From the receiving end …
No child will never get away with using just their MI – especially if the middle name is unique or has an unusual or uncommon spelling. Case in Point:
[Well meaning 7th grade English teacher] “Uh, How do you spell your middle name?”
[Mortified newly ordained teen in a new school] “I’m sure they got it right.”
[Very Persistent English Teacher] “Oh, I’m sure this must be incorrect. Please spell it for me …”
[Very Mortified Teen] “Trust me, it’s right. Starts with an ‘L’ …”
[VPET] “NO, I’m certain that this must be an error.”
[VMT] “Trust me – if it doesn’t look right to you, then it must be correct!”
[VPET} "NO, this can’t be spelled correctly. Who in their right mind would name a boy ‘Lucy’???
[VMT, Sheepishly] “My parents.”
Didn’t help that some son of donkey and mule act had a song in the top 10 titled “A Boy Named Sue” … :wally
Possible … but not inevitable. I fought it for for a long time. (About 3 hours – 'Til about lunch time.) It’s been Lucy ever since. Hence the handle *Lucy In Disguise * …
(Thank you Mrs. Boyden, where ever you are. I mean that sincerely, too! I am not being facetious! 
)
I think I got off easy, though. Could have had my great-grandfather’s full name: Ezekial Marion Lucy. (Can you imagine going through the inner-city school system with a name like that? Dealing with just my middle name was a piece of cake.
(And yes, I’ve heard all of the 'Lucy, I’m home" jokes – come to think of it, I’d actually relish hearing some new material!!!)
Hasn’t been at all bad, though. In fact, once I gave up the fight and just accepted my middle name as my primary handle, it has had some surprising advantages. Even now, whenever I call any of my customers or business associates on the phone, the moment I say “This is Lucy …” No one has to guess or even pause for a millisecond search of the ol’ memory bank – they know exactly who is calling, and what the topic of conversation is going to be. Far as I know there’s only one guy named Lucy in my business …
As to ‘Amadeus’ I’d say: “not bad” – just prepare him with the history so he can understand how and why he got the name. As for me, my only regret was that my parents never explained <A href=“http://www.lucey.net”>the history behind the name</A> (I had to discover that on my own), and I had to drag the explanation of how I ended up with the name out of my mother many years after reaching adulthood. I’m not certain, but I think (just maybe) she might have been embarrassed for putting me through that …
In the final analysis, I’d have to say that it never held me back (I wouldn’t let it!), but that it actually helped me exploit several opportunities that I might otherwise have missed.
I’d really like to find out what you decide to do, and your reasoning behind your decision …
or Wolfgang since that’s pretty much unpronunceable for me.
).