Let me start by saying my other 3 kids all have double middles.
They are also much older than the baby we are TTC.
Having a double middle has at times been a real pain to be honest- like filling out forms, how it is written on letters etc.
I decided that this time I would use 1 middle name.
But now I’m second guessing- perhaps because there are so many names I like I want to use more! LOL
Arial[/name_u] [name_m]Black[/name_m]]What issues/ thought/ benefits/ opinions do people have on the double versus single middle name debate?
I am kind of in the same position! We are expecting our second boy in [name_u]August[/name_u] and his four year old brother has two middle names. His first name is deeply rooted to my ancestry in the South and his middles names are names that are uniquely his-
(Rucker [name_m]Rhett[/name_m] [name_u]Sutton[/name_u])
Our next boy is gonna have a first name more his own (though [name_m]Cotton[/name_m] and [name_m]Haines[/name_m], my brothers’ names, are on the list) and most likely just one middle name.
I think it depends on the names you come across and how they flow or if you feel the need to make his name more his own will be the deciding factor.
Also, in my experience, when you see him for the first time, I think you’ll just know.
We have two middles, originally because my husband thought his grandmother’s and my late mother’s names gave her no popular, modern option if she didn’t like them; then we followed suite for number two. No problems so far, all the official stuff just lists the first middle…
I love the distinguished sound and feel of double middle combos, if the names match well. It’s often a good way to get at least one quirkier/more unusual name in with established names that have historical usage. Different but complementary styles- which can give what I call a “playful-but-sophisticated” feel. I do think there’s less margin for error though with two middles, either it’s gorgeous and memorable or it’s a total mess.
I won’t use two middles because it’s not important to me, and I don’t love the way so many sound like a roster instead of one person. I actually really like the sound of the first, middle, middle, but almost always if I say all 4 names together it just draws out forever.
When it works, like the previous poster said, it can be quirky and playful.
I think at least one name should be one syllable, preferably two (like the last name to end on a short note). As a random example, [name_m]Henry[/name_m] [name_u]James[/name_u] [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] [name_m]Smith[/name_m] sounds nice, but I don’t know, [name_m]Henry[/name_m] [name_m]Jonathan[/name_m] [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] [name_m]Thompson[/name_m] sounds a bit… Excessive.
To add, I doubt your kid will be very concerned about having one middle versus two, especially if you don’t make it out to be a big deal that your other kids do have two.
If you can’t find a second middle that you [name_f]LOVE[/name_f] or the second middle keeps throwing off your otherwise satisfying combinations, then don’t worry about the extra middle. If you have three names you love, and love together as a combo, then go for it
I’d really like to do double middles for our children, but hubby does NOT like the idea of double middles for boys, and will only consider it for girls. I’d love to go with [name_m]Joel[/name_m] [name_m]David[/name_m] [name_m]Peter[/name_m] for our baby if he’s a boy - both middles honouring my paternal grandfather and DH’s paternal grandfather… sadly it looks like it’s not to be!
We picked a double middle for Q although his first middle honours his grandfather and his second is my surname. I’ll probably do the same for the twins, not sure yet. A double middle is fairly common in the UK although neither myself of my husband have two.
If the baby ends up with one surname, we’re going to have two middle names, but if she ends up with two surnames, we’re going with only one middle name, because really, five names is a bit excessive! (We think anyway.)
