Hyphenated Middle Name? *ETA They're untraditional names...

PregsMcSnoozalot

Hey Ladies,

I'm new to the name board but I was hoping you'd help me out  

DH and I like two different names for baby boy's middle name.  Let's say for argument's sake, it's George and Michael (it's not!!).  

We have decided to just go ahead and give him both names as his middle name.  What's the best way to do that?  

Hyphenated?  George-Michael?

Smushed together?  GeorgeMichael or Georgemichael?

Or with space?  George Michael?

Thanks in advance for your input!  

Sassenach1743

With a space; FN George Michael LN

PregsMcSnoozalot

@brita722  I thought that seemed like the obvious choice, too...but wouldn't that be confusing as to which one is the "real" middle name.  How would one fill out paperwork asking for the middle name?

sundaesprinkles

My dad has two middle names (with a space). He uses both initials on forms if they have the option. Otherwise he just uses the first middle. 

 Edited because iPads are difficult!

ELauren88

Lots of people have 2 separate names as middle names. Don't smoosh them together. 

JMU_Bride09

PregsMcSnoozalot said:

@brita722  I thought that seemed like the obvious choice, too...but wouldn't that be confusing as to which one is the "real" middle name.  How would one fill out paperwork asking for the middle name?

Yes, it will.  I had three middle names at birth, and the one I used most was not the one listed on my social security card.  I had my name legally changed in college to have only one middle name, and it still occasionally causes me issues.  

I would suggest starting from scratch and choosing a completely different name that you both like.  If you must use both, I would suggest hyphenating.  It sounds ridiculous but seems the most practical (and smoosh names are just bad).

Nuclearcupcake

My husband has two middle names and they have a space. He doesn't have issues with it.

plunderb

I have a hyphenated middle name, but it is made up of surnames (my mom's maiden and my maiden name). It works for me because my middle name is now the same as my mom's last name (she hyphenates her surname). But honestly, the hyphen gets lost on a lot of paperwork and isn't on my social security card. I'd just go with George Michael, no hyphen, if the names are not a unit.

Incidentally, my middle names begin with the letters G and D. At first, I tried to sign my name using initials and the hyphen, but that comes out as G-D. As much as I like having my middle name be GOD, I decided that wasn't a great choice. Next I tried G.D., but that just looks like vanilla cursing. Now, I typically sign Firstname GD Lastname, with no punctuation.

Coconuthead

I have two siblings with double middle names and they just have space. Simpler than a hyphen and cleaner looking than a smoosh.

mb314

I would only use a hyphen if it is a double name that typically has a hyphen, like "Jean-Paul" or "Jean-Louis" or "Anne-Marie".  I guess I'm really mostly familiar with French names that use the hyphen.  Otherwise, I would skip it and just have two middle names. 

PregsMcSnoozalot

Ok, I realize that this may garner some eye rolls.....but does it make a difference that the two names are, shall we say, untraditional?  The first middle name is an adjective, and the second middle name is a verb.  For argument's sake, Wild and Kick.

Soooo, does that make a difference?

FN WildKick LN

FN Wild-Kick LN

FN Wild Kick LN

PregsMcSnoozalot

If pearls are being clutched, rest assured that the reason we're pushing them both to be middle names is because we decided to give him a traditional first name, instead of Wild Kick LN  

Helenahhandbasket

I think just using 2 middles is fine, despite the name.

I would just assume though that on almost all forms, the second middle will be dropped.

PregsMcSnoozalot

VioletteGrayskies said:

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I think the untraditional names make the smoosh option way more appealing.  FN Georgemichael LN looks weird, but FN Wildkick LN works.  And the smoosh avoids all the potential bureaucratic hassle.

Good point about avoiding the bureaucratic headaches....do you know if we could capitalize the name like "WildKick" instead of "Wildkick"?

Helenahhandbasket

PregsMcSnoozalot said:

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VioletteGrayskies said:

I think the untraditional names make the smoosh option way more appealing.  FN Georgemichael LN looks weird, but FN Wildkick LN works.  And the smoosh avoids all the potential bureaucratic hassle.

Good point about avoiding the bureaucratic headaches....do you know if we could capitalize the name like "WildKick" instead of "Wildkick"?

Dude.  You can name your kid STOP! if you want.

mysticl

I know someone who has two first names and no middle name.  There is a space between the two names and they are both capitalized.

PregsMcSnoozalot

bromios said:

Use a space. No smooshing! And no naming a child Wild Kick. If the names in question remind you of Wild Kick don't use them. Round House is also not okay. 

Lol..."Round House"  

Cheekers2010

I have two middle names. My son has two middle names. They are both separated by a space, no hyphens no smooshing. Never had any problems.

Mkherren12

I have two middle names and I'm hyphenated. If my LO is a girl her middle name will my hyphenated too.