Why did you choose a middle name?

I'd always said if I had a boy, he would have my brothers name as a middle name as he died a few years ago and I'd like to use it in his memory. I told H if we had a girl he could choose the middle name, which we have, she has his nan's name. His nan is the only grandparent left between us so I thought it was nice for Ruby to have her name.

Having a middle name is the norm in our families. I wanted to use something family-related. I was very close to my gran and she died a few months before I fell pregnant with A. Her name was Bethea shortnened to Thea. Thea was a big contender for a first name but Anna won the prize. It didn't run well together as a middle name so we chose Beth instead which I think goes well together and sounds 'right'. 

Thea is still a contender for name in the future.

I do love the name Beth and am glad I used it as A can choose which name she wants to use when she is older.

jelly baby:

To me it's normal to have a middle name.  That seems the default to me and I'm surprised when people don't have a middle name.

WSS

 

Our boys both have family names, F's is my dad's name and T's is dh's.  If we have a 3rd boy it will have FIL's name, will probably struggle with a middle name for a girl though.

jelly baby:

To me it's normal to have a middle name.  That seems the default to me and I'm surprised when people don't have a middle name.

WJBS - never occurred to me not to!

G has an unusual and difficult to spell first name (but I really loved the name and couldn't find anything else I liked better). We therefore wanted to give her an "alternative" name she could use. TBH I expected her to have two names just because I have 2 and my H ended up with 3 names (which I thought was too many!)

S has the middle name that his dad and grandad have.

I don't have a middle name, but I wanted C to have one. I chose to name him after my grandad who died shortly before i had C.

This time round, this bean will have my dad and step das names as his middle names.

i wouldn't have been able to give them any old name, it had to be something with meaning.

we wanted Luke to have his own first name, but used a family name for his second.

It's really interesting to read all the reasons behind the names and it's lovely to know so many people pick a family name in memory of someone.

I've got a middle name but never ever use it and I forget to use it and then documents end up wrong. It felt very strange having to use it in my wedding vows and it doesn't feel a part of me if that makes sense. I didn't realise middle names were as popular as they seem to be and I felt odd in school having one.

both our children have family names as middle names.   we both have middle names as well

My two are Niamh Margaret Rose and Isobel Kathryn Eve.

Niamh's middle names are after my Nan and my H's Nan who were both called Margaret and are no longer with us. Rose is my other Nan's middle name - I wanted to include her but her first name is Winifred and I didn't like that! TBH she hates being Winnie too so was really pleased we used Rose.

Isobel's middle names are Kathryn after my best friend who has just been an absolute star especially since I had the girls. Other friends have fallen by the wayside since I became a Mum but she has been a real rock when i  have struggled. She is not a Mum herself but she gives me really practical help and if she doesn't agree with all aspects of my parenting, she keeps it to herself! Eve is after H's other Nan who was called Evelyn but known as Eve. H really liked Eve but obviously we couldn't have Eve and Niamh!