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Both want Grandads name as middle name

53 replies

Purpletopaz42 · 16/09/2022 21:22

My husband and I are very close to our Grandads and we'd both long decided if we had a boy, we'd use their name as the middle name, William and George. We can't agree on which Grandads name to use, so as a compromise we thought about using both but I don't know if two middle names are too pretentious or long winded?

We like Arthur or Edward, so it would be either:

Arthur George William
Arthur William George
Edward George William
Edward William George?

The other option is to use one as the first name and one as middle name, so either:

George William
William George

But firstly how do we decide who's Grandad to put first and secondly, we visit our Grandads quite often so if we did use one as a first name, would that get too confusing?

Any thoughts would be appreciated, thank you

OP posts:
Ilikecheeseontoast · 16/09/2022 21:25

Arthur George William… nice ring to it and alphabetical order to avoid looking like you’ve picked a favourite!

KangarooKenny · 16/09/2022 21:25

My kids have two middle names. It’s normal to me.

Cyberworrier · 16/09/2022 21:30

Two middle names absolutely fine!

That said, out of the two middle names and your proposed first names, William is my favourite so I'd probably go for William George Surname.

And just skip Edward and Arthur!

Edward particularly feels very in the same vein as William and George, it sounds like rather a list of king names when the three are together.

Raddix · 16/09/2022 21:33

I don’t see how it would be confusing. Surely you don’t refer to Grandad by name? He’s called Grandad! I would go for three names otherwise one of them will whinge because their name isn’t the chosen first name. Arthur George William is the best combo.

APurpleSquirrel · 16/09/2022 21:36

Both my DC have two middle names - absolutely fine.

Whatsthepointofmosquitos · 16/09/2022 21:38

Definitely do two middle names

I think Arthur William George sounds best.

Btw, you do know all the names you mention are very royal?

Huntswomanonthemove · 16/09/2022 21:39

Edward William George sounds right.

MolkosTeenageAngst · 16/09/2022 21:42

I would use both as middle names and put George before William because it is alphabetical, seems as good a reason as any to justify the order!

Daisy4569 · 16/09/2022 21:43

I think William George flows better

Daisy4569 · 16/09/2022 21:44

As middle names so one isn’t used more than the other

LosttheremoteAGAIN · 16/09/2022 21:44

My kids have more than one middle name
in fact-6 kids have 16 middle names between them
nobody ever bothers with them-they just go by their first name,surname rather than first name,middle names surname
only time it’s ever caused issues is when my son went to open a bank account and they couldn’t fit them all on his bank card so it reads first name,3 initials surname
oddly,non of my other kids had this problem-on their bank cards it reads first name surname

CaptainBarbosa · 16/09/2022 21:44

I vote either

Arthur William George
Or
Edward William George.

I'm not a fan for some reason of George William. It doesn't flow for me in my accent, but that's just me 😂

Idratherbepaddleboarding · 16/09/2022 21:49

Edward William George for me.

LionessesRules · 16/09/2022 21:56

Like both first names, with William George as middle names.

Just, if you have baby 2, what would you do with middle names?

DS1 has my father's name as his middle name, as DH wasn't bothered, but DS2 has FiLs name as his middle name

SarahAndQuack · 16/09/2022 21:57

Another one whose child has more than one middle name. I blame the fact DP had a long labour and shared the gas and air liberally. But, as someone with a very short name, I actually love the idea of having plenty of names to choose from - and given they are family names, it'll always be clear why you chose to have two.

I personally like Edward William George best.

SarahAndQuack · 16/09/2022 21:58

LionessesRules · 16/09/2022 21:56

Like both first names, with William George as middle names.

Just, if you have baby 2, what would you do with middle names?

DS1 has my father's name as his middle name, as DH wasn't bothered, but DS2 has FiLs name as his middle name

Well, if the second child is a girl, the obvious thing is grandmothers' names!

SarahAndQuack · 16/09/2022 22:01

LionessesRules · 16/09/2022 21:56

Like both first names, with William George as middle names.

Just, if you have baby 2, what would you do with middle names?

DS1 has my father's name as his middle name, as DH wasn't bothered, but DS2 has FiLs name as his middle name

Well, if the second child is a girl, the obvious thing is grandmothers' names!

StrictlyAFemaleFemale · 16/09/2022 22:01

I would consider saving George for nr 2. If it's a girl then you can have Georgia or Georgina or Georgiana.

Sofachoices · 16/09/2022 22:01

I have 2 grandparents names as middle names 👍🏻😊 it’s absolutely fine. If you’re close to both Grandads then I think it’s really lovely to use both.

Arthur would be my pick of first name 😊 Middle names work both ways but I think Arthur William George just flows slightly better in my opinion.

My grandfather was my favourite person in the world and one of my favourite memories in life was seeing him hold his Great Grandson for the first time while I told him that I’d given DS his name as his middle name 😊❤️

LionessesRules · 16/09/2022 22:02

You've got me there.
Sophia William George doesn't really work, does it?!
DD1 would have got the family middle name from side too. DH's side don't really do middle names.

SeasonFinale · 16/09/2022 22:03

Arthur William George is my preference

Soontobe60 · 16/09/2022 22:04

I’d have William George as the middle names, so either Arthur William George, or Edward William George. Both have a lovely rhythm to them.

Luredbyapomegranate · 16/09/2022 22:05

Whether it’s Arthur or Edward it sounds better as William George as that’s the way the syllables sound best. I like Arthur best but Edward is nice too.

Nothing wrong or unusual about having 3 names

Strokethefurrywall · 16/09/2022 22:08

DS2 has both grandfathers names as middle names. The order was chosen on which flowed better, not by order of importance (and neither grandpa felt that way either).

If it makes you feel any better, my brother had first name, dads name, paternal grandpa, maternal grandpa, surname!

Devilsfoodcake · 16/09/2022 22:08

I couldn't decide between my Grandad's name's for my son either so I asked them both and both honestly didn't mind, in the end we double barreled it,
John-James...JJ for short. My suggestion is ask your Grandad's opinions,
George-William would he the best I think, GW is nice for short.. or if you can't decide pop the names in a hat and pick at random! congratulations btw

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