[name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] is old enough to help out with the name talks between [name_f]Mary[/name_f] and I and recently we’ve been talking about what we’re doing for middles. We’ve got a loose list of first and [name_f]Mary[/name_f] wanted to talk middles. We know we’re doing slightly unusual in the front and two middles, both more normal.
We were talking yesterday about doing two middles and [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] joined the conversation. We talked with him about how the baby will have a name like his middle name - [name_m]Benjamin[/name_m] - and then we wanted to use something like [name_f]Hope[/name_f] or [name_f]Faith[/name_f], [name_m]Loyal[/name_m] or [name_m]Noble[/name_m] in the other spot, something that made us think of God and a wish for the baby. [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] got upset because he doesn’t have two middles. He’s from a different relationship and I’d never thought of two middles then. So now he’s upset that the baby gets “a special wish” from us and he doesn’t, like he thinks it makes him less special or loved.
So we were thinking that maybe we could work with him and find a virtue name to add to the second middle spot for [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m]. He wants it, we are both thinking it’s fine. We don’t associate with my family at all and [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] isn’t [name_f]Mary[/name_f]'s so her family, bad as it sounds, won’t really notice the added name, I don’t think.
So I guess the question is, if [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] wants to have a new middle name added, is that okay? He’s 7 so he’s old enough to know what he’s asking. And he’s still going to be [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m]. It won’t effect anything since the second middle isn’t used on forms or anything. It would just be a new SS card and birth certificate.
I guess I just need some thoughts from someone that’s not [name_f]Mary[/name_f] or my brother.
If you don’t want to go through the whole legal process, you could essentially all-but legally give him a middle. For all sense and purposes, his name could be “[name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] [name_m]Benjamin[/name_m] [name_m]Valor[/name_m]”, but legally, he’d just have to know that when he fills out a legal document, it’s officially only [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] [name_m]Benjamin[/name_m]. (It could be like his secret identity! I’m sure a little boy would love that. [name_m]Valor[/name_m] could be his superhero name. And all that fun stuff. :)) Although, if you’re up for changing it legally, I see no reason why you shouldn’t. I think it’s a great idea!