The first hurdle is crossed and you and your husband agree on a wonderful first name for your new baby. Then the trouble starts.
The trouble is what name to give your child as a middle name, if any at all. Your husband may want the middle name to be a name from his family such as Ernest or Edna. You may want the middle name to be your maiden name, or a name you always thought was interesting but too exotic for a first name, like Lilith.
The beauty of a middle name is can be more than just a filler name between the first name and the surname. It can stand for a family tradition, or it can be as creative as you want. It can be lyrical, tying together the first and surnames in a poetic way. A middle name is a good way to please both sides of the family and both parents, while allowing for some parental creativity.
If your husband insists the baby’s first name has to be John, like every other first born in his family, you can have the luxury of choosing the child’s middle name to let your John stand out in the family. Maybe your child will eventually use his middle name as his given name in social situations or even in legal circumstances to distinguish himself from the crowd.
Middle names don’t have to be short and forgettable like Ann or Marie. Use your imagination and use your family resources to tell a story. A child with the middle name of Carmen taken from the opera the parents were at when they first met is a much more interesting story than using the middle name every other parent is picking at the moment. Imagine roll call at school and how many Ashley Rose’s there are! You want your daughter to have a unique and special name.
Some ideas for choosing a unique middle name can include the mother’s maiden name, a grandparent’s name, a favorite relative or friend’s name, a name that tells a story about the baby or parents, the name of a special place or even the name of a treasured literary character.
When choosing the name, say it out loud, along with the first and surname to hear if it sounds ‘right’. You will know it if it sounds harsh or odd to your ears. You also want to put the initials down to make sure they don’t spell out something strange like R.A.T. for Rachel Alice Taylor. That won’t look good on a monogrammed piece of luggage!
If you can’t agree on one middle name, you can always have two! Although not common practice in the United States, some Europeans use two or more middle names, especially in the wealthier classes. Did you know that Charo’s real name is Mara del Rosario Pilar Martnez Molina Baeza? What a name!
Picking a middle name for your baby can be challenging and fun; a time to use your creativity and honor family traditions at the same time. Remember to use your own family as resources and also special moments in your own life and choose a name that will be special both for you and for your child.
This article has been submitted in affiliation with http://www.BabyNameVote.Com/ which is a site for Baby Names.
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