# A couple of questions regarding names. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 7, 2002, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-regarding-names/131153 "2002-10-07T05:16:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AbbySthrnAccent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@AbbySthrnAccent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AbbySthrnAccent)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-regarding-names/131153/1 "2002-10-07T05:16:06Z")
In thread[thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=138228) **Thunder** mentions that s/he (sorry, I don’t know the correct gender) feels three names is pretentious. I was a little surprised because I pretty much thought most north and south Americans and many Europeans and many Chinese have at least three names. So… How many “names” are in your legal name? Do you think three (or more) pretentious? Abb P.S. I had three names from birth gained a fourth at marriage. ---
**Author:** ![Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dread_pirate_jimbo/32/3897_2.png) [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dread_Pirate_Jimbo)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-regarding-names/131153/2 "2002-10-07T05:26:29Z")
I have a first, middle, and last name. Growing up, the middle name was the one way my family could differenciate between me and my Grandpa, since we share the same first and last names – he’s James Daniel and I’m James Michael. I do, however, think it’s kinda pretentious to always refer to oneself by all three names, as in Michael Anthony Hall or Edward James Olmos. ---
**Author:** ![Forbin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5e9695/32.png) [@Forbin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Forbin)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-regarding-names/131153/3 "2002-10-07T05:52:37Z")
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**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-regarding-names/131153/4 "2002-10-07T07:16:56Z")
Four, my first name is a compound of two other names, like Jean-Luc. Most of the time, I just use one. Just having them, no. Insisting that everyone address you by the full set would be pretty pretentious, though. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-regarding-names/131153/5 "2002-10-07T14:09:32Z")
Let’s remember that in the case of actors, sometimes they must use three names (or an initial, or first and middle name instead of first and last) because someone else has already registered with SAG the name they usually go by. ---
**Author:** ![Alto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Alto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alto)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-regarding-names/131153/6 "2002-10-07T19:07:56Z")
My middle name is Brenner, my mother’s maiden name. I always use it because there were no male Brenner children. No one is left who carries the name, and I hate to see it disappear. (Although it will be gone in the next generation no matter what I do.) ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-regarding-names/131153/7 "2002-10-07T19:11:39Z")
I have a first, middle and last name. I also have a first and middle Hebrew name, which I use in most places in my life (my friends know me as “Zev” rather than by my secular name). **Thunder** is going to think I’m terribly pretentious, however, becuase I gave my oldest three names (plus his last name)… and I call him by all three! Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-regarding-names/131153/8 "2002-10-07T19:14:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Alto \* > \*\*My middle name is Brenner, my mother’s maiden name. I always use it because there were no male Brenner children. No one is left who carries the name, and I hate to see it disappear. (Although it will be gone in the next generation no matter what I do.) \*\* You could always give it to your kids as a middle name… Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![burundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@burundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burundi)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-regarding-names/131153/9 "2002-10-07T19:36:01Z")
I’ve got a first, middle, and last name. I go by my middle name, since my first name is the same as my mother’s. Three names seems to be the norm around here. Several of my relatives go by both their first and middle names–Becky Jo, Millie Gray, George Thomas–but this seems more “country” than pretentious to me. ---
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-regarding-names/131153/10 "2002-10-07T19:43:17Z")
I was given a first, middle and last name at birth. When I got married, I dropped the middle name and now use my maiden name as my middle name and, of course, I took my husband’s last name. Not of course because everyone does, but of course because I use my maiden name as my middle name now. However, I wouldn’t call your office and use all three names together. Just first and married last name. ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-regarding-names/131153/11 "2002-10-07T20:50:49Z")
I’ve got four names-first, two middle, and a last. I never go by all of them, and use the middle two situationally. My first middle name is Japanese, and I use that name when around Japanese people because it’s easier for them to pronounce than my first name. If I ever get married, I plan to double-barrell my last name. What’s kind of pretentious is using a first initial, then a middle name. Like L. Ron Hubbard. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-regarding-names/131153/12 "2002-10-07T22:57:00Z")
My parents didn’t do middle names, but when I was confirmed, I began using my confirmation name as my middle name. When I married, I dropped that and used my maiden name in the middle. Personally, I find hyphenated last names to be too precious. But I’m going to call you want you want to be called - at least to your face. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-regarding-names/131153/13 "2002-10-08T02:25:24Z")
I have one given first name and two last names. The two last names are not hyphenated, but I do so in the US so that people don’t mix them around (and yet they do!). When people ask me to type/sign official things, I use both last names. You want my name as it appears in my SSN? Those two are there as official last names, I cannot see one of them over the other. I’m the only person in my family with just one given name. Unless there’s another one when I was baptized. I don’t ask people to call me by both last names, just by my first name, which is hard enough. Of course, in an official document (diploma, résumé) I do expect both of my last names to appear, in the correct order! I don’t plan to change my last name if I ever marry. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-regarding-names/131153/14 "2002-10-08T03:48:38Z")
I have a first, middle and last name, which is fairly typical around here. My parents wanted to please both sets of grandparents, though, so the gave me a (pseudo)Irish first name and a french middle name. People are usually a little surprised by my middle name since the majority make the strange assumption that I’m 100% Irish… when I’m actually of 5 (or six, depending on whether my “black portuguese” maternal great-great-grandfather was actually portuguese, which is something my mom and aunt, who knew him, don’t believe) different nationalities. I think that my paternal great-grandfather’s last name was “Americanized” when he came here from Frace probably adds to the confusion a bit. But anyway, I think the two names go as well together as could be hoped- Shannon Renee’- unlike many people, I don’t hate either 🙂 By the time my brother was born, my parents were through trying to please anyone and gave him names they didn’t have to stress over to come up with instead. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-regarding-names/131153/15 "2002-10-08T16:02:28Z")
I have a first, middle, and last, and go by my nickname and last name. It’s silly to call an author’s name “pretentious,” especially since one’s professional name can often be dictated by marketing concerns. The original author who started this discussion was Orson Scott Card. He is known to friends as Scott Card; the “Orson” was probably chosen to make the name stand out more. One author by the name of Michael McDowell had to change his name into the more pretentious sounding Michael Kube-McDowell (which he does not care for) so people would remember it. Michael J. Fox’s use of the inital may seem pretentious, but he had no choice, since there already was an actor called Michael Fox. Jennifer Love Hewitt was saddled with the middle name by her agent to make it stand out (she prefers just plain Jennifer Hewitt). ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-regarding-names/131153/16 "2002-10-09T20:49:31Z")
I have the (mis?)fortune to have four first names. No, I won’t say what they are… 😉 I will say that I came PERILOUSLY close to having my two middle names be ‘Zsigfried’ and ‘Gustaf’. At the last moment my parents had a sudden and rare bout of sanity, and just used the first LETTERS of those names, to create to middle names for me. I only use one of those names commonly, but all four do indeed appear on my birth certificate. I’m odd. No news here. Hey, **Abby** , does that mean that if I married you, you’d have a FIFTH name??? 😃 😃 Cartooniverse ---
**Author:** ![rivulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rivulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rivulus)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-regarding-names/131153/17 "2002-10-09T21:25:31Z")
> [@](#): > > What’s kind of pretentious is using a first initial, then a middle name. Like L. Ron Hubbard. First initial, middle name seems to be a fairly common trend among members of the LDS (Mormon) heirarchy. I’m not claiming it’s pretentious in this case, just that it struck me as odd when I first noticed it. What I find confusing are double, non-hyphenated last names, like Vaughan Williams. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-regarding-names/131153/18 "2002-10-09T21:42:02Z")
I use first initial, middle name, last name. Not to be snooty, but to distinguish my from my father who has the same first name (and to avoid ‘Little Ricky’ syndrome). It’s a royal pain. Filling out forms, they always want first name, middle initial. So I either have to use a name I don’t use, or write my middle name for first name and leave the initial blank. Of course, most places hate it when you do that. I had one place tell me “You have to use your real name!” Well, duh! That _is_ my real name, I can’t help it if your form is ill-conceived. – “L. Ron Hubbard” ---
**Author:** ![bee\_with\_an\_itch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/13edae/32.png) [@bee\_with\_an\_itch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bee_with_an_itch)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2002, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-regarding-names/131153/19 "2002-10-10T01:01:54Z")
At birth I was given 4 names: my first name, middle name, my mother’s last name and my father’s last name. (NOT hyphenated!)…they just thought it made sense to have both last names. Although it does make it a little tedious to fill out forms and such, it’s a decent thing, in my opinion, because I will, forever carry the legacy of BOTH my parents. They are both from very different backgrounds : dad’s French-Canadian, mom’s Mexican…and this kinda reinforces the 2 bacckgrounds and their respective traditions and languages. \*plus, it sounds impressive ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2002, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-regarding-names/131153/20 "2002-10-10T20:55:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RealityChuck \* > \*\*Jennifer Love Hewitt was saddled with the middle name by her agent to make it stand out (she prefers just plain Jennifer Hewitt). \*\* Actually, her friends call her “Love.” Seriously. You don’t want to know what _I_ call her. 😛 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-regarding-names/131153.md?page=2)