This was originally posted on August 15, 2010
In this post, I’m going to address the middle name and provide a few tips that I hope will make it easier for you to settle on your baby’s name – in its entirety.
The middle name is unfortunate. For lots of parents, the middle name plays second fiddle to the first name (or given name). This is quite understandable – in the UK and most other Western countries, the middle name very rarely gets an outing unless you’re filling in some sort of form!
Even with the middle name being so reclusive in day-to-day life, plus not being a legal requirement, most parents do still pick one. So when the often drawn-out process of choosing a first name is completed – often towards the very end of your pregnancy – the realisation that at least a whole other name needs to be decided upon can cause mild panic.
But never fear! We’ve compiled a list of key considerations when choosing middle names:
Initials
Let’s start with a simple one. Andrew Ciaran Edmonds has pretty cool initials (ACE). However, Andrew Ryan Stewart Edmonds (ARSE) has initials that will have bullies thinking Christmas has come early. And rest assured, school kids will run with things like this.
Tradition
It’s somewhat traditional for middle names to be taken from a family member, such as a parent or grandparent. Potential pitfalls – it’s difficult to say “no I don’t like that name” when it’s your other half’s grandmother’s. Tread carefully, and if you do need to dispel someone’s family-based suggestion, find some proper reasoning for it (probably based on some of our other considerations). Conversely, also be aware of pushing your own family suggestion too firmly on your other half, and let them know it’s a joint decision.
Rhythm, rhyme and feel
Probably the most important consideration for middle names is how they affect the rhythm of the name as a whole. Names on their own sound great, but when you start pairing them up, they can sound awkward or become difficult to pronounce.
- Daisy Maise? Names that rhyme tend to sound a bit silly, to me at least.
- Alexandra Seraphina? 4 syllables each makes for a bit of a mouthful, and a long surname could make it crazy. Not disastrous, but worth thinking about.
- Kate Jane? Similarly, a lack of syllables can sometimes make for a flat sounding name. Again, depends on your surname, and is quite subjective.
- Luke William? Blending few syllables with more syllables can create a nice flow. I’m a little biased on this example, though!
- Amelia Rose? Same as above, but this time with a longer first name and shorter middle name. Rose andMay/Mae are two very popular middle names at the moment.
- Alice Stephanie? When the first name ends with the same sound as the middle name begins with (still with me?), the two names can blend together when said out loud. Unless you ensure you enunciate each name separately, you end up saying “Alistephanie”.
- James Zachary Smith? If your favourite first name and your surname are fairly common, consider using the middle name to spice things up
Pet/short names
Pet names are increasingly being used as given names, such as Ollie, Alfie, Evie, etc. These names don’t tend to work so well as middle names – probably stemming from the fact that, as above, middle names are often traditional.
Number of middle names
Most parents opt for a single middle name, however it’s not uncommon to see two or more. Obviously, getting all the components right becomes a bit more tricky when you add more names, but it can help accommodate the wishes of both you and your other half.
