# Help me pick a new middle name. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 14, 2012, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-middle-name/621898 "2012-05-14T16:17:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-middle-name/621898/1 "2012-05-14T16:17:42Z")
I am seriously thinking about changing my middle name. It is “Wayne”. I’ve never really liked it, and it has [a bad reputation](http://www.newsoftheweird.com/wayne.html). I don’t think it flows well with the rest of my name, either. The only rules for a new name are: 1. No names that start with “A”. That would give me the same 3 initials as my wife, so she has requested I avoid them. 2. No ludicrous names. Sorry, I’m not going to pick, say, “Voltron” or “Fido”, no matter how funny you think it is. Otherwise, let’s hear them! ---
**Author:** ![Deegeea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Deegeea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deegeea)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-middle-name/621898/2 "2012-05-14T16:29:05Z")
This seems like an odd game or request, when no one knows what your first or last names are, to figure out what would be euponious with them. But a couple fairly serious suggestions. a, a family name - a deceased grandfather’s or your mother’s or a grandmother’s maiden name. Unless Wayne already is that, in which case it’d seem odd. b, Warren. Warren has a similar sound to Wayne (so presumably goes with the rest of your name), you’d have the same initials (no need to re-monogram everything), but Warren has a better reputation. My sister changed her middle name from one she hated because of its associations to one that was similar but didn’t have those associations. The change made her very happy. If you like the idea but not the specific name, you could go with something else more or less similar sounding: Wilson, Waylon, Owain, Owen, Wayland, Walt, Dwayne, Dane, Ephraim, Trey, Gray. There are probably more. ---
**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-middle-name/621898/3 "2012-05-14T16:32:49Z")
Wilkes? ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-middle-name/621898/4 "2012-05-14T16:37:01Z")
I’d go with “Foxworth”-sounds like classy, “old money” name. If not that, how about “Branford”? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-middle-name/621898/5 "2012-05-14T16:46:40Z")
Milhouse Quincy Delano S ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-middle-name/621898/6 "2012-05-14T16:48:29Z")
> [@Deegeea](#): > > **This seems like an odd game or request, when no one knows what your first or last names are** , to figure out what would be euponious with them. Yep… PM me if you absolutely must know. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-middle-name/621898/7 "2012-05-14T16:49:34Z")
W. Just “W.” I don’t know if these count as ridiculous names, but have you considered “Theodore” or “Cornelius”? ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-middle-name/621898/8 "2012-05-14T16:49:43Z")
> [@Bootis](#): > > Wilkes? 😃 At least you didn’t say “Harvey”. ---
**Author:** ![PacifistPorcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PacifistPorcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PacifistPorcupine)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-middle-name/621898/9 "2012-05-14T16:57:59Z")
It’s kind of hard to suggest something without knowing what you’re looking for, other than not starting with ‘A’ and not ludicrous. How about printing out the top 100 male baby names and tossing darts at it until it lands on a name you like? ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-middle-name/621898/10 "2012-05-14T17:36:59Z")
Ah, the old stand-bys. If there is an old family name that is euphonious, I would suggest it. Bradford is nice. Bennington. Branson. If you want a single word name (like Wayne) perhaps West might meet the need. As an aside, I have been thinking about changing my middle name. It was my mother’s maiden name, but it is rather clumsy in English. Gagundathar The Inexplicable. Yes, the ‘The’ really jumps out at you, now doesn’t it? I am thinking about ‘An’ instead. What do you think? ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-middle-name/621898/11 "2012-05-14T17:46:16Z")
An old family surname? What was your mother’s maiden name? Does it work there? Or Sirhan. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Il_Palazzo)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-middle-name/621898/12 "2012-05-14T17:51:39Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > 1. No ludicrous names. Sorry, I’m not going to pick, say, “Voltron” or “Fido”, no matter how funny you think it is. I suppose that means “Danger” is off the table. I’ll add to the list of those suggesting a family name. Is there an uncle or grandfather whom you admire and whose name you like? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-middle-name/621898/13 "2012-05-14T17:55:48Z")
Temperance. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-middle-name/621898/14 "2012-05-14T18:01:25Z")
> [@Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](#): > > I suppose that means “Danger” is off the table. > > I’ll add to the list of those suggesting a family name. Is there an uncle or grandfather whom you admire and whose name you like? Sorry, not really. My dad’s middle name started with A. My late brother-in-law’s name started with A, and he had my first name. My late uncle’s name started with A. I didn’t like my other uncle. My grandfathers both had very dated names like “Ignatz”. I wouldn’t use my mother’s maiden name as it doesn’t work as a middle name, and because of all the forms that require the use of it for security. Suggestions about the above are fine, but I have considered them. They aren’t viable for me. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-middle-name/621898/15 "2012-05-14T18:01:29Z")
What’s the point in changing a name no one uses or hears? (Or do you plan on assassinating someone?) ---
**Author:** ![MegaBee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f0a364/32.png) [@MegaBee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MegaBee)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-middle-name/621898/16 "2012-05-14T18:38:55Z")
Something that starts with J, because the best sounding male names are FirstName J. LastName. How about James? ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-middle-name/621898/17 "2012-05-14T18:49:04Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > My grandfathers both had very dated names like “Ignatz”. What about your grandmothers’ maiden names? Or Fletcher. My great grandfather was named Fletcher Walton \. I think it’s a pretty cool name. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-middle-name/621898/18 "2012-05-14T18:52:22Z")
> [@MegaBee](#): > > Something that starts with J, because the best sounding male names are FirstName J. LastName. How about James? Or Jay? ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-middle-name/621898/19 "2012-05-14T18:53:46Z")
Can’t recommend without knowing your first name, sorry. It has to be mellifluous. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-middle-name/621898/20 "2012-05-14T18:57:42Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > Can’t recommend without knowing your first name, sorry. It has to be mellifluous. Shmartholomew Shmimpson. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-middle-name/621898.md?page=2)