Why Don't People Abbreviate Their Middle Names?
Discussion
Because, for the most part, they ignore them completely.
When middle names are required, they're usually given in conjunction with the full name.
<pub>
Good to meet you, mate. What's your name? "Andy".
<official form of some flavour>
Full name: "Andrew James Smith".
<American>
"Andy J Smith Jr"
When middle names are required, they're usually given in conjunction with the full name.
<pub>
Good to meet you, mate. What's your name? "Andy".
<official form of some flavour>
Full name: "Andrew James Smith".
<American>
"Andy J Smith Jr"
Doofus said:
Andrew James Smith, when asked his name, might say 'Andy'. If asked his middle name, will say 'James'. Not 'Jim'.
Why don't people abbreviate their middle names?
Because people only really use their middle names on official documentation. So the long form is always used (I.E. Matthew Christopher Person even though he goes by Matt).Why don't people abbreviate their middle names?
For the few times were you need a unique identifier (usually when applying for a guild or other similar organisation where two members cant have the same name) the common abbreviation is to a single letter like Michael J Fox.
Some people go by their middle name and abbreviate their first, like J Michael Straczynski.
Some people do, of course, but generally when they don't use their first name regularly.
Two of my uncles do this in fact
To me, one has always been Uncle Rob, the other has always been Uncle Dave.
However, Uncle Rob is actually officially Clifford Robert surname, named Clifford as part of a family tradition on his side where all the first born men have been Clifford for years and they used their middle names to identify themselves.
The same with Uncle Dave, who is Robert David surname, and on his side, all the first born men were Robert as well.
This is also common in a lot of countries where names and cultures do not follow the same structure as they do in Britain
Two of my uncles do this in fact
To me, one has always been Uncle Rob, the other has always been Uncle Dave.
However, Uncle Rob is actually officially Clifford Robert surname, named Clifford as part of a family tradition on his side where all the first born men have been Clifford for years and they used their middle names to identify themselves.
The same with Uncle Dave, who is Robert David surname, and on his side, all the first born men were Robert as well.
This is also common in a lot of countries where names and cultures do not follow the same structure as they do in Britain
So the general reason is "because they only use middle names on official documentation.", but why does that stop people abbreviating their middle names though?
You're entitled to call yourself whatever you like, official or not, so why do people stick with the long forms of their middle names (which many people don't actually like)?
You're entitled to call yourself whatever you like, official or not, so why do people stick with the long forms of their middle names (which many people don't actually like)?
Doofus said:
So the general reason is "because they only use middle names on official documentation.", but why does that stop people abbreviating their middle names though?
You're entitled to call yourself whatever you like, official or not, so why do people stick with the long forms of their middle names (which many people don't actually like)?
Because people in the UK and other parts of the Anglosphere usually only use their full name for official documentation. This means they rarely use their full name in casual conversation. Hence Catherine Annette Person would never use her middle name except in officialdom so it's pointless shortening that because that version will never be used.You're entitled to call yourself whatever you like, official or not, so why do people stick with the long forms of their middle names (which many people don't actually like)?
Same for people who prefer to go by their middle name, the first name is rarely used and usually only for official purposes.
Doofus said:
So the general reason is "because they only use middle names on official documentation.", but why does that stop people abbreviating their middle names though?
You're entitled to call yourself whatever you like, official or not, so why do people stick with the long forms of their middle names (which many people don't actually like)?
Would you put "Andy Jim Smith" on a form that asked for your full name? No, of course you wouldn't. Because that ISN'T your full name.You're entitled to call yourself whatever you like, official or not, so why do people stick with the long forms of their middle names (which many people don't actually like)?
If you're simply being asked how you'd like to be referred to, then your middle name's totally irrelevant.
Doofus said:
But surely it's only incongruous because nobody does it? That's not a reason not to do it.
It is a reason not to do it though. It is just custom. You can choose to do it if you want to, but customarily, nobody does it, which itself becomes the reason. Yours,
Al Bob Jim Surname
My gran would have been aghast at the suggestion. My middle name is my father's name and she'd always insist my name was John D Smith rather than simply John Smith, to give recognition to the (in her eyes important) middle name.
The idea of shortening David to Davey or Dave or whatever would not have gone down well. Old school though, I never use the middle one unless it's for a passport or similar.
The idea of shortening David to Davey or Dave or whatever would not have gone down well. Old school though, I never use the middle one unless it's for a passport or similar.
Riley Blue said:
My parents abbreviated my middle name so much it vanished, I don't have one, though both my younger sisters do. I feel deprived... 
I don't have one either: slightly oddly my older and younger brothers do. My mum has never successfully explained that!It does get odder as their middle names are the first and middle name of our father: who actually didn't like either name much! He also changed which he 'used' when he left home/school so everyone that knew him as an adult knew his middle name (mostly in abbreviated form) but family and friends from where he grew up; the first name.
On reflection maybe I'm better off without one!
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