Why do people have middle names?

Question

What is the point of them? I don't know anybody who actually uses them. Are they a formality or something? My middle name is Louise, and my daughter's name is Cassidy Louise, but I don't ever call her that... What on earth do we have them for?

Answer 1

?What?

Middle names usually mean something to the parents I have 4 middle names and one first but that is because every name mean something to my parents

Answer 2

Just a nice tradition - you want to call your son Max rather than the family name of Lafkadio - so you can throw that one in as a middle name and honour the family while still choosing your own nice first name....you get the idea.

Answer 3

Naming traditions vary greatly by language and culture.  In English, middle names were virtually unknown until the 1600s, and were not common until the 1800s.  By the start of the 20th century, virtually everyone born in the US had two names.

Early middle names were almost always linked to family - the mother's maiden name, for example.  It started out with upper class families.  It may've spread throughout the culture as another example of a trickle down trend; but it may also have been a practical consideration as there were more people - as another poster suggested, John Jameson Smith and John Ellis Smith are more easily seen as two distinct people.

But there's a lot more to it, I think.  Once upon a time, you could be one of four Elizabeth Smiths in your village and common use would dictate that you were Lizzie, she was Betsy, your aunt was Bess and your cousin was some other nickname.  Think about how many diminutives exist for Mary, Margaret, Katherine and lots of other classic given names.  Some time in the 19th century our legal name became less fluid - it was recorded by the Social Security Administration, the census, etc.  Before we had the ability to tack our identities (for better and for worse) to social security numbers via computer databases, a middle name became a means of giving our legal name some additional heft.

It might also have filled in a gap.  My mother's Catholic family used to choose their own middle names - their confirmation names would become their middles.  (Apparently, it was legally acknowledged - probably because church records were once considered legally identifying documents, and in some cases, still are.)  But today, you wouldn't be able to add your confirmation name to your legal identity without a court order.  (In most states, anyhow.)  So birth is the only chance to fill in that blank.

Today, more and more children receive two middle names - something previously reserved for royalty.  The reasons are many - distinct identity, honoring relatives or heros and so on.

IMHO, the best reason for a middle name is to give your child a safety net.  Jayden James might grow up to be a conservative banker who dislikes his trendy given name - he can be J. James.  Or Elizabeth Wren might hate her classic first name and choose to use her wilder middle.

And, of course, you might find that "Cassidy Louise LastName" comes in handy when she gets in trouble in a few years.  :)

Answer 4

usually the middle name is our godmother's

Answer 5

I think they are there for a variety of reasons.  Sometimes ancestors names can be inserted into the middle name position, that way the child has something of their ancestors but has their own individual name.

Also how difficult would it be to differentiate between common names if there were no middle names?

For instance John Smith, what happens if there's four John Smith's with no middle name?  Much easier if there's John Andrew Smith, John William Smith, John Louis Smith and John Paul Smith, don't you think?

Answer 6

If another person has that name, for example, if I were to be a Mary Smith  many people would have my name and could have a few consequences, with middle names, we are different. Or if I'm in a class with another Karen Jones to hand out our work, but then we don't know who's work is who's, and we could cheat easily by just saying that "This is my paper" because you know the smart Karen Jones did it.

Another reason is because some people think the names with the middle names go together. For example, Lily-Rose

The most common reason (I don't agree with it but..) is when a child is in trouble the parent would call them like JAMES AURTHER JONES!

Answer 7

There are a few reasons for people having middle names :

1. It's commonly accepted and we expect that pretty much anyone you know or meet, will have one.

2. It fits on most legal forms. Almost every form these days provides a place to write your first, surname, as well as a spot to write your middle name, or at least, it's beginning letter.

3. It prevents your child from receiving the middle name Nmi. This doesn't happen that much anymore, but about 20 years ago, many computers were coded to recognize three names and only three names. If a middle name wasn't indicated, the programme would insert NMI, which is military shorthand for "no middle initial".

4. It gives your child more flexibility when it comes to deciding the name he or she would like to be called by. It's not uncommon for people to use their middle name at some point in their lives. Sometimes they don't like their first name or are just plain tired of it.Or they may be asked to use their middle name to differentiate themselves from others who have the same first name, such as in classrooms where popular naming styles have resulted in a few too many Michaels, Anns or Johns.  

Answer 8

This was my edit from the other question...:

amaaaanda....names are sometimes associated with power and titles. Really that's what names are, titles. And America doesn't have official sort of titles and etc. In my country it's backround. My middle name is my dad's name, my last name is my grandfather's, and it goes on. I know my great-great grandfather's name on my dad's side through my last name.

edit: Plus, it's....Well....In my country, verbally, they call you First Name, Dad's Name, so it's really your middle name is known as your last name, but legally it's your middle name, on documents. But if there's someone out there with the same first name and has a dad with the same name, you add your last name. It makes more sense that way to me. How many people have the same name and dad's name as you?

Conversations might go like this...I'll make a name up....Translated into english:

Adult: What's your name?

Kid: Feven.

Adult: Feven what?/What's your dad's name?

Kid: Feven Tesfom/Tesfom

Adult: Feven Tesfom what?/Tesfom what?

Kid: Feven Tesfom Wolde/ Tesfom Wolde

After that they probably call you Feven Tesfom, Feven, Feven Wolde, etc.

(My mom said your parents don't even name you [in our country or the one she lived in]. The neighborhood gives you a name and it sticks. They call you mimi or nunu in the beginning cause you're like a baby, but eventually you sort of grow into a name.)

Answer 9

only really used in marriage and death lol i agree they do seem pointless

Answer 10

I always include my middle name... I know a lot of people don't though!