Double barrelled middle names?

[AmusedZebra]

This just popped into my head - so it’s not a long standing idea that I’ve got my heart set on (feel free to be as truthful as you like).

What’s the general opinion on double barrelling middle names?

I am having my second (and last) child. She’s my first and only girl.
So I naturally have roughly 6282727 baby names that I need to narrow down - and I’m finding it hard!!

The name May is a family name for me. It is my mother’s maiden name, my middle name, and my grandparents surname. Using May as a middle name has always seemed like a nice way to honour everyone at once.

However I do also like other names which I would be tempted to use as a middle name, but then I don’t want to waste the opportunity to use May.

How do people feel about double barrelling middle names? Elara-May, or Lily-May (both random choices, but you get the gist)

awful? Or not bad as it’s a middle name?

Double barrelled with a hyphen- awful

Just give her 2, seperate middle names- First name then May then xxxx then surname. Why the need to hyphen? I realise its 'only' a hyphen, but that is what reminds me of the old TV show the hillbillies or similar. I'm likely alot older than you, but 2 middles names IMO if much better than a hyphenated one.

Have two middle names. Don't hyphen.

My two youngest both have 2 middle names, no hypens though.

I have two middle names as does one of my DC. For family name reasons. The only issue with two middle names is some forms don’t allow sufficient space so for a lot of things I’m Filo Fax Life rather than Filo Fax For Life. It’s doesn’t matter. With those occasional forms in mind I would not hyphenate as you would be splitting the name rather than just dropping one sometimes.

Use two middle names, don't hyphenate them.
Many of the hyphenated names are -Rose or -May, so it will just look like you're following the trend.

... double barrelling middle names? ...awful? Or not bad as it’s a middle name?
Awful

Absolutely agree with this.

Just have 2 middle names. I have 2, so do my siblings, my children and my siblings children. Just standard in my family.
No need to hyphenate, more confusing and will get left out anyway.

Just give two middle names, you don't need a hyphen.

No need to hyphenate. Here are no restrictions on middle names. You could even give her 3 and no one would stop you!

I would name as Lily Catherine May Smith, then the May looks more like a family surname.

Veto

If you want two middle names have two but don’t hyphenate them. If you do will cause problems later in life filling in official documents / making sure passport and tickets are an exact match.

Same as others, two middle names, no hyphen, probably with May as the second to also cover the surname aspect. Easy from a paperwork point of view, gives the child flexibility as they grow up.

Every girl is a ‘something’ May, Lily May, Evie May, Ivy May, Isla May. Don’t hyphenate it and stick the other middle name in front of it.

This is a major thing on MN at the moment - so much so some are going to suspect you of needling the issue by posting this.

The general opinion is that hypenated names are not ok.

I kind of agree, but also kind of don't the more I think about it.

I understand where the aversion has come from: it's where it gets that kind of "Grapes of Wrath" vibe, with names like Roxy-Mae or Peggy-Sue ie; casual/nick-name type names that get bundled together.

I agree they aren't the nicest. Although they can sound "cute" up to a point, they have a certain "vibe."

But personally, I think MNers sometimes get a bit prone to lump many things in the same box that don't really belong together. They hear the "rule", know that is "out", eagerly assert it and don't really apply much discernment beyond that.

The truth is hyphenated first names have quite a strong tradition in France, with names like Jean-Luc, Jean-Baptiste, Marie-Claude etc and they don't come with the same baggage. I know a couple of extremely well-connected (not sure what word to use without saying "not c-word"! ) French people with these names who certainly don't fit the "profile" of the Grapes of Wrath feel.

Similarly, when I was young, names like Sarah-Kate or Sarah-Jane were about, and some I know are now very elegant and highly educated women - again, not the profile at all. So I don't think you can just lump them all together. It's a bit unnuanced.

My answer would be it depends on the names.

What I would say is use the May spelling, not Mae!

@Calliopespa , that they were acceptable in France is a separate discussion.
There was a list of names that were permitted. Hyphenated names aren't popular in France now.
The hyphenated names like Sarah-Jane tend to be known as Sarah.

Yes to all of that (though I do know a young hyphenated name in France). And yes, some do go by their first half only. But my point to op was more that having a hyphen on the BC does not a CH!"£y name make per se: it's got more to do with the names themselves.

That's my view, but I accept yours may differ.

@Calliopespa , I know some people with hyphenated names and some with joined names. The names usually sound twee or don't flow.
Most go by the first part, one goes by a 'nickname' (something like Sally-Marie known as Lee), one by the 2nd part (e.g. Polly-Anne known as Ann).
I never liked them.

I agree, I don't like those particular combinations either.

BUt by way of example, I do know an Anne-Marie and think it's nicer and more elegant than either Ann or Marie on their own.

No hyphen

@Calliopespa , I didn't want to use the real names because someone might recognise them. The joined up ones are a bit like Gemmamarie and Lauralouise , and they are terrible. Not quite as bad as my examples.

The ones I know were mainly -Marie, -Jane, -Louise. Dull.
I don't mind Anne-Marie but it sort of ends up being Ammarie, which sounds like mammary.
Ann and Marie on their own are both nice.

I see no need for the hyphen. Just Elsie Juanita May (or May Juanita) Bloggins or whatever.

It's cool to have two middle names but the hyphen is unnecessary as middle names are always said together or not said at all. You would only use it in first names to make people say both as opposed to assuming second part is middle one.

I like the idea of mum's maiden name as middle name. I would use that if I had a child as mine is unisex and a nice sounding name.

May is lovely anyway at any point in the name.

Why can’t you just choose two standalone middle names? Three even?!

Oh sorry I didn't realise you meant things like Gemmamarie: I've never seen that with the exception of Rosemary and Pollyanna and Marianne - which are really names in their own right at this point.

I thought you were meaning more classic hyphenated names, like Anne-Marie, Anne-Sophie etc. I'm not saying I'd choose them myself, but I don-t think they all belong lumped in the "must not do" bin that MNers would put them in.

Lots of people have two middle names.

I don’t think a hyphenated middle name is very nice thougg