What's the point of having a middle name?

[Dodie16]

Okay, I know that sounds like a dumb question, but it's just something I've been thinking about. Why do we have middle names?

I honestly have no idea why we do. When we fill out forms and stuff all they ask for is the middle initial and not the full name most of the time. Actually I can't think of anything where I had to give my full name.

Middle names are like the appendix. They probably served some sort of purpose at one time, but now they're really just there for no particular reason. Well, no reason that I can think of anyway.

So does anyone have any insight to this question? Or maybe you would like to share your middle name and if it means anything to you or your family?

My middle name is Anne. It doesn't have any special significance that I know of. I have no family named Anne and my parents never spoke of having any friends named Anne. So I suppose it's just because there had to be a first, middle, and last name put on the birth certificate.

[GypsyElder]

I would guess it's because there are multiple people in the world that have the same First and Last name of yours. Like for Example, my Dad and brother both have the same first and last name, the only difference is that my brother has a middle name of Christopher. All my life I have called him AC for short ,for Aaron Christopher. I guess this would be important for people in the same family that have the same name, because it probably helps from getting debt mixed up between family members. That's my guess.

My middle name is Gayle.....would you believe, my dad told me that my mom wanted to give me the middle name "Alpha" no offense Alpha but I mean, I would be really weird if I ended up getting that as my middle name -_- it would make me think of Alphalfa every time. And they were also going to name me Jennifer.....Jeniboo? D:

[Maridia]

I would think as it's been said to distinguish better who is who if they have the same first and last name. But usually if you have 2 people with the same name they have a description to one like short Bob or the skinny Bob. Not Bob James Matheson.

My middle name is Ryan. Kinda bland but you never hear it anyway so it's fine I suppose. Originally it was gonna be my first name til I was born and got switched on the spot. Which I'm glad Josh is much cooler. Oh so much cooler!

[Andromeda]

Well there's the fact that people have the same first and last names. Their middle name ends up being the only way to tell them apart. We actually had two people at work unrelated with the same exact name apart from their middle name. It really confused things and if it wasn't for the middle name they'd be always getting the wrong mail or messages.

So I think of a middle name as the final check to separate people. Because there are a lot of people with the same last name as you and odds are you'll probably have a few people if not more with the same first name as you. At that point the filter has removed so many people that the probability of someone having the same middle name gets pretty low, though I wouldn't put it past them. The likelihood of meeting someone with the same first and last name of you is pretty good. However, meeting someone with the exact same name is probably fairly low.

[Priscilla]

I agree with what everyone else has said. It's an extra name to distinguish who is who. My mother's name is Penelope and mine is Priscilla. So our initials (excluding middle name) are the same. Because of this every document lists my mum as P McElligott and me as P F McElligott. It would be confusing without that. We'd never know who's who.

As for my middle names. They are just as horrid as the rest of my name. My middle one is Faye. Which is my Grandma's name. My second middle name, which I received when I was confirmed is Frances.

[Unknown Entity]

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing as Andro. When I was younger, there were two Gemma's in the class. Although we/the teacher didn't use each others middle names, it probably would have been easier to do so. I've also known friends who prefer to be known as their middle names because they didn't like their first names as much.

My middle name is Sarah-Anne or Saranna (I prefer Sarah-Anne). My great-grandmother was called Sarah-Anne, and so I was named after her.

[Taco-Calamitous]

My theory is that your parents give you your middle name for the times that they want to scold you using your full name. It sounds more condemning that way, doesn't it? "THOMAS, AARON, [LAST NAME]!!" When they say that, you know they're pissed off. Although the other thing is probably true. And I've also known some people who went by their middle name instead; sometimes to avoid confusion, actually. Yeah, and my middle name is Aaron. It's a pretty cool name. Anyhoo...

Wuv, Yer Mom

[RagnaToad]

Some people just have middle names because that's tradition. First and last names were around long before you had to 'identify yourself' for legal stuff. At some point in history, people started keeping the last name of their father and passing it on.

Does everyone in the US have a middle name? And are you obliged to have one? Can't you just be John Johnson?

I don't have a middle name, just like pretty much everyone else my age doesn't have one over here.

[nix]

I have two middle names >_<

[Dodie16]

Posted by RagnaToad
And are you obliged to have one?

That's what I was wondering myself! I'm not totally sure if we just absolutely have to have one, and that's another thing I want to know. I may look it up later, but if anyone knows for sure, please do tell!

lol @ Telegraph. Hahaha! That does sound more threatening when you hear your full name!

[Govinda]

I, and everyone I know who is my age, has one. Maybe it's just Belgium, Ragna?

Mine is Crawford. ****ing LOL. He's an alcoholic and a right ****wit, one of my uncles, my grandmother's favourite, apparently. Like hell. He got pissed off and tried to disown me when I made it into uni because all his kids are junkies like him. My dad just said to him, 'You're only ****ed off because you know that this is the only time the words 'Crawford' and 'McL-' are ever going to be involved with a university without either a janitor's uniform or the police involved.' BOOM!

[nix]

Not everybody has a middle name, this i know for fact.

I'm pretty sure its a religion thing, you will find that most catholics will have two middle names, second one chosen at confirmation.

I dont think Prodestants get a middle name at all, but i could be wrong. But from my experience in work ive come across alot of people without a middle name from prodestant areas of the UK.

Unsure about other religions

[RamesesII]

I have no frigin idea but I would like to expand on Rags comment about first and last names, back way back in the days last names were given out according to occupations or something significant to the father etc for example if you were a baker than you were John Baker and before anyone pulls me up "What if there was more than one baker" you have to remember this was back in the days where each little small township or colony had just one of everything and the business was passed down the family, another example could be if you lived on the the bank of a river than you last name could have been Bank and people would say " Hey look there's Bank's son or daughter hence it was then used as the family name anyway it was something like that.

Quite often small colonies could have their last names after places they live or that describes where they live which is what my name is which of course I won't divulge although I probably already have somewhere.

This also makes me think how did the people who's last name is **** get theirs?

[Jin]

Why do we have middle names?

The same reason(s) we have first and last names (and any other names one might have).

[OceanEyes28]

Haha I like Govinda's story a lot.

I'm not sure if protestant religions have anything to do with middle names. I was raised Presbyterian and got one, but my parents aren't super religious so they probably would have done it either way.

I like middle names. And I like when people keep them a secret, because they get so protective. That happened a lot in middle school, I remember.

My middle name is Faith. I've always liked it, and I've always had it. It didn't come from any other family members, I think Dad just wanted me to have the name.

[Josh_R]

I strongly agree with what Telegraph said. The only time I ever heard my mother say my middle name was after or before countless swearing and lots of ass whooping's...

My middle name is David and my first name is Joshua. Strange sometimes considering I am an atheist and my name came straight outta the bible...

[KeybladerXIII]

Meh, I was never given a middle name. My dad and I have the same name, so I just use the "Jr." title. Oddly, they gave my brother a middle name, "Emmanuel". I never see any use for a middle name but, as the others said, it probably distinguishes between people.


@nix: Well, I'm Catholic and I was never given a middle name, ever. I think I was forgotten, I guess.

[Treize]

@nix: Well, I'm Catholic and I was never given a middle name, ever. I think I was forgotten, I guess.

You don't have to receive a middle name at Confirmation. It is pretty optional.

I agree with everyone who said that it is mainly used for further identifying people.

Does everyone in the US have a middle name? And are you obliged to have one? Can't you just be John Johnson?

No, not everyone has a middle name, but it is pretty rare for someone not to have one. If you would have to fill out some official documents that require you to write a middle name or middle initial, you would just write no middle name or no middle initial.

My middle name is James. I don't really like it. It is pretty generic, and it is the same as my father's middle name. =/

I still like the idea of middle names. It does get a little out of hand when people have two given names, two middle names, and then prefer to use there married and maiden name, though. Six names are just too much.

[Rocky]

We have middle names the same reason we have first and last names; it's more for identification then anything. Not much really else to say on the matter, except that I think more "old-fashioned" first names more or less become the ideal nicknames for people. I think that has mostly to do with tradition but I could be wrong.

As for my middle name, it's the same name as my biological father, Edward. I don't really like the middle name or my real dad, so it's kind of annoying to have.

EDIT: Anyone else thought of changing their name before?? Though I don't think I would ever do it, I'd like to make up a cool name, kinda like Chad Ochocinco, lol.

[Elyon Seraphim]

I see this thread as an "Tell us your Name and Middle Name" also beside from the name of the thread.

But yeah... I don't understand myself with Middle Names.

As for Myself, My name is Matthew Francies, But peps like to call me Matt, Matter like the Rusty dude in the "Cars" movie lol, Beside from those, i have being called Matey from my friends. Mate + y = Matey ^_^ I think you understand.

[Sean]

Social security numbers aside, the middle name is the only way to tell my father apart from me. My dad is Michael John and I am Michael Sean. Whenever someone we don't know calls for Michael we always ask Michael J. or Michael S.?

So middle names are a way to differentiate between two people with the same first and last name.

I was also raised being called by my middle name, Sean, vs being called Michael. As such Sean is always the name I go by.

[Taco-Calamitous]

Though I don't think I would ever do it, I'd like to make up a cool name, kinda like Chad Ochocinco, lol.

Haha, damnit, that guy... It's the most absurd thing, yet it's awesome at the same time. Particularly since it doesn't actually mean "eighty-five;" it just means "eight-five." Just so he can wear it on his jersey. I wonder if he is aware of this. No, though, I've never thought of legally changing my name.

Those of you who don't have middle names; you're missing out! Also, I'm Catholic. I wasn't aware that you could take a second middle name after confirmation. I suppose mine would've been "Francis," I think, after the patron saint of animals. He was my chosen saint, anyway. For whatever purpose that served, I forget. *thumbs up* Anyhoo...

Wuv, Yer Mom

[Zerobanshee]

I actually have two middle names. All of us (my siblings & I) have four names, and we actually aren't catholic. I think it's just a personal preference of the parents.

I agree with Telegraph about parents using the middle names as leverage. Whenever I hear my mom yell "Brandon Lee Miles!!!" I know I'm in deep shit.

[Aerif]

Those of you who don't have middle names; you're missing out! Also, I'm Catholic. I wasn't aware that you could take a second middle name after confirmation. I suppose mine would've been "Francis," I think, after the patron saint of animals. He was my chosen saint, anyway. For whatever purpose that served, I forget. *thumbs up* Anyhoo...

As far as I'm aware the saint you choose, your confirmation name, does officially become part of your name in the eyes of the church, as an additional middle name.

I'm not sure if it's a universal thing, but it seems to be done in Scotland and Ireland so I'm assuming all Catholics who've made their confirmation may use the saint's name as an additional part of their name.

In doing that, my name is now 6 words long, the longest word being 11 letters. That's why I don't use it fully .

---

But concerning middle names as a whole, I think the origin was used for a sign of respect. Since you can only have one first-name, this may be used for a name your parent's like, whilst the second name may be from someone your parents respect.

Of course nowadays it's just tradition to give a child a first name and a middle name, so there's not really any important reason for middle names today.

[Ralz]

I would agree with everyone's point that it distinguishes(?) two people with the same name. I would... if that didn't apply to my father and I. You see... we share the exact same first name, exact same last name, and yes, the exact same middle name. The only possible difference I could have is I am Jr and he is Sr. I've always hated that part about my name. Instead of even an ounce of originality, there's nothing. Lazy bastard couldn't think of anything.
>: ( My middle name is Allen, if you're wondering. It means nothing special, it's just... there, for me.

[Alpha]

I'm pretty sure its a religion thing, you will find that most catholics will have two middle names, second one chosen at confirmation.

I think that's right. My middle name is Mark, after the gospel writer (I think), but I chose Patrick at confirmation because I like my Irish ancestry (more so than my Scottish ancestry, and because my Scottish ancestry is Protestant, and that wouldn't work for a Catholic confirmation, would it?).

[Ethan Blitzball King]

i don't have a middle name or a last name my whole name is just ethan people go down the street saying yo ethan (really i am Stephen King)

[Ernest]

Im sure its just a tradition that came about through mixed cultures. As someone said, when using initials, such as J.K Rowling, it just helps differentiate that person from another J Rowling.

[loaf]

People have said it, middle names is how to identify people with the same first and even last name.

In my situation with a friend of mine it's different. We have the same first and middle name. lol.

[Storm]

I don't know if religion is a factor as I come from a non-religious family (I know that we are all non-religious for at least 3 generations anyway). Although, saying that I do have Irish heritage... so maybe middle names do stem down from religion? No idea.

I do understand the idea of it being a distinguishing factor though. Although my name is uncommon (although annoyingly my first name has apparantly become more common, even though it was really rare in my birth year), so I don't really need a middle name, I have one nonetheless, which I only use in formal forms. It is never on my profiles etc. When I was in sixthform, we had two Bens with the same surname, so one was abbreviated as "Ben D" and the other "Ben R" (from their middle names). So they were Bendy and Bender.