Maiden Names as Middle Names

I really like the idea of using maiden names as middle names. I think it's a great way to honor your name and your family, but, I am not sure if it could work with all last names. I mean it can work with "American" last names, but I am a Russian Jew and so is my husband. Our last names are both 9 letter, 3 syllable last names ending in "sky." Is that too much to inflict on a child? I mean I agree that Baby Parker Broderick or Baby Garner Affleck is ok, but is Baby Y*****sky K*****sky?

Any thoughts??

I like the tradition, but I agree, some names just seem unfit. My name is unfit, for example, and it's not even long. I wonder if you could find variants of it that seem milder. I hate to even suggest anglicizing an exotic full name, especially when this was the fate of so many immigrants at one time. When I look through my own family tree, I feel so much like I am cherry-picking usable names that appeal to me and not really feeling the connections to those. Even in relation, it's distant, it feels like choosing a random name from someone else's family tree.

I think I would pass if they both end in -sky, which I feel is a shame to have to do.

My own maiden name was Hewett, which is probably from the French and means "little Hugh". I could have used Hugh, I suppose? I quite like it now, but didn't at the time I had my boys. However, I think surnames make great middle names - a great tradition in Scotland, as we have discussed before. Some names from my family tree would be great, I think - Ambrose, Morgan, Evan(s), Fairchild, Lodwick, Blackmoor. Family trees are such a huge untapped source of names for everyone if we look hard enough. What about your maiden name without the "ski" at the end? Or your mother's maiden name? delve some further! I had a Victorian ancestor called Christopher Valentine Smith! love it!

What if you use Sky(e) as a middle name? Would it work?

I can't use my maiden name, either. 9 letter, 4 syllable VERY Italian last name...

Lol so u feel my pain! Yes I have thought of Sky(e) or Skaya which are cool but don't make u think of my maiden name at all. Though Skaya (for a girl) would probably be a good conversation starter lol

jessya wrote:Lol so u feel my pain! Yes I have thought of Sky(e) or Skaya which are cool but don't make u think of my maiden name at all. Though Skaya (for a girl) would probably be a good conversation starter lol

Yup! I totally understand! I wish it wouldn't be weird. And there's NO WAY the poor child could do with a hyphenated name (for us). They'd sure get made fun of! My married name sounds like Birch and I was called Mozzarella in High School because of my maiden name. Combined, they would just be awful! LOL

As you say, I don't think it works. My surname is also an Italian name - it has a slightly silly meaning and is really uncommon, even in Italy, so I just don't think it works as a mn. In fact, I will be quite glad to lose it one day as my surname (but don't tell my Dad!).

lamps wrote:As you say, I don't think it works. My surname is also an Italian name - it has a slightly silly meaning and is really uncommon, even in Italy, so I just don't think it works as a mn. In fact, I will be quite glad to lose it one day as my surname (but don't tell my Dad!).

How did you figure out the meaning to your last name? I think that would be cool to know! I was actually sad to lose my last name :( I think its WAAAY cooler! ;)

I like the suggestion of Sky(e) but I can see that it would lose the meaning of the maiden name. Still a good suggestion. My maiden name, the name I went by all through school isn't my birth name. My mom got married to my step-dad when I was one year old and the name just grew with me. I actually like it better than my birth name. Maybe there are some other surnames in you family tree that might work better as middle names but at the same still represent you and your side of the family.