# Can somebody have 4 last names? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 17, 2024, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-have-4-last-names/998958 "2024-03-17T22:54:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2024, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-have-4-last-names/998958/21 "2024-03-18T13:32:33Z")
I admit I don’t know. I suspect they may be required to select one or two as legal surnames in the Quebec system and the rest become middle names. I’m not aware of a limitation on quantity of middle names. I actually gave my son my surname as a middle name because I didn’t want to double barrel. He’s got 4 names total. A friend of mine has 7, only one is his legal last name. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2024, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-have-4-last-names/998958/22 "2024-03-18T14:32:42Z")
Saudi Arabia is good for having four names; how do you put that into three fields for First, Middle, & Last, which is the standard ‘American’ coding. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2024, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-have-4-last-names/998958/23 "2024-03-18T14:56:14Z")
> [@Francis\_Vaughan](#): > > Clearly we just need to allocate everyone a UUID at birth. Tattoo the QR-code on the forehead. Ah, yes. The Mark of the Beast. (I am being sarcastic of course). ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2024, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-have-4-last-names/998958/24 "2024-03-18T14:58:10Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > Saudi Arabia is good for having four names; how do you put that into three fields for First, Middle, & Last, which is the standard ‘American’ coding. I have the opposite problem. I just have two names, a first name and a last name/family name. Sometimes that causes problems with American forms that demand a middle name, or at least a middle initial. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2024, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-have-4-last-names/998958/25 "2024-03-18T15:26:06Z")
That’s a simple fix, put in N…for None. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2024, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-have-4-last-names/998958/26 "2024-03-18T16:31:24Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > Even, or especially, a computer can identify an individual by a unique random number, so there (in theory) need be no confusion caused by different people with the same name or the same person having multiple names. Sure, but there is (thankfully) no unified numbering scheme for individuals. Many countries have something similar at national level, such as the social security number in the US, but as soon as people from different countries come into play, this won’t work. So the traditional system of personal names is the best think we have to identify individuals unambiguously - perhaps augmented with other personal data, such as birthdates. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2024, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-have-4-last-names/998958/27 "2024-03-18T16:43:16Z")
The Navy (as well as, presumably, the other armed forces) uses NMI – No Middle Initial. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2024, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-have-4-last-names/998958/28 "2024-03-18T16:51:52Z")
My son has two middle names (but only one last name). My wife and I come from cultures with very different middle naming schemes, so we gave him one from each scheme. ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2024, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-have-4-last-names/998958/29 "2024-03-18T18:11:16Z")
Don’t forget Johann Gambolputty \<…\> of Ulm. ‘[Johann Gambolputty | Monty Python Wiki | Fandom](https://montypython.fandom.com/wiki/Johann_Gambolputty)’ ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2024, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-have-4-last-names/998958/30 "2024-03-18T18:30:54Z")
You may write the name out, everything else lacks respect: Johann de von Ausfern-Schplenden-Schlitter-Crasscrenbon-Fried-Digger-Dingle-Dangle-Dongle-Dungle-Burstein-von-Knacker-Thrasher-Apple-Banger-Horowitz-Ticolensic-Grander-Knotty-Spelltinkle-Grandlich-Grumblemeyer-Spelterwasser-Kurstlich-Himbleeisen-Bahnwagen-Gutenabend-Bitte-Ein-Nürnburger-Bratwustle-Gerspurten-Mitzweimache-Luber-Hundsfut-Gumberaber-Shönendanker-Kalbsfleisch-Mittler-Aucher von Hautkopft of Ulm ---
**Author:** ![Noelq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noelq/32/16438_2.png) [@Noelq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noelq)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2024, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-have-4-last-names/998958/31 "2024-03-18T18:31:46Z")
IT guy, here. We’ve got 10 characters available to identify someone in our system. And they can’t ever repeat a previous entry. It gets painful sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2024, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-have-4-last-names/998958/32 "2024-03-18T18:37:25Z")
Ten characters would not be enough for my name, but if that makes me non identifiable then it might not always be to my disadvantage. Or so I like to believe. The fact that the Spanish part of my name tends to confuse German administrators and the German part of my name does the same to the Spanish administrators has not harmed me either, so far, probably, I hope. ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2024, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-have-4-last-names/998958/33 "2024-03-18T19:28:35Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > You may write the name out, everything else lacks respect: I am now imagining an unpublished Borges story about a person whose name was so long it could not be completely spoken before the heat-death of the universe… ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2024, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-have-4-last-names/998958/34 "2024-03-18T19:33:47Z")
> [@xtenkfarpl](#): > > I am now imagining an unpublished Borges story about a person whose name was so long it could not be completely spoken before the heat-death of the universe… I am imagining an unpublished Borges story about a writer who wanted to write that story but failed because he considered it indispensable to include the name in it. ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2024, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-have-4-last-names/998958/35 "2024-03-18T21:54:54Z")
The name is probably somewhere in the Library of Babel. Then again, maybe not: that only contained only 410 page books, apparently. There are infinitely many more… ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-have-4-last-names/998958/36 "2024-03-19T00:10:02Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Lots of countries have ID numbers. The U.S. has the SSN, which for better or for worse serves the same purpose. Not so. I am not giving out my SSN (or Canadian SIN) to anyone unless they have a need to know (an employer or a bank). As stated above, Quebec limits you to two family names. And you are stuck with your birth name for any government use. ---
**Author:** ![SaSaLeLe2011](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7bcc69/32.png) [@SaSaLeLe2011](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaSaLeLe2011)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2024, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-have-4-last-names/998958/37 "2024-03-24T01:18:16Z")
This makes a lot of sense, I have this teacher who’s last name is 18 letters long but she shortens it to the last 6 letters of her name. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2024, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-have-4-last-names/998958/38 "2024-03-24T06:40:52Z")
> [@Francis\_Vaughan](#): > > I would say that the list of name lies is a pretty good start on the problems. > I remember years ago discovering that there were 4 students in a class - all with apparently exactly the same name. They were Vietnamese, and again, their naming conventions simply didn’t match our expectations. Heck, I think the system still used “Christian Name” and Surname. > > Then there was someone I knew who changed his name to “Mouse”… There has been at least one person at my work with _one_ name. Not “family name”, not “personal name”, just “name”. I’m pretty sure the passport forms have special instructions for this eventuality. Then there’re people like me, who insist on the middle name being present. In my case it was because of a horrible incident at school, where I was accused of something\* I could not physically have done. At the office, they realized that someone with a different _middle_ name had done it… \* Parking violation. I did not own a car and couldn’t drive… ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2024, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-have-4-last-names/998958/39 "2024-03-24T15:01:02Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > There has been at least one person at my work with _one_ name. Not “family name”, not “personal name”, just “name”. I have a friend in this situation. He has been using his father’s single name as a surname just to satisfy the bureaucracy here, but in his country of origin it’s just the one name. ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2024, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-have-4-last-names/998958/40 "2024-03-24T21:58:07Z")
Let me guess: Indonesian? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-have-4-last-names/998958.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-have-4-last-names/998958.md?page=3)