However, the way we use middle names now dates back to the Middle Ages, when Europeans couldn't decide whether to give their children a family name or a saint's name. They eventually decided to name their children first with the given name, then with the baptismal name, and finally with the surname. The father of the family would often take on a second name to distinguish himself from other members of the family; this second name was called the "surname".
In Europe, there were two main reasons for taking on a second name: religion and love. Religion was the reason for adopting an alias in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Love was the reason for naming your child after someone special.
For example, if you wanted to be like Jesus but didn't want to change your own name, you could adopt his name as well. Or, if you loved someone and wanted to show it, you could name your child after them.
In England, it wasn't until the 16th century that people started taking on middle names as well. By then, people had become used to only giving their children a first name so the addition of a middle name seemed unnecessary.
The trend towards adding middle names began to rise again in the 19th century but has since declined once more. Today, most people only use their first name unless they are famous or have a long last name that requires splitting up into multiple names.
A Short History of Middle Names During the Middle Ages, Europeans began naming their children with a given name first, followed by a baptismal name, and finally the family name. People nowadays choose middle names for reasons other than religion, such as to add uniqueness or to honor a family member. Do people still give babies middle names? Yes! In fact, according to the Social Security Administration, about 80% of babies are now given a middle name.
In the early years after birth, it was common practice for parents to give their newborn childrena single name at birth, in order to distinguish them from other children with the same birth date. This is why most of us have two names: a first name that is used exclusively after being baptized, and a last name that is used on all official documents.
Until the 18th century, last names were not used much outside of Europe. The American Indians had names, but they were usually based on physical features or deeds rather than blood lines or relationships. So, a person might be called "Running Bear" or "Shield Shield" based on their appearance. For example, an Indian who showed courage in battle was often given these names.
In Europe, families used their last names to identify their property, so it made sense for them to use their names as well.
Middle names were frequently given as saint names in the post-Roman Western culture, and were given to both girls and boys at baptism. In the United States, children are given their mother's maiden name as a middle name. Girls are sometimes given a third name because they have a two-word name, such as Mary Anne or Betsy Lou.
As with first names, middle names come in many forms: they may be family names, given names, titles, places, events, or even texts. Many parents choose unisex names for their children, often combining elements of both male and female names to create something new that is not necessarily a hybrid of the original names. For example, a child could be named "Elise Marie" to honor both of his/her parents. Or a girl might be called "Isabelle" if one of her parents is French and the other English.
In the United States, most children receive two names, usually a first name and a last name. Sometimes the same person will be called by multiple names, such as "Sally Sue" or "Michael John". But mostly people have different roles within their families - some are called by name, others by title. A few families include all members of the family on a single name tag, but most families have different surnames for each member.
Names are important because they are what identify individuals within a community.
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