My middle name is my mother’s name.
My mother’s middle name is her mother’s name.
And so on and so forth for a total of five generations.
But my mother messed it up. She gave me the worst name to use as a middle name. It’s [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f], which is terribly clunky to sandwich between a first and last name. (My s/o kinda likes that it’d make people have to say our daughter’s name slowly, but I dont like it one bit.)
Our short list of first names includes, in order:
[name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]
[name_f]Lydia[/name_f]
[name_f]Diane[/name_f]
[name_f]Danielle[/name_f]
Of course we like the longer ones the most, right?
I guess what I need is shorter first names with the same feel as the ones on our list, or serious convincing that I don’t need to use [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f]. Maybe I could use my own middle name? [name_f]Nicole[/name_f]?
I actually like the sound of [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] and [name_f]Lydia[/name_f] [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f]! [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] is so unexpected and stunning as a middle name, but I can understand why it could be hard to find a first name to pair with it. DH and I thought about using my first name as a daughter’s middle name, but it was too hard to find something that sounded good with the middle name [name_f]Alyssa[/name_f]. Lol.
Of course you don’t have to use [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f]. Some naming traditions go on for several generations, but others fizzle out, and that’s perfectly okay. Using your middle name could be a clever way of expanding on the tradition, not ending it besides, I’m not entirely convinced that everyone loves to keep up naming traditions exactly how they started out…people have posted on here before, saying things like “there is a tradition that every first son is named [name_m]Robert[/name_m]. I don’t like [name_m]Robert[/name_m] and it would be confusing to have a Big [name_m]Bob[/name_m], [name_m]Little[/name_m] [name_m]Bob[/name_m], and [name_u]Bobby[/name_u]. Can we use [name_m]Robert[/name_m] [name_m]Frederick[/name_m] and call him [name_u]Freddie[/name_u] instead?” So you aren’t alone!
Short or short-ish names that sound good with [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f]:
I gave my daughter my clunky name as her middle name ([name_f]Mellissa[/name_f]). I feel like by the time they are older, whatever names we give them will be out of style
You can give your child a variation of Jennifer, like Guinevere (which I LOVE!!!) or Jenna or Ginevra. But giving your own middle name is also a good compromise. I think Lydia Jennifer is beautiful as well as Elizabeth Guinevere.
PS: Alyssa, I know you didn’t ask, but Alyssum or Lys (after the fleur-de-lys) would be great middle names!
I like the sound of it. Besides, how often are you really going to be saying your daughter’s full name? If you really hate it, would you consider using [name_f]Jen[/name_f], [name_f]Jenna[/name_f], or [name_f]Gwen[/name_f]?
I actually really like [name_f]Lydia[/name_f] [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f]! I think [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] and [name_f]Diane[/name_f] flow quite well with [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] I’m just not very fond of these names. [name_f]Danielle[/name_f] [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] doesn’t work in my opinion.
You don’t have to use [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f]. You also don’t have to use a short first name if you do use [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f]. I do like [name_f]Lydia[/name_f] [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] quite a bit.
I agree with others that [name_f]Lydia[/name_f] [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] works well as a combo. Since you favor longer first names, you could always use just [name_f]Jenn[/name_f]/[name_f]Jen[/name_f] in the middle. [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] [name_f]Jenn[/name_f] has a nice ring to it.
I like [name_f]Lydia[/name_f] [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] and the suggestions of [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] and [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f]. I think [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] sounds good with a rustic-vintage type name. But if you don’t like it I think it’s fine to break the tradition. Maybe use a different family name?
Well, you don’t have to stick to tradition, but if your heart is set on it and you want to work around [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f], here are some ideas:
[name_f]Do[/name_f] you go by [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f]? Or are you called [name_f]Jen[/name_f]/[name_f]Jenn[/name_f], [name_f]Jenny[/name_f]/[name_f]Jenni[/name_f]/[name_f]Jennie[/name_f], or [name_f]Jenna[/name_f]? If you never go by your full name, use the nickname you do use!
I second the suggestion of using another version of [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] - [name_f]Guinevere[/name_f] and [name_f]Ginevra[/name_f] are bother beautiful and would be such a fun little secret to have tucked in the middle spot.
This is a stretch, but you could just use the initial - either by using another J name or by using [name_u]Jay[/name_u] (which some see as a masculine name but I think works for a girl’s nature name).
There are ways to make this work! You might not please everyone but that’s ok.
I think [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] and [name_f]Lydia[/name_f] [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] are great, so I would advise sticking with [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] in the middle!
I also love suggestions of [name_f]Lucy[/name_f], [name_f]Mary[/name_f], [name_f]Maeve[/name_f], [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f], [name_f]Eliza[/name_f], [name_f]Lily[/name_f], [name_f]Louisa[/name_f], [name_f]Claire[/name_f] with [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f].
I really love [name_f]Lydia[/name_f] [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f].
[name_f]Eliza[/name_f] [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] (as suggested by a PP) also sounds great. I prefer [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] to [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] anyway.
The title of this post gives me pause. In no way did your mom “mess up” this tradition; you just happen to not like the name she gave you in the middle spot. That could potentially be true of any name you give your daughter as well. The opprobrium here makes me wonder if there’s something else going on, unconnected to the naming tradition, that you might want to take a look at.
I also agree with previous posters that [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] is…a completely workable middle name. [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] and [name_f]Lydia[/name_f] [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] sound lovely. In fact, I think longer firsts work better with [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] in the middle.
[name_f]Lydia[/name_f] [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] or [name_f]Lydia[/name_f] [name_f]Guinevere[/name_f] would both be lovely. Also so unexpected. Have you considered giving her two middle names? My boys have a middle name I chose for a family member and also one I just loved and wanted to use. I think that’s a good compromise.
I’m not at all opposed to [name_f]Lydia[/name_f] [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f], but I think overall, you need to remember that all traditions gradually evolve or end at some point! I like the thought of using your middle name, or changing the tradition slightly. If you aren’t wanting to name your daughter a particular thing, don’t do it! A name is (most likely) forever, and of course when you see your sweet daughter’s face it won’t matter much anymore- but please, choose a name that you and your SO are both truly in love with. If it means a great deal to you to carry on the tradition, then pick the name you like best- but ultimately, your daughter and the name that she will have throughout life is likely more important than traditions.
besides, I’m not entirely convinced that 