Parents sometimes have trouble choosing a baby girl middle name. A middle name may only be used for legal documentation, but some parents actually call their children by their middle names.
Before Choosing a Middle Name
Before you begin the process of choosing a baby girl middle name, you'll need to decide how that name will be used. While some people only use their middle names when signing important papers and for identification, others actually use their middle names as their legal names. Consider the following tips when choosing a middle name for your little girl.
- How does it fit with the first name? While your daughter may one day marry, and you really won't have any control over how her husband's last name sounds with the rest of her name, you do have control over how well all of her names sound together right now. Try her middle name out loud with the first and last names. Short syllable names may sound better with multi-syllable names. Rhyming names may sound awkward. Consider all of this as you choose your child's name.
- Will your child's initials create an embarrassing acronym? Be sure you write down the initials to see if they could be potentially embarrassing. Do you really want your daughter to go through life with initials that spell out words like FAT or PIG?
- Can you satisfy a family tradition? Sometimes it's all about satisfying the family. Maybe you don't really want to call your child by your grandmother's name, but you would like to make your family happy by honoring her memory. This is the perfect opportunity for picking that name as a middle name for your little girl!
- Do you long for a unique name, but your spouse doesn't? Maybe you can satisfy both of your wishes by choosing a unique middle name. While your child won't be called by that name, she may choose to sign her name with both her first and middle name as she gets older simply because she likes being a little different!
- Do you want your child's name to have a religious connection? Choosing names that have biblical associations or names that are important to your religious beliefs are options to consider.
- Will your child one day want to use her middle name? This is certainly a possibility, so keep that in mind before you saddle her with a name that is a bit wacky!
- Will you call your child by her middle name? Sometimes parents call their children by a middle name. While this is certainly your prerogative, this can complicate matters for your child. Your child's legal records will most certainly list her first and middle names, and she will go through life correcting teachers and others who attempt to call her by her first name. It can make life a little more difficult for her.
Middle Names for Baby Girls
Now that you've decided what function a baby girl middle name will serve, it's time to choose that name for your child. While you may get plenty of suggestions from well-meaning friends and relatives, the choice really belongs to you and your partner. Approach the selection of a middle name in much the same way you do for the first name. For example:
- Peruse baby name books.
- Make a list of the names you like.
- Talk to family members about unusual or common names that have been passed down through generations.
- Check out baby name Internet sites.
- Discuss with your partner why you like particular names.
The following Web sites will get you started as you search for the perfect middle name for your baby girl:
