Choosing a Middle Name

The Importance of the Name

The name you give your child is a gift he will carry with him for the rest of his life (unless he decides to change it). It is what others will call him and can be a source of power or confidence. Think back to when you were a child and how people reacted to different names.

Now as a parent, you are responsible for choosing your child’s name. This consists of picking both a first and middle name. The first name is usually the easiest name to decide on.

Choosing A Middle Name

Once you pick out the first name, the hardest part is coming up with a great name to go with it. There are many different factors you can consider when choosing a middle name, such as meaning, symbolism, or sentiments.

Start by asking yourself if you have any family traditions you would like to follow. Some common family name traditions include:

• Every child’s middle name starts with the same letter
• The children’s middle names go in alphabetical order
• Every child has the same middle name
• Each child carries the name of their grandparent

If this is the case, choosing a middle name just got a little easier. If not, here are some ideas that may help you in your name quest.

Start with Rhythm

When looking for a name, you want something that flows. Practice saying the potential name a few times and see how it sounds aloud. It often helps to have a mix of syllable combinations, though if the consonant sounds flow, you can get away with a rhythm pattern.

• All one syllable: Jay Lynn Smith
• All double syllables: Alex William Parker
• Don’t forget triple: Samantha Rosemary Robinson
• A combination: Alex Jay Smith, Jay William Parker, Michael Thomas Smith

You can also have fun playing with consonant sounds:

• Peter Parker Petrow
• Abigail Ann Anderson

Be careful not to come up with a name that sounds silly or choppy when said aloud, so say the name a few times and get a feel for it. Don't be afraid to run it by others to watch their reaction.

Naming After a Loved One

In many religions and cultures, it is common to name your child after someone you love or after someone who is important to you. Depending on the culture, this person may be either alive or has passed away recently. In most cases, the name does not have to be exact, so if you wanted to honor your Grandma Matilda, you don’t have to name your child Hope Matilda.

• Look at the first initial. Some alternatives to Matilda could be Mary, Marie, Matty
• Use a name that reminds you of Matilda: Tilda, Linda, Ada, Tam
• Look at your grandma’s full name and see if you can find an alternative. If her full name was Matilda Ann Rosen, you could use Ann or Rosen, so your child would be Hope Rosen Parker.

Personality and Name Meaning

If you don’t have a tradition or loved one to fall back on, you may want to look at the meaning of the name. Many parents will choose a biblical name to represent their child. Others look at the meaning.

For example:

• Aaron: Biblical name meaning Enlightened and Messenger
• Ethan: Strong and firm
• Samantha: Told by God, Listener
• Todd: Fox
• Hannah: Hebrew name meaning Gracious

You can pick a name reflecting traits you want your child to have, or wait until the baby is born and see what names just seem to fit.

An Alternate Name

In some cultures, your child’s middle name may be an alternative he can use if he visits a different country or culture. Many cultures will give their child a native name and an American name, like Jose Michael.

If you are set on a particular name but don’t think your child will like it, give him a middle name he can use in its place, for example Howard Timothy.

Initials

When choosing a middle name, keep in mind your child’s initials. Many kids decide to use their first and middle initials as their name. For example:

• Tommy Jo = TJ
• Patty Jean = PJ
• Mark Tyler = MT
• Andrew Jason= AJ

Also test the initials for your child’s name so he won’t get teased and can use monograms:

• Brad Andrew Dixon = BAD
• John Ryan King = JRK (jerk)

Some other examples of initials to avoid are:

• Frank Ulysses King
• Andrew Simon Smith
• Steven Edward Xygar

Baby Name Generators

When all else fails, you can use a baby name generator found online to help you find the perfect name, like Baby Name Genie.

No matter what you decide on for your baby's middle name, make sure it is something you love. He will have it for the rest of his life.