"Throwaway" middle names

Sxia

Do you think any middle name is a throwaway name?

I used to long for a middle name like Ann. (Mine is my mom's maiden name.)

I think Grace is becoming a "throwaway" middle name, which is sad, because I used to LOVE it. It was my great grandma's name. Also, Marie, Ann and Elizabeth. Just my .02. I guess it's not really "throwaway" but it's incredibly unimaginative to me.

However, uncreative to some is "classic" to others. Thanks for letting me ramble.

PunkyBooster

Do you mean "filler" rather than throwaway?

I think Faith, Hope, Grace, etc are filler middle names. 

Sxia

Yes, filler would be a better term. Ann/Marie/Grace, I think are often used to help the flow of a name instead of the actual meaning of it. KWIM?

wheelenl

I always felt that I had a filler MN, Lynn, even though it was my mom's. I longed for a surname middle name--they are some cool ones in my family like Jayne and Vaughn.

But when it came to naming DS #1, I just really wanted to do James after my grandfather, even though I know a lot of people use it as filler. It just went well with Colin and had meaning to me. 

So, I've come come around to the conclusion that as long as it means something, even if it's used by some as filler, it's not a throwaway name.

qtpa2t

Given how many women change their last name and "throwaway" their middle name, there must be throwaway names.  They have no meaning.  Among my peers, it was Ann or Marie.  Now it seems to be Rose or Grace.  The thing about them is that they have no personal meaning.  Just filler or for "flow".

Alexandra*sMom

My DD is Taylor Grace.  We did not pick it because it was popular, a filler or a throwaway name.  We liked how feminine it is with a unisex first name.  JMO.

Sxia

No offense meant. I really love the name Grace, and I like the meaning too. I loved Hannah Grace for DD, but I then saw a neighbor who had a baby 2 months before me and the stork was on their front yard saying, "Welcoming Hannah Grace." Kinda killed it for me.

 

FemmeNat01

I agree filler rather than throwaway.

But, yeah, Grace, Ann, Faith, Hope, Marie are so generic.

I wanted to honour DF's mom but the thought of using Grace made me cringe. It's beautiful but I just couldn't.

cc_fame

I don't really agree with this post when it comes to personal meaning behind using the name.  We are using Marie as the middle name for our little girl because it's the middle name of my grandma, my mom, and me, so LO will be the fourth with that middle name.  I have no problem with these names if they mean something special to someone.

Alexandra*sMom

Sxia:

No offense meant. I really love the name Grace, and I like the meaning too. I loved Hannah Grace for DD, but I then saw a neighbor who had a baby 2 months before me and the stork was on their front yard saying, "Welcoming Hannah Grace." Kinda killed it for me.

I see your point in that.  We were set if #3 was/is a girl to name her Ryan but our neighbor just had a boy and named him Ryan.... so it's out.  I think in my generation Marie or Jean were big - so now it is something else.

victoria1977

If I have a little girl her mn will be Marie, after my mom. For some people the "filler's" can have special meaning.

I completely agree on Grace going from a classic, pretty name to a "filler" middle name.

cc_fame

victoria1977:

If I have a little girl her mn will be Marie, after my mom. For some people the "filler's" can have special meaning.

I completely agree on Grace going from a classic, pretty name to a "filler" middle name.

FutureMrs.Steen

My grandmother's name is Rose and we were thinking about using it for a middle name, but it's so overused that we are going with Dh's grandmother's name Ruth. I didn't want to use Rose and have everyone think we just picked a "filler" middle name plus I'm a little tired of that name anyway.

anna7602

This is funny to me because my first name (Anna) was actually meant to be a "filler/throwaway" name. My parents intended me to go by my first name & middle name or maybe even just my middle name, but never imagined people in this country would just call me "Anna" growing up.

My mother's first name is Maria and she has gone by her middle name her whole life. Annas and Marias are a dime a dozen where my parents come from.

Sarah_lily

Our daughter is named Natalie Grace. We picked her middle name because we thought "unmerited favor from God" perfectly captures what it is to become parents.  Also, we just think it's a beautiful name.

I agree though, it has become a bit of a "filler" middle name.

KatieintheCity

Also keep in mind that they aren't always "filler" names. Anne and Marie are both family names on my side (my grandmothers), and we'll almost definitely use at least one as a middle name if we have a girl.

angelika78

wheelenl:

So, I've come come around to the conclusion that as long as it means something, even if it's used by some as filler, it's not a throwaway name.

 

1000% this.  I personally feel like middle names should have some sort of meaning behind them.  Nolan's middle name is my mom's maiden name, and since my Opa had three daughters he cried when he found out his name would die with him.  OMG - still makes me well up when I think of his reaction!

ubermoose

I gotta admit, the temptation is there to use those names, because they DO flow so well with many names, and they can really be a buffer to make a name more appealing to a wide variety of people.

For example, if somebody tells me they are going for Penelope Arianna, I am going to think it is a mouthful, and sounds a bit pretentious. If they say Penelope Grace, I'm going to look at it and say, "NMS, but they used something a little unusual with something classic--it works." Ditto with Harvey Obadiah... I think Harvey James would be more user-friendly.

When you get a really common, especially trendy, first name with a generic middle name, sometimes it sounds a little stale (Addison Grace, Logan James). Really, though, there are dealier naming sins--like kre8ive spellings. 

Erin&AJDigs

Scarlett's middle name is Rae and I will admit it is a filler!

MandyWes

I agree. My great-grandmother was also named Grace but it's SO popular right now, I feel more comfortable using Anne as the mn for our LO. My mom and sister's mns are Anne and my DH's nana is Anne. It makes me sad that Grace is so overused these days.

Summer20

I agree with you completely.  Marie, Ann, and Elizabeth seemed to be the most common and now Grace is too.  It's one reason I hesitate to use Elizabeth even though it has meaning to us.

amygauntt@windstream.net

Hmm, I don't know. DD's is Faith, but it wasn't a "filler" by any means. We are christians and had a m/c before we got pg with DD, so we prayed for her & for her health a lot, and always had FAITH that she would be perfectly healthy. That's why her middle name is Faith....sure corny to some, but not us.

Also, the only other choice was Marie, again, not a filler, but because it's my middle name, and I was given the name from my great aunt.

So, you shouldn't just assume the name was given b/c it sounds good together.

lidda

I get what you are saying but not everyone uses names based on meaning. You're right that some middle names are used based on the flow.  Nothing wrong with that. 

funnibaby

To me filler middle names are Ann, Lee, Lynn, Marie.....When multiple members of your family have the same middle name, you wonder if it was like mad libs: (First name)__________ choose one (Ann, Lee, Lynn, Marie).

Heather

WheelerToBe

Lee, Lynn, Gene, Jean, Lily, Anna, Cara.  But I like to use the middle name as the name they are called.  I know a lot of people don't but if I didn't use it I would go with one of these.

njohnson1972

Sometimes I think the whole middle name is a waste.

I am married now and took my maiden name as my middle name.  I feel much more connected to my maiden name than my middle name which was never, ever used. 

When I have a child, they will go by their first name.  Don't even start me on nick names.

stcroixbride

when did Hope become a filler middle name?  Jeez, I must not be paying attention.

NO ONE had this as a middle name when I was in school which is why I loved it and ALMOST starting going by Hope in college because my first name was too darned trendy.  I kept my middle name when I got married because I was so attached to it.

Grace and Rose seem to be the most used middle names right now.  I know it isn't filler for everyone, but it can't have meaning to everyone who has used it.