| Author | |
insegnante
Forum All-Star
Joined: April 07 2006
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1143
|
| Posted: Sept 13 2008 at 7:16pm | IP Logged
|
 |
|
I was just wondering about how it has worked out if you've given your child a "double name," like a first and middle name intending for both to be used. Mary Rose, John Joseph, that sort of thing. Do your kids end up being called just Mary or John by others because that is their first legal name? Or did you end up dropping the second name yourself over time?
I have heard of people saying their or their children's "first name" consists of two names, but I am confused by that. Also, it would have been easy to combine our daughter's names into one name, but among other reasons, I wanted her to have the flexibility to use just the first part of the name if it worked better for her. So she has a first, middle and last name, and as of now, we're calling her by first and middle. Already though she's just Firstname at the pediatrician's office because I was uncertain and only gave that to them the first time I made an appointment. (I don't like to bother people, and it would've taken extra time to explain the two-name thing. Where is the eyeroll smiley for this board?)
Even though I'm not that anonymous here I'd rather our daughter's name not yield Google search results linking to my posts on this message board (so if anyone actually responds to this post please don't type it out). But I recently discovered that it was the name of the wives of both Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. (There is a lot of stuff named after those guys here in Northern Virginia. But I'm from farther North, so I spent years wondering just who "Lee Jackson" was that he had a memorial highway named after him.) In Jackson's case, it was his second wife, after he was widowed. Seems like one of the less common combinations unlike Mary Beth, Mary Kate, etc., so I am wondering if we will have a hard time making it stick, although people are using it so far. I also figure she has a life ahead of her of people spelling it as one name or calling her the name of the Gilligan's Island character. Oh well.
__________________
Theresa
mommy to three boys, 3/02, 8/04, and 9/10, and a girl, 8/08
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Barbara C.
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 11 2007
Location: Illinois
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 882
|
| Posted: Sept 13 2008 at 7:49pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
None of my kids have a double name but I've know two different girls with double names. One is the daughter of a friend and most people call her both names; although some members of her family thank a double name is too pretentious and only call her by her first name.
The second was a little girl on my daughter's t-ball team. At the first team meeting, we were trying to match kids names with the number on their jersey so we could get last names put on the back. There were two other girls on the team besides mine and one was listed as "Mary", but when I asked one girl if she was "Mary", she said, "No, I'm Mary-Kate." 
After that, we changed the team roster, and everyone called her by the correct name. So, you just have to introduce her correctly to others and then make she is assertive about nicely correcting people when she is old enough.
If it's any consolation, the pediatrician always refers to our youngest by her official first name but we always call her by a shortened form. It always takes a minute for it to register for me in the waiting room, and I usually gently correct the doctor. ("How is 'full name'?" "Oh, 'short name' is doing well.")
__________________
Barbara
Mom to "spirited" dd(9), "spunky" dd (6), "sincere" dd (3), "sweet" dd (2), and baby girl #5 born 8/1/12!!
Box of Chocolates
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JodieLyn
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 06 2006
Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12234
|
| Posted: Sept 13 2008 at 7:53pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I have a cousin that used first and middle names.. she shared a name with her mother and that was an easy way to clarify who you meant.. especailly when they lived with my parents for a while and my mother has the same name as my aunt and cousin as well
__________________
Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JSchaaf
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 22 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 753
|
| Posted: Sept 13 2008 at 8:26pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
My daughter has a double first name the mother of Mary-a saint from Siena. Her first name is hyphenated. We have called her both names all along, although lately I find myself using just the first part. She also has a middle name, which is my mother's maiden name.
Jennifer
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Mary Chris
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 27 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2175
|
| Posted: Sept 13 2008 at 8:31pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Well, I have always been Mary Chris and I grew up in So Cal, double names are not common there. Most of my teachers got the message and called me Mary Chris, not Mary. Sometimes when I am making appts for a haircut, or doc I just use Mary.
I am hearing more double names, I think I heard a Mary Belle at field hockey this morning.
__________________
Blessings, Mary Chris Beardsley
mom to MacKenzie3/95, Carter 12/97 Ronan 3/00 and wife to Jim since 1/92
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
folklaur
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2816
|
| Posted: Sept 13 2008 at 8:33pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Our youngest dd has a "double" first name, and then a middle name. She usually goes by the whole thing. Well, I mean she goes by the whole first name, not the middle name also. It fits her. We do not use a hyphen, but the second part has a capital, but no space. Does that make any sense the way I have explained it?  . Her nickname is totally different.
In my previous homeschool group there were many double first names, and most of the time, they went by the whole thing.
I also know someone who I think from your link has the same name as the one you mention, but it is just one name spelled differently (although it would sound the same if just spoken.)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
mellyrose
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 12 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 939
|
| Posted: Sept 13 2008 at 8:48pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
My cousin is Mary Theresa. She's almost 30 and is still called Mary Theresa. She was named after 2 of her aunts.
My aunt is Mary Alice and is in her 50's and is still Mary Alice.
They are first and middle names for both.
My oldest is named Colin in part because my husband thought CJ would have been a really cute nickname. (his middle name is Jeremiah) After he was born, we NEVER called him CJ. LOL!
__________________
Melanie in AZ
Colin (11/00), Nate (05/02), Lydia (04/07)
My Little Patch of Sunshine
Pictures of our Life
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Mary Chris
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 27 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2175
|
| Posted: Sept 13 2008 at 9:18pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I forgot to mention, I am actaully Mary Christina after both my grandmothers.
__________________
Blessings, Mary Chris Beardsley
mom to MacKenzie3/95, Carter 12/97 Ronan 3/00 and wife to Jim since 1/92
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
MaryAnne
Forum Rookie
Joined: Nov 07 2007
Location: New York
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 73
|
| Posted: Sept 13 2008 at 9:46pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I was named Mary Anne after my Mom (Mary) and my Grandmother (Annie). My parents called me Cissy until I entered school and the Sisters informed them/me that I was especially blessed to be named after the Blessed Mother & her Mother and should ALWAYS use my proper name. At the time it was an extremely common name..... at least in the Irish sections of Brooklyn.
I'm 53 and am still using MaryAnne. I never had ANY difficulties with people using Mary Anne until about 15 years ago, when Financial Institutions and the IRS changed my name to Mary A. HUH??? Mary is a beautiful name, but it's my Mom's and my Aunts' name, not mine. It seems to be some sort of computer default thingie and the ONLY way I have gotten anywhere with them is to combine my name into one word. It doesn't seem to bother the computer to have a capital letter in the middle of a name, but a space between the two names doesn't seem to work .... go figure!! I never thought of trying a hyphen and I've become comfie with using MaryAnne.
My dh was named John Paul (first name) Francis (middle name) after his Grandfather (John) and his Dad (Paul) and his Aunt (Sister St. Francis). His family still calls him John Paul.... Though I believe that once he entered school he was called John outside of the family and now used John P. We were really tickled when Pope John Paul I picked that name!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Teakafrog
Forum Newbie
Joined: Aug 20 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 27
|
| Posted: Sept 15 2008 at 11:28am | IP Logged
|
|
|
mellyrose wrote:
My cousin is Mary Theresa. She's almost 30 and is still called Mary Theresa. She was named after 2 of her aunts.
My aunt is Mary Alice and is in her 50's and is still Mary Alice.
They are first and middle names for both.
|
|
|
Are we related? I have an aunt Mary Alice, and her DD is Mary Therese. And both my and DH's grandmas were named and went by Mary Ann(a contender for our name pick if we have another girl).
If we have any more boys, he will be named John Paul, and called John Paul. Still not decided if we will use just those 2 names, combine them (JohnPaul), or use 3 names, like John Paul Middlename.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
mathmama
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 07 2006
Location: Pennsylvania
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 771
|
| Posted: Sept 15 2008 at 12:23pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Well, our second DD was supposed to be named Anna (first name) Mary (middle name). But DH loved the way it sounded when DD#1 said Anna Mary so he wanted her first name to be Anna Mary. I agreed but only if we also gave her a middle name. So, her name is Anna Mary Frances. I actually really like her name and for the most part everyone calls her Anna Mary. The only place where I can think that she is consistently called "Anna" is when the nurse calls her back at the dr's office (the dr better not make that mistake as he is her godfather ). I also have a dear friend, Mary Ann (momtomany), who has a double first name (obviously ) but no middle name. She has told me that it is a hassle not having a middle name and it was because of this that I made sure that our Anna Mary had a middle name.
Beth
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
insegnante
Forum All-Star
Joined: April 07 2006
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1143
|
| Posted: Sept 15 2008 at 12:41pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
mathmama wrote:
| Well, our second DD was supposed to be named Anna (first name) Mary (middle name). But DH loved the way it sounded when DD#1 said Anna Mary so he wanted her first name to be Anna Mary. |
|
|
See, I didn't know you could do that -- put two names in the "first name" spot on a birth certificate with a space between them? Although I knew there were people who gave two (or more?) middle names and I guess they must be in the middle name spot with spaces...
But I'm glad we didn't, because I do want her to have the flexibility, I'd just like it to be easier for her to be called by both names in all situations if that's what she uses. I keep picturing her going to college, or if she doesn't homeschool for high school where the teachers usually only see kids for one class a day or less, and always being called a name that doesn't feel like hers by a lot of the teachers. Or actually being called a name that isn't hers by teachers who scan the name and see the Gilligan's Island character's name  If she has a personality anything like mine and isn't inclined to correct them, anyway.
The other day I met for the first time the teenaged daughter of someone who had told me on another occasion that the daughter's name was Mary ____, not an unusual combination, and she introduced herself to me as just Mary. It seemed like her family was calling her just Mary on the day I met her, too. That is the kind of thing I was thinking might end up happening, where it's "officially" the name but isn't used regularly in conversation.
__________________
Theresa
mommy to three boys, 3/02, 8/04, and 9/10, and a girl, 8/08
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Lisbet
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2006
Location: Michigan
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2706
|
| Posted: Sept 15 2008 at 12:46pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I have a Mary Katherine, first name Mary, middle name Katherine. We call her Mary, Mary Kate, Mary Katherine, Mushka, Mushka-Boo, Katie-Boo...
We call our Henry Joseph Henry Joe. We call Mark Benedict Mark Benedict. I love using both first and middle names.
We also have a Molly Mae Elizabeth - two middle names. We call her Molly Mae or Molly.
__________________
Lisa, wife to Tony,
Mama to:
Nick, 17
Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
Isaac, 11
Mary, 10
Sam, 9
Henry, 7
Molly, 6
Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
insegnante
Forum All-Star
Joined: April 07 2006
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1143
|
| Posted: Sept 15 2008 at 12:52pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
MaryAnne wrote:
My parents called me Cissy until I entered school and the Sisters informed them/me that I was especially blessed to be named after the Blessed Mother & her Mother and should ALWAYS use my proper name. At the time it was an extremely common name..... at least in the Irish sections of Brooklyn.
I'm 53 and am still using MaryAnne. I never had ANY difficulties with people using Mary Anne until about 15 years ago, when Financial Institutions and the IRS changed my name to Mary A. HUH??? Mary is a beautiful name, but it's my Mom's and my Aunts' name, not mine. |
|
|
MaryAnne, I'm from Brooklyn too. And from what was probably once considered an "Irish section." It was sort of transitioning from that when I was growing up. I'm 30 so I doubt we crossed paths, although I do have first cousins in their 50s who grew up there! (And one named Marianne in her late 40s.)
It's true that when someone is named and called say Mary Ann or Mary Beth I don't think of Mary as exactly "her name," but more like how Mary is "one of" my names because it's my middle name.
I have noticed when babies are newly born people are more likely to refer to them by first and middle name for a while so that is why I'm not sure my daughter's double name will stick. But I already feel like the pediatrician has the wrong name when she just uses the first one because that is what I told the desk person when she was establishing her record, even though I now write the whole thing on the sign-in sheet.
__________________
Theresa
mommy to three boys, 3/02, 8/04, and 9/10, and a girl, 8/08
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
mama251ders
Forum All-Star
Joined: Oct 21 2007
Location: Michigan
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 508
|
| Posted: Sept 15 2008 at 1:45pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
My kids each have a thousand different names and just about every family member calls each one a different name. For example, Olivia; We call her Olivia or Olivia Michelle (she was named after her father and my mother's sister who died at 3 years of age) or La-la; My dad calls her Ia; my mom calls her Lucy; my d's parents call her Livvie, and on the calendar she is O2 (as opposed to her daddy who is O1). Oh, and the doctor's office calls her "Big Little Miss Eikenberry". We intended for her to be Olivia Michelle, but she is different for different people and they call her by the name she is to them. Does that make sense?
Now, we intended for our middle dd to just be Anna (short for Anastasia), but she ended up being mostly Anna Nell. Saragh was just going to be Saragh, but if you ask her what her name is, she'll tell you "Sassy Pants".
Probably way more than you wanted and not really all that relevant, but I absolutely LOVE to talk about names! I could have written a lot more!
Blessings,
Betsie
__________________
Wife to Oliver
Mama to 5 Wonders
Benny, Braidon, Olivia, Anna and Saragh
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Lisbet
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2006
Location: Michigan
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2706
|
| Posted: Sept 15 2008 at 1:47pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Not to highjack, but Betsie, I've always been so curious about the 'gh' on the end of your Saragh! I've never seen that before.
__________________
Lisa, wife to Tony,
Mama to:
Nick, 17
Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
Isaac, 11
Mary, 10
Sam, 9
Henry, 7
Molly, 6
Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
mama251ders
Forum All-Star
Joined: Oct 21 2007
Location: Michigan
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 508
|
| Posted: Sept 15 2008 at 2:26pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
It is an old Irish spelling that I fell in love with when I met a girl by that name in the 7th grade. I swore that if I ever had a daughter with that name, I would use that spelling. I thought it was the most beautiful-looking name. You should see it when I write it in fancy looping cursive  . I have to say, out of all my kids, that is the name I am most content with.
Blessings,
Betsie
__________________
Wife to Oliver
Mama to 5 Wonders
Benny, Braidon, Olivia, Anna and Saragh
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Angi
Forum All-Star
Joined: March 23 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 521
|
| Posted: Sept 15 2008 at 2:28pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
My oldest is MaryRose Clare. We call her MaryRose. Though she often asks to be called MariaRosa.
Dd2 - Rita Grace, originally called Gracie, but it turns out that she is more of a Rita than a Grace, so she is called Rita.
Dd3 - Cecilia Faith - called Celia, or Celia Bedilia
Dd4 - Anastasia Janes - called Ana, or Ana Jane, or Ana Beenana
Often the twins are called AnaCelia LOL
I love MaryRose's name. We had to correct many people when she was little. My dad still calls her Mary, but it is special between him and her.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
LucyP
Forum All-Star
Joined: Aug 05 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 791
|
| Posted: Sept 15 2008 at 6:19pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Our son is often called by shortened forms of his first and one of his middle names - ie Billy Jim. And our daughter is usually called by her first and third names, or even by all three by us. That said, I was a Lucy Ann, but at school is became plain Lucy and that was that. Maybe us homeschoolers can be more determined and stick it out?
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
ladybugs
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3732
|
| Posted: Sept 15 2008 at 6:53pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Growing up, I went by Marylu which was a combination of my first and middle names - I was named for both grandmothers...Maria for my first name and Lucille for my second....
Now, I obviously have gone by Maria for quite awhile - the only thing about the combining (is that a word?) is that folks always - ALWAYS spelt it differently than I did.... 
__________________
Love and God Bless,
Maria P
My etsy store - all proceeds go to help my fencing daughters!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
|
|
4Real Forums : Mothering and Family Life
Topic: double names
