Meaning of Middle Names

The meaning of middle names is often a huge influence in parents' decision making as they name their newborn child.

When it's time to choose your baby's name, everyone you talk to usually has some sort of input. Maybe they like the name or names you've chosen, or maybe they have some suggestion or comment to make regarding your choices.

In many cases, couples struggle with finding the perfect name, and they often resort to baby name books and baby name websites for help. Others may have chosen boy and girl names before they even conceive. There is no doubt that the naming of a child is serious business.

Once a first name has been chosen, however, there are still more decisions to make. Parents are often more inclined to pay attention to the meaning of middle names, as this part of a child's moniker often leaves room for the use of symbolism or at least sentimentalism. Selecting the perfect middle name often causes more consternation than choosing a first name.

How will you choose your child's middle name? In answering the following questions, you may be able to narrow your choices somewhat.

• How important is family tradition? Unless you've already used a familial name as your child's first name, you can still satisfy older family members by choosing a family name as a middle name that is well-recognized and respected. This could involve using a beloved grandparent's first name or the maiden name of the baby's mom. There may have been a common name used throughout the generations that, while you may not want your child called by this name, could be perfect for a middle name.
• Is the literal meaning of middle names important to you? If you want to choose a name that embraces a thought or belief, then look up names by their meanings instead of by the name itself. In other words, if you love the meaning of "flower", then look up names that mean flower. You'll still typically have a wide variety to choose from depending upon the root language and origin you prefer.
• Do you want to express some sort of sentiment? Some parents choose a name that they associate with a special memory, such as a place they honeymooned, like "Cheyenne," or a favorite time of year, like "Noelle."
• Do you care more about how the name sounds with the first name? For some parents, practicality takes precedence in the decision making process. How a middle name will sound with a first and last name is the most important route for choosing the perfect name. This is particularly important if you plan on calling your child by her first and middle name, such as "Sarah Beth."
• Do you want to honor someone special? Maybe you have a special friend or relative who has played an important role in your life. If so, you can honor him or her by giving your child that special person's name as a middle name.

Whatever your motivation for choosing a name might be, there are numerous places you can go for help. The book, The Art of Baby Nameology: Explore the Deeper Meaning of Names for Your Baby delves into the use of numerology with a comprehensive guide to using a name's letters to unlock its hidden meaning, while the The Best-Ever Christian Baby Name Book: Thousands of Names and Their Meanings offers parents a look at more than 5,000 names and their meanings.

For more help, however, consider choosing a middle name generator, such as Behind the Name or Baby Name Search. Finally, check out our other informative baby name articles, like Middle Name Meanings, Baby Name Meanings, and Baby Middle Names for more help.

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