Middle Names- Honoring Important People in Our Lives

[bbynmejunkee]

Hello!

I am looking for the perfect middle name for a boy or a girl. I love the idea of all my kids (this is my first, want many!) having great middle names that honor someone important in our lives. The thing is... I don't want to use the important persons names right out. For example, my grandfather's name was Harry... so we might use Harrison instead.

The other thing is.... just because one of the people I'm looking to honor is a male doesn't mean the middle name I choose has to be for a male. For example, my husband's grandfather was William, & I love Willa for a girl for her middle name.

So I was wondering if anyone can give me some great ideas!! If they don't work for this baby-to-be, then another one in the future, hopefully!

The names we are looking to possibly honor are:

Michael

Harry

William

James

Heather

Mary Jane

Agnes

Shirley

Sheila

Joseph

Thank you!!!!

[spring13]

Why not use the name right out, especially in the middle? I'm not opposed to variations, but sometimes people act like straightforward naming after someone is weird or lazy or something. if you're working with something that's very outdated or unnattractive or otherwise not usable in your situation (a language barrier, for example) then coming up with an alternative makes sense. But names like Joseph and James, i don't see the point in varying for the sake of varying.

I like Josephine, Michaela, Seamus, Liam - but those are all variants on names that are great already, and go so well as middle names for just about ANYTHING. people see Heather as sort of 80's but i love it.

[bbynmejunkee]

It is just our personal preference to use variations of the names. We both like unique names and want to continue it through the middle name while still honoring our loved ones.

[teacherma]

Michael - Michelle, Michaela, Michelline, Mika, Mitchell, Mischa / Misha, Carmichael, Micah, Micaiah

Harry - Harriet, Henriette / Henrietta, Hattie, Harley, Hara / O'Hara, Henry / Henri, Hank, Henrik, Harold, Harris, Enrico, Harlan, Harrington

William - Willow, Wilhelmina, Billie, Sybil, Abilene, Liam, Willis, Wilson, Willem, Wilhelm, Willard, Willoughby

James - Jamesina, Gemma, Hamish, Jamison, Jay, Seamus

Heather - Erica, Hadley (both mean heather)

Mary Jane - Maria, Jean, Jeanne, Janine, Jeannine, Marie, May

Agnes - Ines / Inez, Agnessa, Anessa, Nessa, Anson, Angus

Shirley - Shira, Shireen / Shirin, Ashira,

Sheila - Cecilia, Celia, Cecilie / Cecily, Shayla

Joseph - Joanna, Josephine, Josepha, Josephina, Josie, Josette, Josiane, Josiah, Jo