Pronounced like “Geneva” and often misspelled as that even by family members who should know better. My two great grandmothers’ names were Jane and Eva. Stick 'em together and… ta da, middle name. It’s pretty, and it flows well with my first name (which actually is Antares).
My brother has two middle names, which wasn’t a problem until he was about 12. For some reason, that year, the SSA and the IRS decided that his second middle name was his last name (It’s FirstName Rocco McCullough LastName) and therefore decided he was not related to us and could not be claimed as a dependent on my dad’s tax return. That screwed things up quite a bit. So now according to his Social Security card he just has one middle name, Rocco.
My mother is the second of 4 sisters. Her older sister is Ethel Lynn but goes by Lynn. My mother and her two subsequent sisters all got the same middle name of Morgan – Cornelia Morgan, Virginia Morgan, Hilliary Morgan. I guess my grandmother ran out of middle names after the first two.
It was a nod to my grandfather’s family name, which he gave up when he came to the U.S. as a teenager in the early '40s. Both my first name and surname are anglocized.
I hated it when I was a kid, in fact I left “middle name” blank whenever possible until I was at University. Now I rather like it, the name has some interesting history attached.
Ha! Well, I was pushing for “Danger” no matter what the first name was. If the kid could honestly say “my middle name is Danger”, well, there’s no telling the amazing heights he could achieve*****.
It wasn’t until we were definitely set on Max as a first name that I starting thinking about how much “Max Power” would completely kick ass.
Although she later changed Marie to Marion and started using that instead of her first name.
My grandmother’s first name was Marion, but she went by her middle name, Helen.
My grandfather’s first name was Paul, but he went by his middle name, Alfred.
My uncle’s first name was Alfred, but he went by his middle name, Paul.
It’s a family tradition, passing down the line of first born sons. My great grandfather was the first to use it, and my grandfather is a Jr. Then my dad got the middle name as the eldest (his two brothers have other middle names) and I got saddled with it too. Over time, I have to say that it’s grown on me quite a bit. I’ve never heard of another person with my full name (though there are at least 4 or 5 others with my first and last name that I can find on the internet…including a male prostitute from Toronto).
Which really sucks when you’re a kid, but I’ve come to terms with it. Apparently, I was supposed to have the middle name David, which I think would have worked nicely with my first name (Carl). Unfortunately, my Dad waited until the trip to the hospital to inform my mother that he didn’t care for, “David.” So with minimal time in which to make a decision, my mother agreed to making me a Junior, and saddling me with Dad’s middle name.
My middle name is Marie, which I am surprised there are not more of.
My first name is Dawn, surprised a couple of people have it as a middle name. Didn’t know it was a fad either, but I was named after someone so no fad in my case.
Maternal Grandmother was May, Paternal was Mae. By the time I was born, Mom was convinced Dad was a :wally (which he was), so I got May. I always knew I was in trouble if Mom yelled “Carmen May!”
I kept the middle name when I got married. Grandma and I were really close, and I couldn’t stand the thought of dropping our shared middle name.
BTW, husband’s (who is a Second, NOT a Junior thankyouverymuch) middle name is Peter, Mom’s is Mina (after one of her grandmothers).
I intended, if I ever had a son, to try and begin a family tradition by giving him his paternal grandfather’s first name as a middle name, as I was.
Figured I’d be amongst a thousand other Joseph’s, but it appears I’m the only one.
I’m quite amazed at how many posters I’d assumed male are actually female!
Carol, after my grandmother. I don’t really like it and could have changed it when I got married, but I didn’t want to hurt her feelings.
My grandmother, mother, aunt and cousin all have the middle name Lynn. I always hated that for some reason, but now I think if I ever have a daughter her middle name will be Delenn, after the Babylon 5 character.
What? It’s not like I’m naming a kid G’Kar.
If we have a son, his middle name likely will be Knight.
