Choosing a name for your new baby is a big responsibility. Your child will have their name forever and you will want to choose a name that suits them. After deciding on a given name, you might want to give your child a middle name too. But what is a middle name? Will it even matter if your baby is a person with no middle name? We have all the answers to your middle name questions here.
Middle Name Origins
People having multiple names dates back as far as Roman times. During this era of history, the more names a person had, the more important they were.
Romans were often given three names: one as their personal name (praenomen), a family name (nomen), and a name to show which family branch a person was from (cognomen). Slaves would only have one name, women would get two and the more important members of society would get at least three.
During the medieval period, people of the Christian faith often struggled to choose between a family name or a Saint’s name for their children. It was during this era that the name structure we know today was first used. Parents would give their children a first name, a baptismal name (middle name today), and a surname.
When Europeans started immigrating to America, they brought their name structure with them too. By the 17th century, middle names were becoming more popular in the United States and wealthy families would give their children multiple middle names. Just like in ancient Rome, there was a time in American history when it was believed the more names you had, the higher up in society you were.
Types of Middle Names
If you thought choosing a first name was difficult enough, you may find picking a middle name even harder. To make the process a little easier, there are often only a few different types of middle name to choose from.
Generational middle names – Have you ever noticed how middle names can sometimes run in families? At a Christmas gathering with all of your cousins, you may realize at least three of you have the same middle name – why is this?
Middle names can be used to pass down the names of important family members through the generations. You may have your grandmother’s name as a middle name, as does your mom – your Grandmother may in fact just be named after her own grandmother.
If you want to give your little one a middle name but don’t know what to choose, naming them after someone in your family can be a lovely gesture.
Second Choice First Name – Parents can sometimes have more than one name they love for their baby. In less harmonious circumstances, occasionally two parents just can not agree on what to name the newest member of their family.
If you can’t pick just one name, maybe you don’t need to after all. If the names work well together, there is no reason why you can’t use both of your first name ideas – just put one in the middle.
Complimentary Middle Names – Why do we have middle names? Well, traditionally it was so members of society could easily be identified and show a family’s status, but often today it is for more superficial purposes.
Take the name Isabella for example. This is a beautiful girl’s name on its own, but when you add a middle name like Rose, it immediately sounds much prettier and more elegant. Maybe there is something special about your baby’s appearance, character, or origins that you would like included in their name, but don’t want to use as their first name.
A middle name and the middle initial can help to break up names with several syllables. Looking at Isabella again – Isabella Iverson is quite the mouthful, but the addition of Rose in the middle flows better and breaks the multi syllable names up.
What are Middle Names For?
Middle names are not necessary and most of us are sure to know at least one person with no middle name. A middle initial or name is an easy way to honor family members or to still use that other baby name you loved, but they are not a legal requirement.
In the past, middle names were used to tell one John (for example) from the next, or chosen due to a person’s faith or status. In modern society, the name found after your first name and before your surname doesn’t have a purpose, a middle name is more of a tradition that many parents choose to keep alive.
Middle Name Meaning
Just like first names, all middle names have their own meanings. We have found some of the most popular middle names used in the United States today and researched their meanings too. Maybe one of these names will be the middle name you have been searching for:
| Name | Meaning Of Name |
| Alexander | Defending men |
| Amy | Beloved |
| Belle | Beautiful |
| Charles | Warrior |
| Claire | Bright |
| Daniel | God is my judge |
| Faith | To trust |
| Florence | Flourishing |
| Harper | Harp maker |
| Jane | God is gracious |
| Marie | Beloved |