Choosing a Middle Name
What's in a Name
The use of three names is customary in some countries. The traditional naming fashion in Russia, for example, is to give a first name and a patronymic middle name. The middle name is considered an honorific, so the Russians don't use it when signing their names. However, they do use it when addressing each other. For boys, the patronymic ending is -ovich, -evich as in Nicholaevich, or sometimes -ich. For girls, its -ovna, as in Alexandrovna, or -evna.
The process for selecting a middle name for your baby is very similar to the one you followed in choosing a first name. Many of the same considerations that apply to that process also come into play here, such as the specific name styles and fashions that you prefer, how the name fits with the first and last name, the meaning of the name, etc.
Like first names, middle names are sometimes preordained by religious or family customs, but you're probably like most parents and have free choice in the matter. This means you can do almost anything you like with your middle name choice. In fact, you probably have even a broader pool of choices to play with than you did when choosing a first name.
Last Name in the Middle
One of the reasons why there are more choices when it comes to middle names is because it's more common for family names to be adopted for use as middle names than as first names. Many couples honor traditional family names by using them as middle names. Another widely followed practice is to honor the mother's or the grandmother's family by selecting either of these family names, or a form of them, as a middle name.
Some couples use a variation of this theme by hyphenating the wife's maiden name with her husband's family name, and using the hyphenated name form in place of a separate middle name/last name combination, such as Susan Taylor-Smith. This name form isn't widely used, as it tends to be reserved for women who retain their maiden names when they marry. Since it's generally considered a feminine name fashion, it's rarely used when naming boys.
Location Is Everything
You also might find that there are more middle name choices based on one simple fact: Some names just sound better in second place. You may find that you really like a certain name, but it doesn't sound right with your last name or maybe you just can't picture calling your son or daughter by it. Whatever your reason, you'll notice that putting the name second gives you a whole new take on it. Just think of all the names you've considered and discarded as a first name. Putting them second gives you a whole lot of options from which to choose.
Initials in the Middle
Misnomers
A legendary misnomer story recounts the experience of an Army recruit named R.B. Jones, who, when filling out his enlistment forms, jotted down his name as “R. (only) B. (only) Jones.” You guessed it! From that day forward, he was known to all as Ronly Bonly Jones.
Name Dropping
Multiple middle names are best left to British royalty, who delight in honoring their royal heritage by bestowing such monikers as Charles Philip Arthur George (Prince Charles), William Arthur Philip Louis (Prince William), and Henry Charles Albert David (Prince Henry).
Even more middle name choices present themselves when initials, rather than full names, come into the picture. This name fashion is seen most often when naming boys and it generally happens when names are being passed along from generation to generation. It can seem like a bit much to saddle a little kid with such middle monikers as Abercrombie or Ebeneezer, or, heaven forbid, both of them! Two initials instead of two names—although a bit unusual—can be far easier to deal with. The downside to using just a middle initial or two as a middle name is that they can seem somewhat stuffy and formal. And, they can be misconstrued as stand-ins for full names.
But middle initials can also be very powerful—just look at a few of the famous people who use them, such as actors Michael J. Fox and Vivica A. Fox and writer/producer David E. Kelly. Not bad company to be in. Initials can also form the basis for some good nicknames. Many initial combinations become names in their own right, such as C.C., J.J., or D.D.
A middle initial isn't always a stand-in for a name, however—some parents choose them because they just go nicely with the given name they've selected. In this case, the initial used as a middle name is actually a letter name, and the letter isn't followed by a period because it's not an abbreviated form of anything. It is what it is—just a letter.
This name form is pretty rare—in fact, I can't think of anyone aside from President Truman who has it. But it does show up on vital statistics records. More often, though, letters as middle names tend to be expressed as the sound that the letter makes, such as Ess, Jay, or Dee.
Middle Picking
What's in a Name
Probably the most famous example of someone with a letter name was president Harry S Truman. His parents couldn't decide on which of Truman's grandfathers' names to use—Solomon or Shippe—so they compromised by using the letter S.
Name Dropping
When selecting middle names, keep in mind that shorter ones generally look and sound the best with long first or last names. Long middle name can balance shorter given and last names.
Whatever form of a middle name you choose should, first and foremost, work well with the first name you have selected and with your last name. While it's true that middle names don't get used as often as first names do, these names are often the glue that holds a full name together. They can even bridge the gap between first and last names that don't work too well together, which makes them not only unsung heroes but also great diplomats. See what I mean about how important they are?
For example, maybe you've selected a given name that's somewhat on the traditional side due to a family tradition or preference of your spouse, but you would have liked something a little less formal. Give your favorite the middle spot. Or maybe your ideal given name is on the unusual side. Pairing it with a more traditional middle name may make it seem less odd.
Basic given name/middle name fashion combinations include the ones listed below, although there are certainly others that you can consider as well:
- Formal/informal, such as Katherine Sue or John J.
- Informal/formal, such as Katie Suzanne or J. John
- Traditional/unusual, such as Elizabeth Siena or James Cort
- Unusual/traditional, such as Dakota Marie or Kobi Michael
Middle Moniker Tests
Name Dropping
Even your best efforts at avoiding unfortunate name combinations won't address every possible situation that may arise in the future. There's no way the parents of Francis Lee Bailey could have anticipated the antics of their son, who, as notorious defense attorney F. Lee Bailey, earned the somewhat unfortunate nickname “Flee” based on his erratic behavior during the O.J. Simpson trial.
Middle names should always be tested thoroughly, just as you would when selecting a first name. However, because they're often a last-minute choice, many middle names escape the same level of scrutiny, but they really shouldn't. Unfortunate combinations happen far too often when parents don't pay attention to how the middle name they've selected works in all its many forms and combinations.
- Spell them, again in combination with the first name alone and with first and last names. Be sure to consider all possible variant spellings. Sometimes an altered spelling on a middle name can be even more effective than when used on a first name.
- Say the names you're considering out loud—both in combination with the first name alone and as part of the entire given name. You want to make sure that the middle name you select fits well rhythmically as well as euphoniously.
- Consider all the various name forms and how the middle name will be used. How does a middle initial look in conjunction with the first name? Do the given name and the middle name initials form a pleasing combination? One of my college classmates was named Barbara Caroline, but she was known far and wide as B.C., which suited her elegant yet warm Southern personality to a tee. Remember, one of the key reasons to give a middle name is to increase the number of names that your child can use as he or she grows up. Your Margaret Suzanne may end up being Margaret Sue, Maggie Sue, Missy, Suzie, or just plain Suzanne as she grows up.
- Even if you're using a middle name that you don't particularly care for—maybe it was your compromise answer to your first name selection—do your best to make it work with the other parts of your child's name. It isn't necessary to stick with the most formal form of a name when it's used as a middle name. If you're stuck with something like Susan, maybe you can get away with Sue. Mary could be Marie, or even Mare.
Mining for Middles
The sources for middle names are virtually identical to the ones for first names, so you should have a good name pool already targeted to work with. Keep in mind, however, that middle names can be more creative or inspired than given names, so you might be able to broaden your pool a bit and consider some names that you wouldn't have put in the running before. For example, if you really want to commemorate the city in which your child was conceived, it might be a better idea to use it as a middle name, especially if it's a place like Des Moines or Taos.
Other potential sources for inspired middle names include:
- Circumstances and occasions. Maybe you want to honor the first time you and your partner met by using the day of the week or the month of the year in some form or another.
- Friends and mentors. Since there's more latitude in choosing middle names, this is a great spot to honor someone who's been important to you, especially if you can't do it with the first name for some reason.
- Fates and outcomes. Middle names, since they're generally not used as widely as first names, lend themselves well to names with symbolism or hidden meanings, especially from other countries and cultures. Comedienne and actress Sandra Bernhard used this name fashion when she selected Cicely Yasin for her daughter, who was born in 1998. Yasin is a Moroccan name that means “bearer of good news.”
Misnomers
Be sure you test-drive your first/middle/last name combination thoroughly before making your final decision. Don't skip a step in this process, or your little girl may never forgive you for naming her Mary Ursula Davis, resulting in the unlovely acronym MUD.
Creating a Middle
There's nothing that says you can't take a creative approach to fashioning a middle name just as you would in creating a first name. For example, you can craft a middle name from elements of several names if you're having a hard time settling on just one. Or honor a male relative by creating a feminine form of his name for your little girl (just flip these genders around to fit your particular needs).
Excerpted from The Complete Idiot's Guide to Baby Names © 1999 by Sonia Weiss. All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. Used by arrangement with Alpha Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
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