FYI: Middle Names are Optional in USA

M0ON

Today I learned that middle names arent legally required, at least in the United States. So you can just name your baby Firstname Lastname. On official forms that have a space for middle initial, you just put a dash (not "none").

What a relief! We've been struggling to come up with one we liked, let alone loved, to go with our top name choice if it's a boy. Glad we can just skip it.

Kate070

Yup.  I've known a couple of people who do not have middle names.

alphalyrae

I don't have a middle name, and I was born in the USA 25 years ago. Both my younger half-siblings have middle names. My mother just couldn't come up with one she liked for me and didn't want to pick an arbitrary name.

Helenahhandbasket

When I read the title of this post, I honestly thought you were being sarcastic!

No, I don't think anything is "required" when it comes to any name-- first, middle or last.

etoussa

hubby and I don't have middle names. Both of our sons do.

Elsa1984

Our friends in Germany think its weird that we have middle names. None of them do.

I like using the middle name spot to use a name that has special meaning to us or to honor someone. Plus, yelling the first and middle name usually shows the

Lue94

Yeah, I knew that. My oldest brother doesn't have a middle name.

RissNRuss

Just a tidbit on this- my FIL and grandfather were not given middle names at birth- however now have middle initials legally. My grandfather was issued one by the military when he joined/enlisted. My FIL works in a position that requires government cleara

BulgariHeart

H and I are European and don't have middle names, like most Europeans. I actually like that they're common here in the US since I plan on giving our future children at least one MN, perhaps two. 

CeCe8579

RissNRuss:

Just a tidbit on this my FIL and grandfather were not given middle names at birth however now have middle initials legal

neverblushed

This is true.  However, I have a friend whose parents didn't give her a mn, and she HATED having to explain this.  As a kid, she felt really left out of the whole "what's your middle name?" conversation.

g8trkim

mj.reilly:

There are a lot of people in the US that don't have middle names.

Same for two middle names.

I persona

ChristyML

No offense, but how is this news? My MIL doesn't have a middle name (none of her sisters do. Her mom and her mom's sisters don't have middle names either). She legally used her maiden name as her middle name when she got married.

juniper19

OK. I don't what is more shocking. That someone is clearly educated enough to compose grammatically correct sentences thought that middle names were legally required. Or that the replies weren't completely full of snark and sarcasm.

brooksidebride

juniper19:

OK. I don't what is more shocking. That someone is clearly educated enough to compose grammatically correct sentenc

LatteLady5

I have a friend from Albania who came here as a foreign exchange student. We all discussed middle names because she didn't have one so we/she picked one for her. It's obviously not legal but she totally considers it her middle name. She's the only person

Cranang

Um, thanks for the info?

Yeah, I thought everyone knew this. 

Elinetrouwt

BulgariHeart:

H and I are European and don't have middle names, like most Europeans. I actually like that they're common here