https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 04 Apr 2026 05:54:05 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/middle-name-or-no-middle-name#post-2525871 Fri, 15 Apr 2016 09:38:48 +0000 krispi 2525871@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My grandfather didn't have a middle name, and I guess he always felt his name was a bit incomplete. He was a little odd, so he just started making up middle names for himself. He would leave some interesting ones on our answering machine... (He always felt the need to state his full name for some reason.) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/middle-name-or-no-middle-name#post-2524172 Wed, 13 Apr 2016 19:35:47 +0000 MoonMoon 2524172@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I also come from a culture that doesn't use middle names, but we gave our LO one because hey, free name!</p> <p>One reason I can think of not to have a middle name: it can have religious significance. My cousin lives in Germany and there, the second name is traditionally the Christian name, and he's not Christian so he didn't give his kids middle names. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/middle-name-or-no-middle-name#post-2524123 Wed, 13 Apr 2016 18:54:55 +0000 bloved 2524123@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have no middle name and I grew up hating it! Plus no one believed me when I said I did not have one; they all assumed it was so awful I was lying so I would not have to shareS </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/middle-name-or-no-middle-name#post-2524063 Wed, 13 Apr 2016 17:34:14 +0000 Miss Ariel 2524063@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My friend's dad didn't have one. But he's a dr, and he picked a middle initial to use professionally. And technically his birth name is a nickname and for his professional name he also goes by the full length version. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/middle-name-or-no-middle-name#post-2524047 Wed, 13 Apr 2016 17:18:39 +0000 Torchwood 2524047@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DH and I both have to use our middle names a LOT because we have a common last name. I feel like it's just useful, even with an uncommon name there are so many people out there it could happen.</p> <p>Also, I changed my nickname multiple times growing up. I would have resented not having as much to choose from. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/middle-name-or-no-middle-name#post-2523946 Wed, 13 Apr 2016 15:33:11 +0000 Mrs. Champagne 2523946@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I love using the middle name spot to honour someone! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/middle-name-or-no-middle-name#post-2523903 Wed, 13 Apr 2016 14:55:13 +0000 snowjewelz 2523903@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We both came from cultures that don't use middle names. But we do have one for DD. I say go for it if you have one, don't if you can't come up with one! DH wanted DD to have one since we have a common last name. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/middle-name-or-no-middle-name#post-2523900 Wed, 13 Apr 2016 14:51:44 +0000 OldpuebloJenn 2523900@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My daughter's middle name is my last name. I didn't change my name so it's nice for us to have that connection and I like that my heritage is acknowledged. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/middle-name-or-no-middle-name#post-2523894 Wed, 13 Apr 2016 14:49:31 +0000 PurplePeony 2523894@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My DH is also from a culture where middle names aren't the norm and doesn't see the point. However, I didn't change my last name when we got married, and though I didn't mind giving DD his last name, I wanted my name to be part of hers, too. So it made perfect sense to give her my last name as a middle. Otherwise, I probably would have pushed what @pinkelephant suggested, which is what lots of our friends have done. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/middle-name-or-no-middle-name#post-2523882 Wed, 13 Apr 2016 14:40:34 +0000 cnidaria 2523882@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@PinkElephant: That's a good idea - I'll have to run it by him :happy: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/middle-name-or-no-middle-name#post-2523872 Wed, 13 Apr 2016 14:30:56 +0000 agold 2523872@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I like middle names, but I don't see a real need for them. If it makes the name nice, then I would add one or two! I actually don't have a middle name - my first name is a long name. I've never had a problem not having a middle name. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/middle-name-or-no-middle-name#post-2523842 Wed, 13 Apr 2016 14:11:17 +0000 MOMTOLITTLEB 2523842@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I like middle names. We both have family names as our middle names and gave our son a family name for his middle name. It's not a rule but I'm sure we were influenced by how we were named! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/middle-name-or-no-middle-name#post-2523838 Wed, 13 Apr 2016 14:10:14 +0000 PinkElephant 2523838@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In your particular case, it might be a great way to incorporate a name from your DH's culture (if you're giving the baby a more "mainstream American" name), or vice-versa, if your baby is getting a very specific cultural name/name in another language, to give them a more common English name they could use in certain situations if they chose to do so. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/middle-name-or-no-middle-name#post-2523836 Wed, 13 Apr 2016 14:08:17 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2523836@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We used a middle name. Middles are the norm.</p> <p>My parents gave my bro and I female/ male versions of the opposite sex parent's own middle name. Those names passed down a piece of them, but that is not the norm in my family. Everyone else just has a second name their parents liked. My husband's family appears to be the same at least with his immediate family in terms of choosing a name they like. </p> <p>Our LO's middle name will honor a member/ side of my family. I don't know if subsequent LOs will be so lucky, but they will all have middle names. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/middle-name-or-no-middle-name#post-2523833 Wed, 13 Apr 2016 14:06:39 +0000 kiddosc 2523833@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We used middle names as a way to honor family. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/middle-name-or-no-middle-name#post-2523832 Wed, 13 Apr 2016 14:04:13 +0000 Mamaof2 2523832@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Both my kids and everyone I know uses middle names so that's what we did too!</p> <p>We use family names.</p> <p>However, if your DH is strongly against it I think its ok to not have one </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/middle-name-or-no-middle-name#post-2523827 Wed, 13 Apr 2016 14:01:53 +0000 cnidaria 2523827@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DH and I are expecting our first child this fall and were discussing whether or not to give him/her a middle name. DH is from a culture that doesn't use them, so he doesn't see the point. On my side, everybody has a middle name - often passed down from a relative as a way to keep family names going.</p> <p>Would/did you use a middle name for your child(ren)? What reasons can you think of to use/not use a middle name? Curious to see both sides of this! </p>