Behind the Name
the etymology and history of first names
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Subject: Re: where do Middle Names originate?
Author: Anneza   (guest, 155.232.250.35)
Date: May 4, 2006 at 12:17:37 AM
Reply to: where do Middle Names originate? by lillybud
As Chrisell says, it's a grey area. Some people still give the baby the name or names of its godparent as mns, and my Catholic friends can choose a new mn for themselves at confirmation ... could have contributed to the fashion. And in the North of England, in small villages, you would be known by and called by your own name plus those of your father and grandfather, at least sometimes, rather than by your fn plus ln which wouldn't be distinctive enough. I'm deplorably hazy on the details ... but the result was something like Ted Harry Jack. Once again, this would serve to get people used to the concept.

And then there's the wish to be different, today often expressed by making up a name or spelling it creatively. And then there's the large number of wonderful names in the world, and the small number of babies any given parent will be able to name ...

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