How Many Middle Names?

[AubernFable]

I personally love long ‘frilly’ names, two or more middle names, but I know some people that don’t have a middle name at all or think more than one is over the top.

What are your thoughts on name length? Do you think having double barrelled first or last names makes a difference?

I don't have one and have never missed having one.
Can't see the point of them unless it's a family or honour name.

The filler middle name seems pointless. If you are Isla Smith or something, having Rose/May/Grace as a middle name doesn't make the name more unusual.

A friend's children have a family surname as a middle name - something like (but not) Noah Corbett Jones and Olivia Corbett Jones, not double barrelled.
That seems sensible.

@oakleaffy of course he can, he can add it by deed poll. I added and extra middle name that way. I mean you can change your entire name so adding a middle name is totally doable.

I have 2 middle names - quite long 2/3 syllable names, but hasn't been difficult growing up, forms etc. I guess I'm used to it.

My eldest has one and youngest has two

Though they're short one and two syllable names a nurse went to my youngest "oh that's a lot of names isn't it" First time I'd really thought about it, I don't seem to think so lol

But I definitely wouldn't use more than two middle names

Depends how many surnames - with a double barrelled surname I don't think you need any, three initials is enough. Maybe 4 initials if you're feeling particularly frilly.

A PP says no middle names is for unimaginative people; conversely I thought more than one was because they were indecisive or failling to get relatives to butt out. The couples I remember from NCT classes who went with two middle names for the baby seemed to do it to because of one for his granddad, one for hers - that sort of thing.

Same here I have two long middle and two surnames, I haven’t had many issues filling out forms but that could’ve been more of an issue in the past when long names, like some names from other cultures, were less common and you only got a few squares.

I love the sound of three middle names but i’m realising it’s considered too much!

@AubernFable , I can remember a time when a Chris I know mentioned that Christopher was often too long for forms.

I know one person with 3 middle names, and they only use one when using initials. I know someone with 2 middle names, who uses all 4 initials.

@AubernFable yes I agree, personally I think 3 is a lot but at the end of the day it's up to you :)

I'd have loved two middle names for each of my children but DH was quite firm in saying he thought one was enough (he doesn't have one). As I got to choose all of DC's names I thought it was a fair enough compromise.

The only thing I can think of is a good telling off lol. I had a friend with only two names, think Adam Johnson, and I gave him the middle name Louise so when he was being a pain in the behind he had a ‘Sunday name’ to use.

“Adam Louise Johnson stop it this minute” just feels better than without it 😂

I think the family surname as a shared middle name is lovely too.

We have decided that it's tradition in our family for the women to have no middle names and so far it goes back at least 5 generations and dd decided to keep it up when she had her dd. I say we have 'decided' this as it's for no good reason really but we kind of like it!

Mine is a couple of letters off but I think my only experience so far is being called ‘Firstname Li’ in the hospital and having to explain to the lovely nurse that the computer had just cut off the rest of my name and it wasn’t my surname but the first part of my middle name.

I use all my initials or exclude my surname.