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HelpMiddle names
Are there any traditions about middle names that you know?
I'm not from an anglophone country and the concept continues to boggle my mind. Baptismal names exist - so some people do have longer names- but are less and less common. They're also not random. If a person has them, it corresponds to their grandparents' with the same gender.
I'm not from an anglophone country and the concept continues to boggle my mind. Baptismal names exist - so some people do have longer names- but are less and less common. They're also not random. If a person has them, it corresponds to their grandparents' with the same gender.
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On my husband's side most middle names (really, almost all names) honor. My daughter's middle names honor me, her godmother, and her great-grandma. My brother chose names from books he and his wife read. My other brother passed the middle name Lynn (he was named after my father, Lynn. His wife also had the middle name Lynn), then connected the triplets with the middle names Faith, Hope, and Grace.
My parents used their middle names on two kids - Jessica Sue & Benjamin Lyn - but just chose names they liked for me and my eldest brother.
It really does just depend.
My parents used their middle names on two kids - Jessica Sue & Benjamin Lyn - but just chose names they liked for me and my eldest brother.
It really does just depend.
My parents used middle names to honor dead relatives.
The name Elizabeth Alida has been used for the first born daughter in my family (mum’s side) for centuries. My grandparents stopped this tradition, as did most of their generation, but did name my aunt Elizabeth and another A middle name.
As said above, after WWII naming traditions changed. Beforehand people where, what we call, name sick. If the first born was a daughter she was named for her mother’s side (e.g. Adriana Joan for her grandfather Adrian John). The second child, no matter the gender, was named then after the father’s side of the family (so either Geraldine Thomasina or Thomas Gerald after grandfather Thomas Gerald). It was common to give the “whole name” (first and middle) of the person they are named after.
I know several stories where a child was not given a present because they were not named after a certain side of the family (let’s say father’s side). Their sibling, that was named for the right side (mother’s side) did receive presents. It’s why we call it name sickness. It might be mainly common in Catholic families.
The people who’s middle names I know are named after family members, but nowadays it’s because a person is well liked. Not because tradition dictates it. Although in certain strongly religious families it’s still very much alive.
Edit to say that my parents almost named me Elizabeth Alida too, but decided against it as they felt that they should name a second daughter after the other grandmother and they didn’t like her name. Although I love my name, I would have loved carrying on the tradition and having been named Elizabeth.
As said above, after WWII naming traditions changed. Beforehand people where, what we call, name sick. If the first born was a daughter she was named for her mother’s side (e.g. Adriana Joan for her grandfather Adrian John). The second child, no matter the gender, was named then after the father’s side of the family (so either Geraldine Thomasina or Thomas Gerald after grandfather Thomas Gerald). It was common to give the “whole name” (first and middle) of the person they are named after.
I know several stories where a child was not given a present because they were not named after a certain side of the family (let’s say father’s side). Their sibling, that was named for the right side (mother’s side) did receive presents. It’s why we call it name sickness. It might be mainly common in Catholic families.
The people who’s middle names I know are named after family members, but nowadays it’s because a person is well liked. Not because tradition dictates it. Although in certain strongly religious families it’s still very much alive.
Edit to say that my parents almost named me Elizabeth Alida too, but decided against it as they felt that they should name a second daughter after the other grandmother and they didn’t like her name. Although I love my name, I would have loved carrying on the tradition and having been named Elizabeth.
This message was edited 5/10/2024, 6:41 AM
My husband and I each gave the kids a middle name from our family trees. We also have made it clear they are can and should choose any nickname from any of their names to go by as needed.
Many people use a family or honoring name in the middle, but it is equally common for people to use something they just think sounds nice, so often that ends up being a classic (i.e. Christopher, Andrew, Elizabeth, Marie) or a single syllable name (i.e. Grace, Lynn, James). Other times people a their second favorite name. Like if they were between name the kid Damian or Anthony the kid ends up Anthony Damian.
Anyhow, just a social convention. It rarely comes up outside of baptisms, weddings, funerals, or to give the parents more names to yell the more trouble their child is in. Or less often a kid really hates their first name and has the opportunity to just switch to their middle name with very little fuss (Paperwork in the US often has a slot for 'preferred name'). So it could just as easily be A. Damian Surname as it can be Anthony D. Surname.
Many people use a family or honoring name in the middle, but it is equally common for people to use something they just think sounds nice, so often that ends up being a classic (i.e. Christopher, Andrew, Elizabeth, Marie) or a single syllable name (i.e. Grace, Lynn, James). Other times people a their second favorite name. Like if they were between name the kid Damian or Anthony the kid ends up Anthony Damian.
Anyhow, just a social convention. It rarely comes up outside of baptisms, weddings, funerals, or to give the parents more names to yell the more trouble their child is in. Or less often a kid really hates their first name and has the opportunity to just switch to their middle name with very little fuss (Paperwork in the US often has a slot for 'preferred name'). So it could just as easily be A. Damian Surname as it can be Anthony D. Surname.
I want to use my aunt’s name a middle name. My mom just thought Marie sounded good. My dad’s middle name is my brother’s. It really varies!
Middle name traditions vary a lot from family to family. Some people use them to honour relatives, friends, or important figures; some people use them for values or virtues they want for their child; most people just choose something that sounds good.