Baby Middle Name

If you played it safe with the first name, the middle name is the place to really let loose. Want to give your child an usual spelling of a name (for example, Katelynne or Mackenzee, but don’t want to do that with the first name because you know you and your child will have to be correcting people about it all the time? The middle name is the perfect place to take a risk and let your imagination take over. Our son has a fairly traditional first name, but his middle name is that of a river that has significance to my husband’s family. It wouldn’t have worked for a first name, but it’s perfect sitting casually there in the middle.

Say you have a rich cultural heritage, but for some reason you don’t feel comfortable giving your child a traditional Hawaiian, Native American, Middle Eastern or so on name as a first name. Put it in the middle! Your child’s heritage will be honored in a more subtle way. And, of course, if he or she later decides to embrace the more-ethnic middle name as a first name, it’s right there waiting!

In short, don’t hold back on the middle name!