Are middle names necessary?

I don’t have a middle name (I am Italian and Italians don’t really do middle names? At least my family doesn’t), and growing up I always felt a little left out about not having one, especially because I’ve always loved names, so I wanted more than one!

In my teens I actually planned to legally give myself a middle name once I turned 18 (never went through with it because that would be a pain and it wasn’t worth it).

As far as any inconveniences I experienced due to my lack of middle name, I can’t say it’s ever been a major issue with filling out any documents or anything, if anyone asks I just explain that I don’t have a middle name and that’s that. Mind you, I have a very uncommon last name, might’ve been a different story if my last name was Johnson or something.

The most inconvenient thing about it is sometimes people not believing you that you don’t have a middle name and thinking you’re just too embarrassed to tell them what it is lol

I do plan on giving my kids middle names just so they don’t feel left out like I did. But I don’t think it matters all that much at the end of the day and if you don’t want to give a middle name, then don’t feel obligated to just because it’s the “norm”!

/r/namenerds Thread