Baby Middle Name

It’s not a new thing for people to have only a letter for a middle name.
Harry S Truman is probably the most well-known example, but plenty of people have a letter only for a middle name (or even for a first name, or both.)

I’ve heard people speak strongly against this practice, while others are perfectly fine with it. Some people with letters for a middle “name” are embarrassed about it, others think it’s cool while still others don’t really think about it at all.

The potential drawback mentioned most often is the possibility that having an initial for a middle name will cause confusion in paperwork and other professional and legal areas. For example, some forms say “full middle name.” People who put down just a letter may get a call asking for the complete name. Some people seek to avoid the confusion by using the abbreviation “IO” (Initial Only) after the letter, only to have the document processed as if their name is “Jio” or “Dio.”

However, there are plenty of good reasons for going with just a letter—and it’s not because you ran out of ideas for names!

For example, say you have a dear friend and two relatives and each of their names starts with the letter E. You could make your baby’s middle name E and honor all three at the same time.
Also, if you’re so in love with the first name you’ve chosen, having only an initial, or no middle name at all, could ensure that your child is called by the intended name rather than the middle name or some combination of the two.

I’d suggest that if you do go with an initial for a middle name, expect people to routinely put a period after it. You and your child will need to correct them, or just be OK with it.

I’ve been told that in some cultures, it’s a tradition to use the father’s initial as a middle name.