[name_m]Hi[/name_m] all, we’re currently expecting our first baby. It’s fairly easy to find first names. But what about middle names? [name_f]Do[/name_f] you have a theme? Did you name your kids after your family members, friends, etc? It seems like our options are endless and we’d really like to narrow them down.
Thanks!
Hey there! I don’t have kids yet, but we’ve talked about names in the meantime and came up with possibilities. The middle name spots for our kids will likely be for family names. In some ways, it’s almost easier to do it that way but it is not a flawless system (our families would definitely squabble about what side we chose the names from).
I don’t think there’s a right or wrong method for choosing middle names. If you want something that most people on here consider “fillers” (ie [name_f]Grace[/name_f], [name_f]Marie[/name_f], [name_u]Lee[/name_u], [name_u]James[/name_u], etc), then go for it. Family names? Why not. If you are still struggling, maybe look at what names you like but just didn’t make the cut for the first name spot, and maybe pick one. Or say your favorite got chosen as a first name…he can choose the middle name. Family trees are also usually good sources to find options from. Best of luck 
Not that much help since I don’t actually have kids yet but I have thought a lot about baby names. Most of my middle name options are simply names I love, ones that I may have actually considered to be a first name but instead it seems to have slotted in perfectly with another one of my favourite names. Personally, I don’t think you should love a middle name any less that you love the first name. So my first tip would be to consider the first name options you have and see if you like any of them together as a first and middle combo.
I’ve also considered a few family names. Mainly [name_u]James[/name_u] as it’s on both mine and my husbands side and [name_f]Maud[/name_f] which is my grandmother’s name. I’ve also considered [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] quite a lot as [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] is a variant of [name_f]Maud[/name_f] but it also made it onto my favourite first names list so it fits both my first point and this one. You could have a look at some family names, look at the meanings, search for names with similar meanings, similar sounds and variations.
Personally, I’d choose to avoid naming themes as you never know you may end up having more children then expected and suddenly you’re having to force a name to fit the theme or your trying to love a name just because it fits when really you never would’ve liked it in the first place.
Another type of name I like to consider for middle name position are guilty pleasure names. Names I love but think are a bit too out there to be a first name. My husband loves to find inspirational people in the bible and then suddenly he wants to name our children after them, most of these names fit into this guilty pleasure category. I could never imagine having myself a little [name_m]Hezekiah[/name_m] but an [name_m]Isaac[/name_m] [name_m]Hezekiah[/name_m]? Sure, I think that sounds great!
Anyway, just some ideas of where to start your search. [name_f]Hope[/name_f] this helps!
Something else to consider. I have a one syllable surname so really like the idea of long first and middle names but I have a friend who’s got a long surname and she’s totally against long middle names for her children and is only considering one syllable middle names. So just something to think about, if you have a long surname it may help you to look through lists of one syllable names to begin with or vice versa.
I don’t have children, but my partner and I often talk about names. A couple of our chosen middle names are family names, but for the most part we chose names that we love, but don’t consider unique enough to be a first name, and match them to a first name with which they flow well (including surname). I think it is important for the name to means something special and sound nice when said. But all that said, there really is no “rule” for picking middle names - it really comes down to personal taste.
I love to use the names that are a little too “out there” for middles. I wouldn’t give my child a nature name or a literary name as a first necessarily, but I love the idea for middles. To me it’s a way to add some colour and pizazz to a name without burdening your child with a crazy name for the rest of their life. I know a lot of people use a middle name as a way to honour family, and I like that, but we decided not to go that way. I really think it’s all in what you like! It’s pretty much a free-for-all 