Why a middle name?

[Glamourcide]

Seriously, give the kids middle names. My parents 'gave me two first names' (they're hyphenated) and I always, always, always (and still to this day) despise them for cheating me of being like everyone else and having ONE first name and ONE middle name.
The middle names DH and I chose for DD1 (and soon-to-be DD2) don't have any familial significance, they're just names that we both like, that sound good with the first names and our surname, and are easy to spell/pronounce. That, and it kind of 'belongs' to them more when attached to their middle name. I know a lot of Emilys, but only one Emily Paige (and yes, we do use her middle name quite often - people often ask what her full name is just out of curiosity, and of course when she's in trouble it's 'EMILY PAIGE RANKIIINNN, STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING RIGHT NOW!').

My DH hates his first name but likes his middle name and always says if he could be bothered, he'd make everyone refer to him by his middle name. An old boyfriend of mine was known as 'Sam' by absolutely everybody, it wasn't until we'd been together for well over six months that I found out his first name was actually 'William' and that Sam was his middle name.. even his mum called him Sam. (So, having a middle name gives the kids another option if they really don't like their first name, they can insist that others refer to them by their middle name if they prefer it.)

Honestly though, I mean I know it's probably irrelevant these days because kids are getting around with some seriously oddball names anyway, but to me I always felt really left out and disappointed that my parents hadn't given me a middle name. Other kids made fun of me for it and I always wished that my mother had come to her senses and just given me a normal name, like a normal kid, so I could blend in.

So yeah, my advice - tell DH that his problem with middle names is solely because of HIS middle name and you wouldn't give your child the name of anybody who left a sour taste in your mouth - therefore, problem solved! Give the kids a middle name so that when they go to school, they feel normal. Actually, it lasts a lifetime - even now, when filling out documents, people are like, 'It says here to print your FULL name, can't you read?' and I have to explain that I've written the entire name my mother and father gave me, not much else I can do about it. It's a pain.

[catherinemoses]

I tend to think that a name doesn't look complete without a middle name.

Another thing to think about is that often at school they will talk about name and may research meanings etc. There is potential that they may be teased for not having a middle name cos it is the 'norm'. Or they may just feel left out. I think even when kid think their middle name is stupid/embarrassing they still love to share it.

I love the family heritage behind a lot of middle names too

[briggsy's girl]

like the other girls, i think there are many arguments FOR having a middle name - for one, it does sent you apart - there may be three Ella's in a school, but your DD will likely be the only one to have HER middle name. there is also the thought of handing down a family tradition, or naming your child, less directly, for someone you know and love (or admire)

for us, our DD will have two middle names - one to pay tribute to other members of our family, the other for something that is very representative of my DH and I. had she been a boy, first name would have been DH's dad's middle name (DH lost his dad young), his middle name a variation of DH's middle name that is also the middle name of godparents son (who was killed in an accident last year), third is a variation of my name, but also holds relevance to both DH and several members of my family.

we felt it important to give our child an identity that is solely hers, with names that are important to us. my bro's children all have three names, each of the middle names holds relevance to someone important in their life...

[Pandora]

Some people do use them in day-to-day interactions.
I only sometimes call DS by both names, but lots of my cousins get called by their first and middle name, and some by one or the other depending on the person.