Baby Middle Names: When First And Last Names Aren't Enough

Do you have a middle name? Where did come from? Do people address you using your middle name? Usually a baby is given a middle name that comes from the name of a famous personality, a family member or a distinct place or landmark.

Medieval Inspiration

The prevalent use of middle names in Western culture is fairly recent. During Medieval Times, people used just a single name alone: the first name. Anything else that followed served more as a description than a real second name or surname. Here are some examples of surname origins during those times:

• Descendant – is a name that referred to a person’s ancestral roots, usually that of the father. Examples are Jackson for son of Jack.
• Location – refers to the person’s birthplace or residence. For example, Mary of Davenport.
• Occupation – indicates a person’s trade or line of work, such as Fisher or Smith.

Eventually, time came when individuals with the same first and second names living under the same community started to stir confusion. People were forced to add a middle name to the names of their children.

Current Inspiration

Here are some modern sources for middle names:

• Relatives/friends – conservative families tend to name their new offspring after a grandparent. Some choose to name their children after a close friend.
• Mother’s maiden name – this is a common tradition in certain countries, where the mother’s maiden is automatically regarded as the child’s middle name.
• Religious – an ancient Catholic tradition still being practiced today. Middle names originate from the names of saints.

Middle names do serve a special purpose after all. In fact, a few Hollywood stars prefer to use their middle and last names, or first and middle names, for their screen names instead of their usual first and last names. For example, Angelina Jolie Voight is better known as Angelina Jolie.