Middle Names

Ah yes, the middle name post. Whether you've worked hard on a first name or it came out of the blue, most American babies will be given at least one middle name, and after deciding on a first name, a middle name can often seem like a mere afterthought. I'd encourage our posters to take a second look at the middle name spot. So here is some inspiration to get your middle name juices flowing.

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http://www.behindthename.com/glossary/view/middle_name
http://www.namenerds.com/uucn/advice/middle.html
http://nameberry.com/blog/2010/07/07/question-of-the-week-whats-your-middle-name-mindset/
http://nameberry.com/blog/2008/11/11/middle-name-management/


1. Middle names are a great way to honor family members or people in your life you think of highly. Here are a few good threads on that subject:

http://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/42678593.aspx (purpose of a middle name)

http://nameberry.com/blog/2009/01/04/how-important-are-family-names/

http://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/42840071.aspx?MsdVisit=1

2. Middle names can also be a child’s informal first name, especially if there is a family tradition of all children of one sex being legally given a certain first name, then a middle name would distinguish one family member from another.

http://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/44562705.aspx

http://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/28163197.aspx (edited to add)

3. Many people use one middle name, but there are some reasons to use more than one. Here are two threads on two middle names:

http://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/42672692.aspx

http://nameberry.com/blog/2009/09/23/middle-names-are-two-better-than-one/

A second middle name can also break up any awkward flow between a first name and another middle name, especially if both are firm and you don't want to give them up.

http://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/44686906.aspx

http://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/44708471.aspx

4. Middle names are a good way to be more adventurous.

http://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/44455895.aspx

http://nameberry.com/blog/2009/08/03/middle-names-thinking-outside-the-box/

http://nameberry.com/blog/2010/03/17/middle-name-switches-meet-david-jude-law-olive-marie-osmond/


5. Personally, I like names with a story, so I always to recommend using a name that has personal meaning. Some I’ve seen in the past are: favorite words, name of a constellation under which the guy proposed, family surnames and maiden names.

http://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/38984312/ShowThread.aspx

http://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/44428333.aspx


6. A masculine or feminine middle name can help indicate the sex of a unisex first name.

http://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/44560282.aspx?MsdVisit=1


7. In certain cultures, namers will use the first letter of a name to honor someone. Threads on that subject:

http://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/30162584.aspx

http://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/44491254.aspx

http://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/43601423.aspx

8. Another option with middle names is to choose a name with a different country of origin. If you and your partner are from different countries or have different ancestry, you can chose a first and middle name to reflect that.

http://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/47781547.aspx

9. Go-to middle names (aka filler middle names)

http://nameberry.com/blog/2009/03/09/middle-name-rose-is-the-bloom-off/

http://nameberry.com/blog/2009/09/03/middle-names-the-strange-the-ordinary-and-the-embarrassing/

8. A middle name can also reflect the circumstances of the birth. Many American namers will stick to Hope or Faith, if the pregnancy or birth was particularly tough; however, this opens up the possibility of name days (Sunday, Monday etc.), months (June, July, August) or place of birth like in some of these stories:

http://www.nancy.cc/category/baby-names-in-the-news/

http://www.behindthename.com/glossary/view/african_names

Middle Name suggestion posts:

http://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/44559327.aspx

http://nameberry.com/list/219/Cool-Middle-Names

Tips and Thoughts for Middle Names

http://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/44574221/ShowThread.aspx#44574221


1. Names that begin with a consonant sound and end in a consonant sound are generally more versatile with a variety of first and last names


2. One syllable names are a common choice:

http://appellationmountain.net/2010/08/14/a-to-z-single-syllable-names-for-girls/

http://xanthelinnea.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/one-syllable-names-for-boys/

http://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/26572279.aspx

http://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/44346694.aspx

http://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/43977379.aspx

http://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/43907589.aspx

http://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/44574221/ShowThread.aspx#44574221

And if all else fails, you can try Baby Name Genie for a random middle name generator:

http://www.babynamegenie.com/baby-middle-names/

"We hope this website has brought extra humor and fun to the process of coming up with baby names and that you have not taken the Genie too seriously. :)" - BabyNameGenie.com