What is the purpose of giving a child a middle name?

If the name is picked out, why choose a second name? Isn't it a bit superfluous? Some people give like five different names to one child- I think that's overdoing it.

Middle names go back 100s of years. It use to be used, and still is today, to provide a gift of being named after a relative. (Ex. Mary Rose Smith - Rose is Mary's Grandmother's 1st name) In Europe, ecspecially England, it is common to have 2 middle names to distiquish between sibilings or blood line (many royality have up to 4 seperate middle names). In the US middle names are given to people for idenity reasons and to help seperate common names. Example, I graduated highschool with 10 girls with my 1st name and we were all seperated by our middle names.

Also, I would like to mention that a middle name is NOT required for a birth certificate or any legal documentation. A parent can give a 1st name only, but it has to be 2 or mo letters long.

Many kids can have the same name because of all the kids in america called Nicole or Sarah. Those are very common names along with Smith and Brown as the most common last names. The middle name gives them a sense of uniqueness and helps them differ from others.

Because some names are so common- it helps decipher one John Smith (or whatever) from another.

I have a very unique first name and last name and do not have a middle.

There is really no purpose, other than to define your child a bit more. I mean how many Johnathon Smiths can one world have. There are many first and last names that are very common, and it probably helps to eliminate people with the exact same name. It is not necessary, and you do not need a middle name for the birth certificate as stated in a previous answer. Many mexican families do not give their children middle names.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion...just as you are yours. Some people give their child several middle names to include the names of beloved family members. I personally think a middle name can be quite useful. When you are upset, it sounds more "to the point" and like you mean "business" when you yell at your child, "Billy Joe Anderson, you get your little behind over here this minute!" It has more of a punch then just saying "Billy Anderson, you get over here right now!" When my kids hear their middle name being used, they know that I mean business!"

i guess because everyone has one and you have to have it for the birth certificate, when they get older if they like their middle name better they can go by that one instead of their first name. i guess.

I do too. I gave my son my maiden name as his middle name, and I will do the same for every kid. Although I think it is cool when people use middle name family names that can't be used modern day as a first name, like Clarence or Gladace.

I think a middle name can help differentiate children who may have the same name (common names: Jack Smith, Jennifer Johnson, etc). Also, having a middle name is helpful when you are older and have credit and bills and such....it is like another security to prevent people from taking your identity.

so just in case they dont like their first name, they can always go by one of their middle names instead

I don't have a middle name, but always wish I did.

it makes them special and unique, there are many people with first and last names the same but what makes them different and were they cant be confused as each other is the middle name

Simple: Individuality.

because back in the day people names there kids so often after themselves they had to come up with the middle name to tell each person apart.

In some cultures, the middle name is used as the first name. A lot of times, the middle name is a family name, but you don't want that name for there first name. That's why we gave our daughter her middle name. It was special to both of us, but too common. And we wanted a unique name for our daughter. About giving a child 4 or 5 different names, well, maybe they couldn't decide, who knows.

So that when you are extremly upset with the child and you mean business, they know it. Like, "Allison Marie Johnson, get down here right now!!"

I don't have a middle name...I was named Cheri-Anne (all one name being my first). I like it...it's unique.

My husband middle name go back 4 generations as a middle name.
My daughter middle name is the same as my mom's middle name
My mom and I, and many other people, uses their middle name not their first
Middle name is a way to Honor family members in a lot of family
Middle names give a child an choice, if they hate their first
Congratulations

Yeah I always thought about that too.....you know Mennonites have to give their children the Moms last she had before marriage as a second name..I think its nice to give more then one first name.

Well, there are different reasons. Some cultures give middle names for religious reasons. Another reason is identity theft. The name Dave Smith is very common. It would be pretty hard for Dave Joseph Smith to be differentiated from Dave Frederick Smith. My husband has 2 middle names. His name is James William Peter Lastname. His dad gave him James because he wanted his son named after him, William after my husband's dad's father, and Peter after my Mother in law's father.

Today, it is to distinguish between Keisha or Taylor Smith. Get it...names repeat themselves and to set each apart, the middle says this is me. Initially, in the Catholic church it was your holy name...when you were christened or baptized. You know like Tiffany--Ruth, Tiffany isn't a biblical name but pretty..Ruth not that cute but has a significant role in the bible.
Sweetie, today it's all on you.

hey. i think it is to give your kids a name you would never think of giving to your kids. my nef middle name in connon because that is the house that she and her boy friend meet @ uni. her other sons middle name is fonz cause that is his dads nickname. if you don't like him don't have them but same are prety cool.