In the US, what is the 2nd name about ?

[Marla_Singer]

Hey everyone,

Actually, many Americans are using three names to designate themselves : Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, William Jefferson Clinton, George Walker Bush, Hillary Rodham Clinton, John Forbes Kerry...

What is that 2nd name about ? Is it the 2nd given name or is it the surname of the mother ? Is there a difference between women and men ?

Thanks to enlighten me.

 

[Pasi Nurminen]

It's just for identification purposes, I suspect.

 

[kulade]

The middle name? Its just another name in case John Smith and John Smith gets thier record cofused. It never really does anything.

 

[Marla_Singer]

It's just for identification purposes, I suspect.

Well yeah I guess... but what is it about ? Do all of Americans have that 2nd name, do we pick it at random or is there a rule ?

 

[CenturionV]

Umm does not everyone have a second name, for instance john jacob smith, or henry thomas baker?

Everyone I know has 3 names, first, middle and last names (as we call them here in alberta at least)

If your wondering why, I have always thought it was due to so many people and so many common names, there are probably 200 john smiths in my city, it would be a hassle looking the the phone book if they did not have john S. smith, john J. smith, etc

EDIT: Lol I posted this when the thread was still empty

 

[Colonel]

its a middle name we get it from our parents they just pick it and we have it but usaully noone uses it other than identfication

 

[kulade]

Usually if you don't like your first name you go by your middle name where I live, just serving as a nickname.

 

[Marla_Singer]

The middle name? Its just another name in case John Smith and John Smith gets thier record cofused. It never really does anything.

But how is it determined ? Anyone could choose as he wants ?

For instance, I could call myself Marla Waterlilly Singer if I want ?

 

[Moss]

But how is it determined ? Anyone could choose as he wants ?

For instance, I could call myself Marla Waterlilly Singer if I want ?

It's given to you at birth by your parents, just like your first name.

 

[luiz]

I guess it's the surname of the mother. Same thing in Brazil.

 

[kulade]

Just made up or named after someone. Like the first name.

 

[Marla_Singer]

Usually if you don't like your first name you go by your middle name where I live, just serving as a nickname.

Ok, so it's a 2nd given name.

For instance, the mother of George Bush wasn't Barbara Walker before she married Bush Sr.

If I ask that, it's because in the Spanish speaking world, the middle name is usually the mother's surname before she got married. As all those middle names don't look like usual first names (like John, Andrew or Michael), I wondered if it wasn't also the case in the US.

 

[-0blivion-]

In the UK, it is the grandfather's first name for the boys, and the grandmother's first name for the girls. At least thats how it works in my area.

Don't you have middle names in France

 

[CenturionV]

I guess it's the surname of the mother. Same thing in Brazil.

Nah, atleast not here in canada, it just a given name like the first one here, of course that does not exclude it from being the maiden name.

In my experience people I know tend to make it relatives names, or a classic family name, for instance my dads middle name is dale, my grandpas first name is dale, and my cousins first name is dale, its sorta a famliy tradition.

But then my middle name is josiah, so the tradition is not considered extremely important.

 

[Dell19]

I don't have a middle name... And I don't think there is any kind of pattern in selecting a middle name either at least where I live.

 

[Marla_Singer]

Just made up or named after someone. Like the first name.

That's still quite weird. How can anyone would like to give to his/her son names as awckward as Delano, Walker, Rodham or Fitzgerald ?

In France, a 2nd given name isn't mandatory even if traditionally people have such. However, in most of case it's a traditional name like Jean, David, Robert or Raphael. It's not something fancy.

Names like Delano, Walker or Rodham looks more like surname than like first names, that's why I wondered if it wasn't like in Mexico or Brazil as Luiz has said.

Thanks everyone.

 

[Marla_Singer]

Nah, atleast not here in canada, it just a given name like the first one here, of course that does not exclude it from being the maiden name.

In my experience people I know tend to make it relatives names, or a classic family name, for instance my dads middle name is dale, my grandpas first name is dale, and my cousins first name is dale, its sorta a famliy tradition.

But then my middle name is josiah, so the tradition is not considered extremely important.

Thanks for the clarification.

So we can imagine William Jefferson Clinton is named this way because his father was an admirer of Thomas Jefferson. I've got it now.

In the same kind of ideas, we can imagine George Walker Bush is named this way because his father was an admirer of Walker Texas Ranger...

I'm just kidding

 

[kulade]

That's still quite weird. How can anyone would like to give to his/her son names as awckward as Delano, Walker, Rodham or Fitzgerald ?

In France, a 2nd given name isn't mandatory even if traditionally people have such. However, in most of case it's a traditional name like Jean, David, Robert or Raphael. It's not something fancy.

Names like Delano, Walker or Rodham looks more like surname than like first names, that's why I wondered if it wasn't like in Mexico or Brazil as Luiz has said.

Thanks everyone.

No clue.

I'm named after my great great grandfather. My father and grandfather have the same middle name as well. It a family preference, everyone does it different.

 

[Shadylookin]

it's the name that's usually the most embarasing and put there just to be cruel like Thomas Alva Edison Some people don't have a middle name and some have more. I have a friend with 5 names altogether.

 

[Immortal]

Ha, I have 5 names! Being of noble birth has its perks

BTW Marla: Waterlilly is a pretty name, I bet you many wouldn't mind having that particular middle name.