Second names

Samsgirl

Following on from the confirmation names thread, I noticed that some people said they didn't have second names. We didn't give either of our daughters second names. Does anyone ever use them? Are they necessary?

Kettleson

Samsgirl wrote: »

Following on from the confirmation names thread, I noticed that some people said they didn't have second names. We didn't give either of our daughters second names. Does anyone ever use them? Are they necessary?

Not required legally. But I used them on 4 occasions.

Jimoslimos

One place I worked in used to incorporate your middle initial into your email address. If you didn't have (or supply) one it was simply an "X", which is a far cooler initial than any of the other 25 letters, except Z perhaps.

The only time mine was ever used was on my college ID. I don't bother putting it on other things, like passports and stuff.
I used dislike (hate is too strong a word) my middle name before but I've grown to like it since.

Galwayguy35

I use it for my email address.

petrolcan

I use my middle name all the time. In fact, I didn't know what my first name was until I was an 18yo.

gramar

I've always been called by and used my second name. It's even on my passport.

TiGeR KiNgS

Deleted User wrote: »

The only time mine was ever used was on my college ID. I don't bother putting it on other things, like passports and stuff.
I used dislike (hate is too strong a word) my middle name before but I've grown to like it since.

Jay is an interesting middle name after all.

Tokyo

Don't use it, haven't added it to any of my official documents (drivers licence, passport, etc). The reason being, I've seen people have issues abroad before when their signed name <firstname lastname> doesn't match up with what's in their passport <firstname middlename lastname> and spending ages trying to explain it....

Turtyturd

Can never remember using it on any official form yet every official letter I receive has my first and second name on it. I guess my parents did it at some stage, and it's embarrassing because they are two saints names which can't help but sound knackery.

Managed to get the cool X in work though.

JanaMay

I didn't give my children a middle name. It took us long enough to agree on a first name for them!

Red Pepper

I used my second name to create a second identity.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

mine is my mothers surname in Irish, I ****ing hate it and cringe whenever it's mentioned

Tokyo

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »

mine is my mothers surname in Irish, I ****ing hate it and cringe whenever it's mentioned

Your mother's surname is Sicín??!

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

it's shortened from chicken****er

MRnotlob606

I think its a stupid Idea. Idiots are always putting their middles names on facebook. Maybe the only time it would come in any use would be if you had a sh*t first name like Clarence

Teyla Emmagan

I have a pretty common name for a girl, so I use mine in work. Being Teyla Bridget helps me stand out from all the other Emmagans. And I use my full initials on all work related stuff.

Artful_Badger

I have like 3 different levels of formality that I use.

Friends/Family = Nickname = Art Badger
Work/Formal = First & Second Name = Artful Badger
Official = Full Name = Artful _ Badger

I dont use my full name often but I do use it. Its on my credit cards and passport and such things. Handy to have one to decrease the chance of a mix up involving you and someone with a similar name I guess.

Popescu

Americans love middle names and the initial when they are completely unnecessary. Who would confuse President John Kennedy with any other president if we did not use the "F"? On the other hand, the "W" in the last President George Bush does distinguish him from his father, George H. W. Bush.

Badly Drunk Boy

Popescu wrote: »

Americans love middle names and the initial when they are completely unnecessary. Who would confuse President John Kennedy with any other president if we did not use the "F"? On the other hand, the "W" in the last President George Bush does distinguish him from his father, George H. W. Bush.

Yeah, the Americans love adding that bit extra to their names but there have been a good few John Kennedys in American public life.

John P. Kennedy (1795–1870), politician, administrator, and novelist
John Alexander Kennedy (1803–1873), law-enforcement administrator
John J. Kennedy (Republic of Texas politician) (1814–1880), soldier and law-enforcement officer
John L. Kennedy (1854–1946), politician and jurist
John J. Kennedy (New York State Treasurer) (c. 1857–1914), politician
John Francis Kennedy (1905–1994), politician
John Kennedy (Pennsylvania politician) member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1981–1988
John Neely Kennedy (born 1951), Louisiana politician
John Kennedy (Utah politician) (1847–?), member of the Utah state legislature

Badly Drunk Boy

My brother uses his middle name regularly, mainly because he has the same first name as my father, and he still lives at home.

A lot of older people use their middle name as their first name, which I always found a bit strange. Both of my parents go by their middle name, and have done since they were very young. Also my manager in work, and a few lads that I work with.

A lad that I went to school with was Christened 'Padraig Joseph' but all his life went by the name Niall.

Dravokivich

It comes in handy to tell the difference between people with the same first name/surname in a directory. It happens a lot here. Particularly when someone's surname is Murphy.

My son has a second name, but it sounds so much cooler to use his first and second together.

Popescu

Badly Drunk Boy wrote: »

Yeah, the Americans love adding that bit extra to their names but there have been a good few John Kennedys in American public life.

John P. Kennedy (1795–1870), politician, administrator, and novelist
John Alexander Kennedy (1803–1873), law-enforcement administrator
John J. Kennedy (Republic of Texas politician) (1814–1880), soldier and law-enforcement officer
John L. Kennedy (1854–1946), politician and jurist
John J. Kennedy (New York State Treasurer) (c. 1857–1914), politician
John Francis Kennedy (1905–1994), politician
John Kennedy (Pennsylvania politician) member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1981–1988
John Neely Kennedy (born 1951), Louisiana politician
John Kennedy (Utah politician) (1847–?), member of the Utah state legislature

I seriously doubt that the mention of "President Kennedy" could be taken by anyone to mean John Kennedy, the Louisiana politician.

hardCopy

I have a middle name I don't like.

My college insisted on using it and wouldn't remove it unless I changed my passport. Then in my last job I had to send HR a copy of my passport before I joined and they used it as part of my email.

The last time I renewed my passport I dropped it and it's now hopefully gone for good.

5live

Badly Drunk Boy wrote: »

My brother uses his middle name regularly, mainly because he has the same first name as my father, and he still lives at home.

A lot of older people use their middle name as their first name, which I always found a bit strange. Both of my parents go by their middle name, and have done since they were very young. Also my manager in work, and a few lads that I work with.

A lad that I went to school with was Christened 'Padraig Joseph' but all his life went by the name Niall.

My first name is the same as my fathers so i go by my second name.

The problem that arises is when official documents come with just my/fathers first name and no second name or initial on. Whose letter is it? We often wait till each other is there before opening the letters with the same name on.

Obviously there was a shortage of names around when i was christened:rolleyes:

ElleEm

I like to use my middle name on official type documents, it just seems a bit more formal. So for revenue, driving licence, passport and bank it's my full name.

My boyfriend's middle name is his father's name, so his signature always includes that initial, like "Michael P. Casey" as a nod of respect. I think it looks cool!

DavyD_83

Have never had, or needed, a middle name.
Although my bank did at one time decide to give me one. All correspondance and cards had a mysterious middle name "D".
When I asked why it was there and to remove it I was told I needed to call in to the branch with ID to fill in a form
I don't intend to give any children middle names; although wife may have different ideas.

rainbow kirby

I have two middle names, absolutely hate both of them. One of them is a Christmassy name, which sounds extra silly because I was born in late June, and the other one is just crap. I don't use either of them, on my passport it's just Firstname Lastname, and likewise they are nowhere to be seen on my college records.

I Heart Internet

Jimoslimos wrote: »

One place I worked in used to incorporate your middle initial into your email address. If you didn't have (or supply) one it was simply an "X", which is a far cooler initial than any of the other 25 letters, except Z perhaps.

X is the best middle initial. In this part of the world can only mean one thing - Xavier.

In my family, at least, the middle name is usually a nod to older (often dead) relatives. I've continued the tradition with my own kids.

Badly Drunk Boy

Popescu wrote: »

I seriously doubt that the mention of "President Kennedy" could be taken by anyone to mean John Kennedy, the Louisiana politician.

I'm sure JFK started using the 'F' before he was President...

jimgoose

I am known formally as Right Rev. James Daniel Aloysius Kirkpatrick Mary-Kate St. Rufus Goose. And I'll fight any man who thinks that's a stupid name. :cool:

ElleEm

I know a girl with four middle names, then took a fifth for her confirmation.

Popescu

Badly Drunk Boy wrote: »

I'm sure JFK started using the 'F' before he was President...

As I say, Americans habitually use the middle initial even when there is no danger of confusion. Why Richard M. Nixon or Dwight D. Eisenhower? Might the public think the TV reporter actually meant Richard T. Nixon, the Baltimore pharmacist or Dwight S. Eisenhower, the barber in Santa Monica?

FizzleSticks

This post has been deleted.

we'llallhavetea

always wanted a middle name so i gave my daughter one, kitty, because i like kittys mainly but the 'rents thought it was in memory of a granny i never met :P

Galwayguy35

My middle name is Noel because I was born at Christmas time, the brother was given a womans middle name because one of the nuns in the hospital thought it would be a good idea.

A rare moment of madness on my parents part.

Oink

A middle name is a necessity when you have a common name.
At one point there were five Ishabod Oinks at my dentist's, so I had to register as Ishabod* Jeremiah Thelonious Oink.

* the K is silent

LizT

My middle name is on my passport but I never use it. My parents gave me and my sister the same middle name, how inventive

anncoates

Wife rang me the morning we were registering the birth of our child because we'd forgotten to think of a second name so I just looked around the office and chose the colleague's name i lilied the best.

pickarooney

Is Lily a girl at least?

blue onion

Red Pepper wrote: »

I used my second name to create a second identity.

Black Pepper

cnoc

I have been called by my second name from time immemorial and all official documentation uses this name. My problem is that I am called by and also spelled by 4 different versions of this name! Firstly, there is my name proper and am also called and spelled incorrectly on this name. Secondly, there is a shortened version of my name and the same inaccuracy applies....

sunbeam

I don't have one, my mother didn't see the point of them.

I have a couple of cousins who go by their second names because at their christenings the priest insisted that their first name had to be a saint's one. When one of them got married the priest spent the entire ceremony addressing him by his first name which he never used.

orangesoda

I use it because my name is quite common so i don't feel like a clone, the worst of it is my middle name is common too

carolinespring

I want to know what everyone middle name is. You all can't have crap middle names. I love my first name, my middle name is after my Mum & Gran and my 3rd (yes 3rd) id because my parents where sure I was going to be a boy and had picked Paul so used Paula.

Samsgirl

LizT wrote: »

My middle name is on my passport but I never use it. My parents gave me and my sister the same middle name, how inventive

My parents did the same thing!!! Mary is both our middle name.

rainbowdrop

Samsgirl wrote: »

My parents did the same thing!!! Mary is both our middle name.

I'd say a sizable proportion of females in this country (and a fair few males) have the middle name Mary. I do anyway....