In my country, children usually get fist name and surname, without middle, although they can have middle name.
I see on this American board that children usually get two names (fist and middle), and British children too. [name]How[/name] often children get only one name? If native American parents give only one name to their children, what would you think?
Why would you give children middle name (One)? I know it’s cultural thing, but do you have any special reason? I know many parents choose [name]Elizabeth[/name] or [name]Rose[/name] or [name]Anne[/name] as filler middle name, maybe because there isn’t any meaning to them personally?
EDIT: Sorry, maybe I wasn’t clear. What would you think if child has only fist and last name, without middle at all.
Actually, in [name]America[/name], one middle name is more common. I think that two is just too much. There are no room on any kind of legal forms and things like that for two middle names. I guess it wouldn’t be completely pointless if the two middles were to honor two different family names that you didn’t want in the first position, but for me, two middle names are ridiculous and I would never do it to my child.
Not having a middle name isn’t totally uncommon where I’m from. My mother doesn’t have a middle name legally, though she tells everyone it’s [name]Joy[/name]. If a person didn’t have a middle name, I would assume there was a reason for it, but it wouldn’t be weird. Middle names aren’t brought up in everyday conversation anyway.
For me though, the middle name spot gives a parent a choice to put something either really meaningful, or a name that they wouldn’t dare use as a first. I really dislike filler names, because then what’s the point of a middle name anyway? If a person does have a middle name, I think it should have personal meaning, it should be special.
I agree with everything that’s already been said. I know a couple people (in the US) that don’t have middle names, and they seem to be doing just fine without them :), I think it’s all a matter of family tradition or taste. I also think two middle names can be a little much…especially if they’re filler names. And really, how often in daily life do people use their middle names? Pretty much never.
Although I know it is common enough in some areas to not have middle names, I still find it very odd. The middle name, whether it be one or two middles, helps distinguish one person from another. [name]John[/name] [name]Smith[/name] and [name]John[/name] [name]Smith[/name], now become [name]John[/name] [name]Michael[/name] [name]Smith[/name] and [name]John[/name] [name]David[/name] [name]Smith[/name]. It just helps avoid confusion. It is also a great way to honor family and use a name that is meaningful. Some cultures have more than two middle names, so I don’t think two is too much. We have a family tradition of using two and it is not a big deal. Most paperwork will allow both middles if they are written in the same space. I just like having the opportunity to use more than one name, since I love names. If I didn’t have a middle name, I would legally change my name to have one. A name seems incomplete without one.
Most of my family give their children middle names to honor other relatives. My middle name is the same as my mother’s middle name and i’ve always liked having that connection with her. My daughter also has the same middle name.
Another reason to use a middle name is to use a name you wouldn’t want to use a a first name. For example, I like the name [name]Artemis[/name] but i’m not brave enough to use it as a first name. Some people might put it in the middle so that they still get to use it.
I would not think it was weird if someone didn’t have a middle name. [name]One[/name] of my grandmothers did not have a middle name. I kind of wish she did just so I would have another option to use as a way to honor her.
We really loved being able to use a middle name to honor our families! I think a middle name adds beauty and you can use 2 names you love as opposed to just one.
Hmm, the most common reason I see Americans without middle names is if their parents are from a foreign country (my dad, for example, was from [name]India[/name], and he didn’t have a middle name), and nobody really questions it. Another thing I’ve seen is that Catholic parents sometimes give their children just two names (first and last), but with the expectation that the children will use their confirmation names as their middle names. So after confirmation, they have their names legally changed to include the confirmation name as their middle name. I’ve only seen that happen a handful of times though.
I know several people without middles. Mostly from other countries originally but I can think of one girl from my high-school who had no middle & adopted [name]Suzanne[/name] for herself!
I think no middle is fine. My daughter has 2 meaningful middles & I have what is considered a’filler’ middle. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with picking a middle just to complete the sound or flow of a name.
Like people on this board say so often- in the middle anything goes.
To me that means no middle, 2 middles, crazy middle or “filler” middle
My grandfather doesn’t have a middle name (born in Romania), so I’ve never seen it as a weird thing to not have a middle name. I lived in Spain for a few years, too, so while you can have two first names, middle names are just not an understood concept over there so it’s now completely normal in my mind to not have a middle name. I’ve thought about moving to Spain permanently, which obviously makes me think about either a compound first name and/or no middle name on future children. Doesn’t bother me; those are the rules there. It simplifies making a name decision, too, I think.
Living in [name]Canada[/name], I’d give my child a middle name just because it’s common practice here and I definitely have enough names I’d like to use.
I think family/cultural tradition should trump naming norms, but it’s up to you of course. If you want to start a new tradition of middle names in your family, why not? I have three friends with no middle name. [name]One[/name] is Kurdish, one is Georgian (the country) Jewish, and the other is… Midwestern. The first two have wonderful, unusual names, which are made more special, more personal (tied to their culture) by their lack of middle names. When I found out that Shukri didn’t have a middle name, I was even more smitten with his name. The third friend (blonde, blue-eyed, WASPy) wasn’t given a middle name because her parents didn’t want anything frilly. Her first name is [name]Claire[/name]. She’s always felt a little cheated out of a middle name. So I think it really depends on the intention you put into the name.
The only person I know without a middle is from another country and her middle name got dropped in the naturalization process. She was [name]Anna[/name] Karenovna and now she’s just [name]Anna[/name].
She misses having a middle name. It happened when she was just a small child. She is very American in every way and wishes she has a middle name. Now legally her middle name is her maiden name which she does not like.
If someone doesn’t have a middle name I feel sort of sorry for them. It helps make you more unique, more yourself. In my family middle names are usually a way to honor a relative. All of my brothers and I have one name that my parents liked, and one name that honors a family member. Then there is my half-sister, [name]Sarah[/name] [name]Nicole[/name]. My stepmom picked the names just because she liked them.
I am American-born ([name]Indian[/name] background) and I don’t have a middle name. I like the way three name - a first, middle, and surname - sounds so I plan on using one. But there’s nothing too odd about not having a middle name, even here in the U.S.
I think it’s so lacking, and “empty”, but I have two middles, so that’s likely a factor.
It’s also a bit of a problem if you have a common name; such as [name]Amanda[/name] [name]Rogers[/name] or something. There could be 6 [name]Amanda[/name] [name]Rogers[/name] in the country, but if there’s a middle name, it’s easier to differentiate. Of course other things would factor in too like birthdates, locations etc. But still, there could be issues at first glances and the like.
I also just find it weird to not have a middle, they’re special and lovely, but that’s me and again I have two.
