How important are middle names for characters?

While renaming my c characters, middle names crossed my mind. But I’m thinking, do characters really need middle names? After all, as real as they become to me, I’m not sure if a middle name is needed . [name_m]How[/name_m] often would they even use it?

I’d like the thoughts of other writers on how they feel about middlenames for characters.

For example, one of my characters does have a mn, but it is only shown on her documents and other important papers.

another has the MN, of Dragon, which he uses to impress people.

So, you r opinions please?

I think that middle names can make characters seem more real - some people have middle names that they consider “embarrassing.” Plus, since our middle names have an effect on the people we will become (like first names) you could use the middle name to further emphasize a quality or characteristic in your character.

I don’t think they need them at all and I don’t tend to give them unless I’m going to mention it in the story.

I usually give my characters middle names because I always use mine; besides, that way I get to use a “second choice” name! :slight_smile:

I agree with renrose, I’d only have one if it was addressed in the story.

It depends on the character. Middle names can be helpful sometimes. For example, if I had a character named [name_f]Jane[/name_f] [name_f]Marie[/name_f] and I needed her mom’s or grandma’s name, I could use [name_f]Marie[/name_f]/[name_f]Mary[/name_f]/[name_f]Maria[/name_f] and have [name_f]Jane[/name_f]'s middle name be after her mom. Or if I had [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_m]David[/name_m], [name_m]David[/name_m] could be the grandpa’s name or something. I’ve used this method more than once.

Also if it’s focused around a family, the mom/dad/sibling could yell their child’s full name to show that the scene means business or said character is in trouble. One of my characters is introduced by her full name, [name_f]Jasmine[/name_f] [name_f]Christina[/name_f] [name_u]Bentley[/name_u], by her twin brother when he yells at her. It’s also funny if they have a really embarrassing middle name.

I have a feeling most people neither notice nor care whether or not characters have middle names, to be honest. Personally, I like when characters have middle names and I like knowing them just because I love names. :slight_smile: (I also get disappointed when I find out people I know [name_m]IRL[/name_m] don’t have middles…) I don’t expect or require the characters’ middles to serve any purpose in the story or mean anything, though it’s nice if it does.

I give most of my characters middle names, but to be honest, I’ve yet to actually use one in a story. It can work, but more often than not it does come off a bit try hard (not saying it will with you, just 9 times out of 10 it does), especially when authors just shove it in there for no particular reason. When authors do the whole:
‘What’s your name?’
‘[name_f]Marie[/name_f].’
‘[name_f]Marie[/name_f] what?’
‘[name_f]Marie[/name_f] [name_f]Anne[/name_f] [name_m]Smith[/name_m]. [name_f]Anne[/name_f] is my mother’s name, and she was named after her sister’s best friend’s auntie’s ex-husband’s golden retriever.’ I groan internally, or out loud, depending upon how badly handled it was. If it has a purpose, fine, but be careful, because it very often doesn’t look like it does.

It usually looks a bit: ‘look at the awesome name I’ve given my character!’, and while I love names (and I mean [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] names), I usually find it irritating and dull. Names should fit the character, not the other way around, and the two should be inseparable. Although, it does sound like the middle name you’ve used has a purpose and reveals something about his character. However, having it on important documents (passports, birth certificates, drivers licenses, etc.) is good, without it being try hard. A middle name is then necessary to make that part of the plot believable.

I almost never give my characters middle names unless I can come up with one I really like or if the story demands it. To me it seems unnecessary unless it’s important in the plot, some sort of joke or trivia.

I only know for sure one middle name from all my characters. For some of them, I don’t even know their last names. I like to think of anything which isn’t important to the plot or comic relief is my character’s business. I might give some of my characters middles, but usually that’s because I’m bored, and I completely agree with pp that when authors try to show off their awesome naming skills, it becomes forced and with dialogue, sounds unnatural. Middle names are definitely not important to me.

I always have one picked out IN [name_m]CASE[/name_m] it’s addressed in the story. I always used to start out my stories with the full name of my main character (“On [name_m]Saturday[/name_m], [name_u]November[/name_u] 7th, [name_f]Julia[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f] Festenberger climbed the stairs to her eminent doom and almost certain death…”) but it almost never was addressed otherwise, lol. Now I have MNs picked out, just because it helps enhance the personality. For example, the MC on the story I’m working on right now ([name_m]Benedikt[/name_m] [name_m]Andreas[/name_m] Breslau–MAYBE [name_m]Benedikt[/name_m] [name_m]Andreas[/name_m] Luckenbill) will probably never surface his MN, but it helps me “see” him better.

While I don’t think they’re usually that actively important, I still try to give as many of my characters middle names as possible. [name_m]Even[/name_m] if it does nothing for the plot or how the characters interact, I feel like it still helps me flesh out the character and make them more real (or more real to me, at least).

When writing, I prefer my characters to have middle names. I think that adding middles gives a stronger sense of realism to the character, but it’s more for me than for my audience. I just like having one to reference when doing character mapping.
However, when reading, I don’t really care if the characters have a middle name or not. If bringing up their middle name relevant to the situation the character is in, then fine, but throwing it in “just cause” can be annoying.

They don’t need to have middle names; a lot of people irl don’t even have middle names. There’s not that much significance to it in the story usually either, unless it’s something like a family name. It’s kind of unrealistic that anyone else would really care what their middle name was, because if they were truly embarrassed they just wouldn’t mention it, unless (s)he had to sign something or give her full name. I like giving them middle names, just because I get to explore different options and choose a lovely name that fits their character!

It depends.

As a writer, I prefer to give a character a middle, even if it won’t come up in the story, just to have it. I don’t even generally mention it, but it’s nice to know that the character has one.

As a reader, I honestly couldn’t care less. I mean, yeah, it bothers me a bit if it’s just thrown in there for show, but I don’t really pay that much attention to it.

Middle names don’t serve much purpose in a story, if any, so I don’t think they’re that important. That said, there’s nothing wrong with figuring out your characters’ middle names as part of your character development process, especially if it helps you have a clearer idea of who your characters are and where they come from. Sharing it with your readers is not still necessary unless it’s a necessary part of the story.

I just gave every one of my characters middle names because of this thread. So I’d say they’re fun and can contribute to the story, but they’re not necessary.

I give my characters middle names to make them more real, but as many world-building/back story details, doesn’t mean it necessarily will come up in the story!

You don’t really need a middle name, but when I’m naming my characters I use one. I might not use it in the story, but it makes the character more realistic for me.

For me the issue rarely comes out, since -unless you’re naming a new baby- you hardly ever mention middle names. I mean, it can happen that a character get teased for their middle names, or suddenly starts going by their mn to change their identity, but otherwise I think it is a really personal choice. If you need a middle name to figure out who your character is, then give one, but if it becomes a pain, forget about it.

Sometimes they’re useful to show familiar roots, or even a place/thing that was important for their parents where they met, so it can give a little backstory, but you can do that even through simple dialogue. I always like subtle middles though, like something that ties up to a certain meaning or honors a certain ancestor, but when you have to work it out on your own, as a reader. People might overlook it, but if someone like me enjoys names, will surely get a kick out of figuring it out.

All of my characters have middle names for the sake of uniqueness. They may not play a large role in the story, but it adds another way to describe them. If that made any sense whatsoever…