# People who abbreviate their first name… **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 22, 2022, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-abbreviate-their-first-name/963281 "2022-04-22T21:17:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2022, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-abbreviate-their-first-name/963281/41 "2022-04-23T11:31:14Z")
Er, my parents and grandparents were Indians living in a Portuguese colony and had middle names of the sort you are terming “exclusively an US thing” and so did all the people of those generations. As do we, but maybe you could claim that we were influenced by USAian culture. But in the 1960s and 1970s we would be more influenced by English culture. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2022, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-abbreviate-their-first-name/963281/42 "2022-04-23T12:34:46Z")
My uncle is another one who goes by his middle name. Informally, he just uses the middle name (or rather, one of the standard nicknames for that name), and most people don’t know that he has any other given name. But he never officially changed it, so he still officially has the first name on his birth certificate, and so on official documents, he’s still F. Middlename Lastname. And I’ll agree with others that it makes things easier to let everyone know that there’s some other name that might crop up. I spent several years as a substitute teacher, which means encountering a lot of new names on a regular basis. If I have a “Michael Smith” in my room, but the roster says “John Smith”, that causes some confusion. Less so, if I’m comparing “J. Michael Smith” and “John Smith”. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2022, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-abbreviate-their-first-name/963281/43 "2022-04-23T16:26:16Z")
I too do the first initial, middle name thing. Wasn’t my choice, it’s more of a family tradition. There are five (or should say _were_ five) of us with the same first name, so the latecomers all go by their middle names. It’s mostly a pain in the ass. I vividly remember my first day of kindergarten, as the tech are called my first name out and of course I didn’t respond as I was unaware that I had a different name that the bureaucracy would know me by. The irritation was a low simmer after that, heating up a bit as more and more of my interactions with the world started by filling out a computerized form. I learned quickly to just use my first name for those docs, as if I didn’t, inevitably a mismatch between my entry and my ID would cause a problem. The advantage all those years was that I instantly would know if someone knew me, or simply got my info from some data source. If I were to get a call asking for my first name, I could immediately say, “He’s not here right now…” which saved me from many a telemarketer call. Occasionally that tactic would backfire, say if my doctor was calling. I’d quickly backpedal, but there was always some suspicion about the guy who first claimed not to be the guy and then suddenly was. Things have changed some now as there’s more flexibility in some of the record keeping tools. Many now have a field for preferred name. Which now flips things around when I check in at the dentist with my first name. The receptionist looks confused for a moment then says, “We thought you preferred to go by middle name?” and then I realize I outsmarted myself. 0 stars out of 5. Would not do again. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2022, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-abbreviate-their-first-name/963281/44 "2022-04-23T17:09:21Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > An ex-bf of mine was named after his grandfather, but was always called (and from the start intended to be called) by his middle name. > > I wouldn’t be surprised if some of that is going on. Wanting to honor a family member, but not wanting to actually use the name. Then there are those named after their father and use the middle name rather than be known as “Junior”. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2022, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-abbreviate-their-first-name/963281/45 "2022-04-23T17:19:38Z")
> [@Pork\_Rind](#): > > The advantage all those years was that I instantly would know if someone knew me, or simply got my info from some data source. If I were to get a call asking for my first name, I could immediately say, “He’s not here right now…” which saved me from many a telemarketer call. I would think this benefit would give it 1 star. There was about at least a decade during which spam calls were a bit overwhelming. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2022, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-abbreviate-their-first-name/963281/46 "2022-04-23T18:35:47Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > Then there are those named after their father and use the middle name rather than be known as “Junior”. My dad was a junior, and he _hated_ being called junior. Especially since his dad dumped his mom. I thought it was an interesting bookend that he and my mom got their wedding license on the same day dad’s mom got her divorce decree (or was in court to get it, can’t quite remember). ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2022, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-abbreviate-their-first-name/963281/47 "2022-04-23T19:56:18Z")
I had an uncle whose middle name was different from his father, but it started with the same initial. He really was not a junior, but corporate and government documents nearly always listed him as Firstname M. Lastname, Jr. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2022, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-abbreviate-their-first-name/963281/48 "2022-04-23T20:01:04Z")
I know a guy whose first name is Fallis. He doesn’t care for it. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2022, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-abbreviate-their-first-name/963281/49 "2022-04-23T21:13:59Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > By calling yourself J. Paul Jones, you’re establishing that you wish to be called Paul. But you’re also letting people know that you have another name that might appear at times. You nailed it. This is the only place I will freely admit that my first name is Cecil. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2022, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-abbreviate-their-first-name/963281/50 "2022-04-23T22:03:11Z")
> [@Keith1](#): > > To most everyone else it was just stupid. I agree with this. But companies often have policies about how the name is to be presented on a business card (yes, silly) so the employee may not have a choice. On the other hand, I had a coworker who’s first name was J. He had to go to a great deal of trouble to explain that is the name on his birth certificate. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2022, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-abbreviate-their-first-name/963281/51 "2022-04-23T22:21:00Z")
Odd, that is somehow precisely the same thing with my dad and granddad. Heh - always liked saying W.E.B. Du Bois. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2022, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-abbreviate-their-first-name/963281/52 "2022-04-23T22:25:18Z")
> [@Infovore](#): > > When you said “abbreviate their first name,” I thought you meant things like “Thos.” for “Thomas” or “Jos.” for “Joseph.” I didn’t think anybody even did that anymore. Maybe they don’t. Chas Chandler was the very, very last person, ever, in all creation, to do this. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2022, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-abbreviate-their-first-name/963281/53 "2022-04-23T22:33:53Z")
An English cricketer would like a word… > **[Jos Buttler](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos_Buttler)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > > > Joseph Charles Buttler MBE (born 8 September 1990) is an English cricketer who captains the England cricket team in limited overs cricket, and plays for the England Test team. In domestic cricket he represents Lancashire, having previously played for Somerset, and has played in multiple Twenty20 leagues, including for Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League. > Buttler made his T20I debut in 2011, his ODI debut 2012, and ... ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2022, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-abbreviate-their-first-name/963281/54 "2022-04-23T22:43:49Z")
My BiL’s first name is Robert. He writes it as Robt. and tells folks it’s pronounced “Robert” . I always say it’s pronounced as “Ribbt”. He’s 87 so I guess he’s entitled. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2022, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-abbreviate-their-first-name/963281/55 "2022-04-24T01:26:44Z")
> [@Pork\_Rind](#): > > The advantage all those years was that I instantly would know if someone knew me, or simply got my info from some data source. Totally. If I get any kind of communication for my first name, it’s an instant alert they for sure don’t know me. It gets a little tricky since insurance is under my first name, and I get medical related calls for my kids looking for the parent of x. Then I cop to my first name being the initial. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2022, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-abbreviate-their-first-name/963281/56 "2022-04-24T13:39:32Z")
On my mother’s side, all the oldest sons had the same first name “John” from my g-g-grandfather down to my cousin whose wife said no. Several of them went by J. middle name last name to avoid confusion. ---
**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:** [April 24, 2022, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-abbreviate-their-first-name/963281/57 "2022-04-24T14:25:44Z")
I’ve never understood the custom of giving the same name to multiple different people in the same family. Doesn’t it kind of defeat the purpose of names if everyone has the same one? ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2022, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-abbreviate-their-first-name/963281/58 "2022-04-24T14:42:11Z")
My first name is James, and I have always signed it as Jas. I’m called James (or Jim by people who don’t know me well). As a teenager I was once given some shit by a bureaucrat who insisted that I spell out the whole name on a form. I said, “But that’s not my signature!” Didn’t matter. But that’s the only time in more than 50 years that anyone’s questioned it. I’ve had some comments and had to explain a few times that it’s an old-fashioned abbreviation. Usually people thinks it’s cool. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2022, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-abbreviate-their-first-name/963281/59 "2022-04-24T14:46:45Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I’ve never understood the custom of giving the same name to multiple different people in the same family. Doesn’t it kind of defeat the purpose of names if everyone has the same one? Which George Foreman did you wish to address that to? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2022, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-abbreviate-their-first-name/963281/60 "2022-04-24T14:49:01Z")
The other thing I was going to add to this thread: a friend of my father’s was [Donald Smith](https://obits.pennlive.com/us/obituaries/pennlive/name/donald-smith-obituary?id=14392513). His friends all called him Don. But since Smith is (I believe) the most common name in Anglophone countries, for business and other formal purposes he used his extremely uncommon middle name, styling himself D. Scattergood Smith. Far more memorable. Enough so that I still remember it more than 60 years after first hearing it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-abbreviate-their-first-name/963281.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-abbreviate-their-first-name/963281.md?page=4)