpson!
The J stands for Jay!

Call him Pea

Nightshifter · 17/07/2020 21:32

I'd do it. If i had say, 3 people whose names began with the same letter who i wanted to honour, then i would def consider using just an initial. Better than honouring Jeff, Jason and Jill by mashing up and giving the kid the middle name Jefasill or something.

The only thing i can think would be a problem is if a form asks for your full names, whether the data collector might think only part of the name had been filled in... would be annoying to have forms sent back for correction when they were already correct.

Haffdonga · 17/07/2020 21:34

If you can do it, it's an unfortunate letter. Can you imagine the conversations and misspellings?

What's your middle name?
P
Pee?!
No, just P
Pea?
No, the letter P
What's it short for? How do you spell it? etc etc

Poor kid.

FedUpAtHomeTroels · 17/07/2020 21:37

Just like Homer.
He's Homer J Simpson, middle name is J

catchingbreath · 17/07/2020 21:51

Very unique and rather nice. Taking a leaf out of Homer J Simpson's book. Love it.

alexalexalex · 17/07/2020 21:57

Will your ds be called Michael? Bit of an old fashioned name imo - not keen.

But do really like the idea of an initial as a middle name.

Any other first name ideas OP?

lostfrequencies · 17/07/2020 22:26

Good thanks 😂

Lockdownlooks · 17/07/2020 22:39

Probably a bit of pain when gets asked “what does the P stand for?”
Nothing just P

What are you going to tell your son about the reason he has a middle initial and most people have a middle name? Are you happy to explain who the person was? If not “I just liked the letter P” is different to “you aren’t named after anyone I liked the name Paul”

daisypond · 17/07/2020 22:50

Legally you can, but it seems very unfair on the child, like you are burdening him with some shameful secret you are trying to hide.

Cindie943811A · 17/07/2020 23:06

Years ago I heard about someone whose name was the initials JB.
He found an official noted his name as Jonly Bonly after he tried to explain it was J only and B only.
Can you perhaps find another version of the P name you don’t feel you can use? Eg Piers instead of Peter or Pablo instead of Paul

bridgetreilly · 17/07/2020 23:11

Can I have a P please, Bob?

whatausername · 18/07/2020 00:42

Jonly Bonly Grin Grin

BackforGood · 18/07/2020 01:05

Phone the registry office and ask.

I've said this on here before (and should probably change the name, but....) I used to work in a school where we had a child called Ceejay, and the explanation was the parents wanted to call him C J and weren't allowed to register just initials - the initials had to be names even ridiculous, made up names

May have changed, but that is my experience.

noitsachicken · 18/07/2020 09:39

@FedUpAtHomeTroels

Just like Homer. He's Homer J Simpson, middle name is J
His middle name is Jay
Fanciedachange1 · 18/07/2020 16:42

I would consider why you want to represent something without using the full name?

If, for example, you wanted P to represent his father’s name Paul but Paul was a waste of space who wants nothing to do with him then surely using just the P would still be a painful reminder for you especially when your son asks why his middle name is a letter.

I would say don’t do it. In reality middle names are barely used, and when they are they tend to be initialised anyway. Having just a single letter seems really obscure and just draws more attention.

HD98 · 18/07/2020 21:08

I guess it would be allowed but is a bit strange and would cause some confusion later. I think your child would probably come to wish he had a full name instead of a letter.
There must be another way to incorporate it. What's the name that you don't want to use?