How many second names can a baby have? Uk/Ireland

[cretelover]

Hi, can anyone tell me how many second names can be on a birth cert ( not surnames). We would like to give our baby an independent first name and the names of both grandparents too so it would have 3 first names. Is there a limit on birth certs - I'm in the UK. Bonus points of anyone can answer the question for a church of Ireland baptism too!

My DS2 has 4 names on his birth cert. His first name, plus 3 middle names, plus surname obviously.

Both of mine have 2 middle names

My friend has first name, three middle names and a double barrel surname. One of her official documents just has initials something like ‘Claire S-M-E Parker-Smith’.

She is known on all other official documents as Claire Smith!

I think Prince William has about 3 middle names. And his children have 2 or 3 each. If its good enough for the Royals...

A friend has 3 middle names. It's a mouthful.

Friend of mine has a nephew called something along the lines of: John Joseph George Eric Graham Freddie Jr. Smith

Don't think there's a limit

You can have all the names from a football team if you like.

Ask your priest about the baptism. I'm sure they'll be happy to discuss any queries with you.

I have a friend with 3 middle names and an additional saints name she took at confirmation. And they’re all really long names! She seems to get through life ok!

1 is ''normal'' in my opinion but I have one! So I would think that.

2 is a bit ''notions'' as we say in Ireland.

One second name but you may add a third, fourth, fifth etc.

@PeigiSu

I have a friend with 3 middle names and an additional saints name she took at confirmation. And they’re all really long names! She seems to get through life ok!

This may be a silly question but when you take a confirmation name, it doesn't go on your documents from that point on does it? eg, your driving licence or your passport is not going to have your confirmation name is it!? so, it's sort of verbal. notional.?

I'm not sure if there is a limit for birth certificate but on a passport there is a limit for 30 characters for first names (including middle names) and 30 characters for surname. Any longer and you're asked to provide a shortened version.

I'm in Ireland and have attended a Church of Ireland christening where three first names were given. It's fine.

I've never heard of confirmation names being added to documents or used in any way official afterwards. This applies to both Catholics and Protestants.

I have 3 names it’s not unusual, and I know people who have four or five in Uk and Ireland - all fine.

My full name is five names long so I don't think there's much of a limit.

My baby’s name is massively “notions” (love that! Here we’d go for “extra”).

He has a first name, two middles and a double-barrelled surname for complicated reasons. I had to check and apparently it will fit on passports and driving licences (just).

There’s no limit! Legally there’s no limit, it would be unusual sure, but there’s no it’s not allowed is allowed.

There’s are often stories of children being called First name - let’s say Tilly and then her middle names being Bobby Erica Paula Alexandra charlton cantona scholes Ferguson- surname smith.

I mean I wouldn’t necessarily want to call my kid after the Man U legends, although I do think Stevie billy graham David Andrew bull turner Kelly Mutch Wright Thompson has a nice ring to it! (Let’s see if any one can pick out how old I am and what team. I support ... that’s actually quite hard)

But no there’s no limit

Both of my children have both grandparents as middle names (it's tradition where my DH is from) we've had no issues.

Some people have whole football teams as their middle names. You'll be fine, OP.

Our DD has 2 middle names so 4 names in total

I have two middle names and it’s both my grandmothers names. I really like having them and named my child in a similar way

I’ve got five names. Quite long ones. It was a lot to keep repeating when I got married, but apart from that, never bothered me.

There is at least one British woman with a forename beginning with each letter of the alphabet. So that’s 25 middle names.

You’ll be okay on the U.K. birth register front.