maiden name as middle name?

My husband wants to use his mothers maiden name [name_m]Cortez[/name_m] as our sons middle name. So it would be [name_u]Shane[/name_u] [name_m]Cortez[/name_m] Soto. I said it sounds like we are not married and the baby has 2 last names. What do you think?

I love maiden names as first/middle names. I think it sounds fine. He’ll just be [name_u]Shane[/name_u] Soto most of the time.

It does sound like a double surname to me. What is her first name? Maybe there is a masculine variant that could work.

My nephew has his mother’s maiden name as his first name, and my mother’s maiden name as his midde name. So, his name sounds like three last names. But it is such a wonderful sentiment. I love his name and I think he will appreciate it as he gets older. I think [name_u]Shane[/name_u] [name_m]Cortez[/name_m] Soto is a great name. And you can always give hime two middle names, if you like.

However, I think it is very important to tell your partner how you feel. You should love your son’s name. If you don’t love it, you shouldn’t use it.

I see where you’re coming from…but we use our middle names so infrequently, it’s not something I find to be an issue. It’s a great way to honor family…and something I am considering doing for a second child of my own.

If you aren’t comfortable with it, though, maybe you could shorten it to just [name_m]Cort[/name_m]?

I think it sounds fine, but I can see where you’re coming from.

Cotez is a really cool name on it’s own I think.

[name_f]Do[/name_f] you have other options? Is he really set on it or open to other ideas?

I think it’s a wonderful tradition! Of course I’m biased because I did the same using family surnames for two of my kids middles ([name_f]Philippa[/name_f] [name_u]Lee[/name_u] and [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] [name_u]Odell[/name_u]). [name_f]Pippa[/name_f]'s middle isn’t so noticable because [name_u]Lee[/name_u] is a first name and a surname. [name_u]Teddy[/name_u]'s middle however is an obvious surname. It’s never been an issue. It was important to me that these names are carried on. My husband understood how meaningful it was to me and supported it. When we got married it was very important to him that I change my last name to his and all our kids have his last name. Now maybe that’s common in many families but we both came from very non-traditional families where neither of us had our fathers names. I did it because it was so important to him. [name_m]Just[/name_m] like he then went along with me really wanting to use family names as middles. I would say have a conversation with your husband about why it is important. But tread carefully in family names, it’s a much more sensitive topic than just discussing which names you or your spouse like.

I love maiden names as middles! My brother has my grandma’s maiden name as his middle. It’s very [name_m]German[/name_m] and obviously a last name but he loves it! No one has ever thought my parents weren’t married because of it.

[name_m]Both[/name_m] my dh and I have our mothers maiden names as middles and are planning on using my maiden name for our upcoming twins middles. All names are very clearly last names, but we’ve very rarely had an issue with people being confused thinking it was a double-barreled last name. I think it’s a lovely way to honor someone in the family.

Now, if you really don’t like [name_m]Cortez[/name_m], that’s another thing. But if it’s just the maiden name, I think it’s a non-issue.

Good luck!

I agree with other posters. Using a maiden name in the middle is a lovely sentiment, and as middle names are generally rarely used, I don’t think there will be an issue with people thinking you and your DH aren’t married and your son has a double-barrel LN. I also think the PP’s suggestion of giving your son two middle names isn’t a bad idea. It is, in fact, what I did with my own boys. My ex and I were both very close to our maternal grandmothers, and chose to use their maiden names as second middles. D@lton [name_m]Robert[/name_m] [name_m]Turner[/name_m] S______ & [name_m]Thom[/name_m]@s Br@dley Stiles S______ don’t seem to mind at all, and I’ve never had an issue with people thinking they had two last names, even after their dad and I divorced.

I think it sounds great, and I think [name_m]Cortez[/name_m] is a super cool name!

I like the idea a lot! Of course, I took my maiden name as my own middle name, so it’s not really unusual to me :slight_smile:

Have you considered maybe giving the baby two middle names, with the second middle name being something obviously not a surname like [name_m]Alexander[/name_m] or [name_u]James[/name_u] or whatever it is that you like? If you named the baby [name_u]Shane[/name_u] [name_m]Cortez[/name_m] _______ Soto it might help break up the whole double-barrelled last name thing you’re afraid of.

I like it! [name_m]Cortez[/name_m] is so snazzy!

I really like it. My middle name is my mom’s maiden name, and I feel like it’s a neat connection to my grandparents

I like it!

I think that honouring your loved one by using her maiden name is a great thing to do. [name_u]Shane[/name_u] [name_m]Cortez[/name_m] Soto sounds like a super hero! I say go for it!

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