To use no middle name

[Millenialmom96]

DH and I have a double barrelled name and are giving it to our kid in a few weeks. We're both tempted to not do a middle name so the child doesn't have a ridiculously long name. Everyone I know has middle names but I can't see any issues with not having one. For context the surname will be Bermitad-Dowell.

None of DH's family have middle names.

I have no middle name and neither have DC. I've not missed having one.
Many friends have a filler middle name like Jane or Anne, or James or John.

It seems that the current go to filler middle names are Rose, Grace or May or James or Jay for boys. I don't think they add anything.

I guess a middle name might be useful if you have a first name / last name combination that is pretty common, so that you are then distinguishable from the others. Otherwise why bother? I'm glad I don't have one, but I have a very rare last name.

I'd hazard a guess that there aren't many Bermitad-Dowell's around which make a middle name completely unnecessary IMO.

I wish I'd given my DC more then one middle name!

I always think it seems a bit lazy not to give a child a middle name. I'd definitely give them one.

A second name can be useful, I grew up hating my first name and decided to be known by my second name.
If you're set against two names, perhaps choose a first name that lends itself to different versions to give the child some options?
Elizabeth - Liz, Lily, Libby, Beth
Edward - Ed, Eddie, Ned, Teddy

Bermitad-Dowell - what an amazing name!! I can equally imagine a prime minister, film star, business executive.

I don't have a middle name and did notice it's absence when I was younger when people talked about their middle names. Plus no one believes you don't have a middle name, they just think it's hideous and your hiding it!

Not lazy on my part. DC like their names and have never mentioned that they'd have preferred to have a middle name or a name with more options.
The first names were chosen partly because they didn't have versions.

I don't like my middle name and ignore it as much as possible. One of my sisters doesn't have a middle name, and she's godmother to my oldest daughter so we decided that she wouldn't have a middle name either and could choose one herself when she was older if she wanted. She has never bothered. My other children do have middle names but have never "needed" them.

Not lazy here. Why would I want to give my DD a name that neither me, her or anyone else will ever use?

I always think no middle name seems a bit lazy of the parents 🤣plus it gives the kid a second choice of name to go by if they dislike their first one ( I know a few people who go by their middle name as adults as they liked it better).

Just pick something short and one/two syllable - there are loads of choices without resorting to the generic middle names of this generation (James for boys and Rose/Grace/May for girls). Try looking in your family tree or be inspired by nature with something like Heath, Fenn or Briar, Lark etc.

My children don't have middle names. I've never used mine.

I don’t have one never bothered me