Aug 03 2010
Middle names?
Shane and I have 2 first name choices for our girl. We’re leaning about 85% toward one, 10% toward another, and 5% toward a third, yet-to-be-discovered option.
We’re having a hard time with middle names, though! I’d like a name that isn’t EVERY GIRL’S middle name. They are really nice names and they usually do work well as middle names, but I just would like something a little bit different.
Uncommon, harder-to-spell names are fine.
I think a 1 or 3-syllable name would probably sound best, or perhaps a 2-syllable iambic name.
I know actually telling you our name choices would help…but what’s the fun in that? 
Any ideas?
Subscribe to RSS Feed
I love unique middle names! I’m with you on wanting to avoid “Ann”, “Grace”, “Elizabeth”, “Marie”…
Pretty names, but definitely overused (in my opinion!).
My middle name is Elaine, which I have always liked. It’s my mom’s middle name too.
I always thought of middle names as a way to use a name that I wouldn’t necessarily want as a first name – like if it was unique, or difficult to spell, or formed initials we didn’t care for. Hence, going with the name River – I thought it was too unusual for a first name, but I love it as a middle name. Perhaps you could pick a middle name from someone in the family – one name we considered was Lily Ruth – Ruth being my grandmother’s name. You could give your daughter your middle name, or your first name. Paul’s middle name is his dad’s first name – and so the family tradition goes; we might break that though if/when we have a boy.
And there’s always the tradition of going with your maiden name.
When I first heard that I was in middle school, and I was told you HAVE to do that, and I was absolutely distraught. I thought my last name made a TERRIBLE middle name. Hehe
Isabelle, Rebekah (biblical!), Sage, Violet… those are my inputs for now.
I also like family names for middle names. Your first name, your middle name, your mom’s name, your MIL’s name, your grandma’s name, Shane’s grandma’s name…
Our girl name choice is actually my husband’s grandma’s name (Esther) and my mom’s first name for a middle name (Jo). I love it!
We are due in late October and I was just having some of the same thoughts. While I love Grace and Ann, etc. we go to so much trouble to find interesting first names and then everyone has the same middle name! My middle name is Lynn and it’s obvious I’m a child of the early 80s as half of my friends are also Lynn.
But on to your questions….I found this interesting website with lots of unique middle names broken down by syllable and it even includes iambic two-syllable names. http://www.namenerds.com/uucn/advice/middle.html
I’m rather fond of Jeanette : ) Other interesting names were Corinne and Suzanne. I also like Eve, Meredith, and Ruth.
Can’t wait to read other suggestions as we are still hunting for the perfect first name. We’re also waiting to find out the gender, so it means choosing a name for both : )
I agree, those “filler” names are pretty but all too common.
Mason’s middle name is Thomas, after his dad. Makenna’s we went with Kaylynn. The “lynn” part was after my mom but we just spiced it up a bit to make it her own name.
We went with uncommon but not crossing into WEIRD territory for first names and kept the middle as a namesake.
Are there any god-parents? There may be a name there you haven’t considered.
My middle name is Claire, which I love, but unfortunately it doesn’t sound right with my married last name. I think it’s nice because it isn’t super common, but also not something you’ve never heard before. I also really like Emma, but I think it’s too popular to use for a first name.
I’m with you on the too-common middle names, too. Everyone I knew in school had Lynn, Lynne, or Marie.
Mine is Gail, and although I don’t like it, lots of people tell me it’s pretty (meh), and I do like that it’s at least not common for my generation. It’s my mom’s middle, and I always felt that it was a little recycled, but maybe it’s because I’m not a fan of the name in the first place. I don’t think it’s a family name beyond my mom having it. I think I just wish it had a bigger connection, or was prettier and more exotic.
Personally, I like family names, especially for middle names, but also for firsts (as long as the others who have the name as a first have passed on, so there’s no confusion). The maiden name is a good idea — I can’t remember if you moved your maiden name to your middle name or not. Is there another pretty maiden name on either side of the family? When my only girl cousin on my mom’s side was born, my aunt gave her a (single word) first name that combined both of her grandmother’s first names, and then her middle was the shortened form of my name (I was her only girl cousin at the time, too). It isn’t completely obvious to anyone she meets (or even to people in the family), but it’s a nice tribute to the small amount of women in our families who came before her. And it’s a pretty name that very few people have: Marian. You could try combining names for a middle, especially since spell-ability isn’t as much of a concern. In Kevin’s family, on both sides, there are several Susans (who go by that or Susie or Suzey or Susy — it gets confusing!), so Kevin’s sister got Suzanne as her middle. It sounded better with her first name than Susan, and it’s also a little different.
BTW, my name is 3 syllables, and the shortened version of my name is 1!
I vote (your maiden name!)! It doesn’t sound too crazy… well, not that I know yet what the first name will be, but I imagine it would still sound nice: ___ (maiden name) (married name)! And it is like a melding of the families.
Either way, I’m sure you’ll find something beautiful and fitting for your upcoming baby girl. She’s gonna be here in no time!!
I like June!
My middle name is Amelia and until I was about 16 I wished it was my first name.
I’m all for fun unique middle names, but don’t use your maiden name. Some peoples would be cute, I think yours would sound silly, maybe if you have another boy but not for a girl.