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Honor Middle Names

name_sage
By name_sage
Updated Thu Mar 23 2023
Middle names chosen to honor friends and family members who have influenced my life and/or are a part of my personal history.
  1. Hazel

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "the hazelnut tree"

    • Description:

      Hazel has a pleasantly hazy, brownish-green-eyed, old-fashioned image that more and more parents are choosing to share. Former Old Lady name Hazel reentered the popularity lists in 1998 and now is near the top of the charts.
  2. Josephine

    • Origin:

      French feminine variation of Joseph, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "Jehovah increases"

    • Description:

      Josephine, with its large measure of class and character and a gently offbeat quality, has been on a gentle uphill climb in the US for over 30 years, now ranking in the Top 100. With an intriguing number of vivacious nicknames, from Jo to Josie to Fifi to Posy, Josephine is a Nameberry favorite.
  3. Vincent

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "conquering"

    • Description:

      Vincent is a name with a complex image. After being quietly used for centuries, it is suddenly seeming stylish, along wih other V names. Even the nickname Vince has been given a reprieve via actor Vince Vaughn and country singer Vince Gill. Vin Diesel was born with the more prosaic name Mark Vincent.
  4. Katherine

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "pure"

    • Description:

      Katherine is one of the oldest, most diverse, and all-around best names: it's powerful, feminine, royal, saintly, classic, popular, and adaptable. Long one of the top girls' names starting with K, Katherine has now been unseated on the popularity list by upstarts Kennedy and Kinsley, but a dip in popularity only adds to its charm.
  5. Josiah

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "God supports, heals"

    • Description:

      Josiah—a biblical name with lots of quaint, old-fashioned charm—makes a much fresher sounding alternative to either Joseph or Joshua, combining the best of both. Josiah is among the several Biblical boys' names that have been on the rise this decade.
  6. Rain

    • Origin:

      Word name

    • Description:

      Among a small shower of rain-related names, this pure version can have a cool, refreshing image.
  7. Jameson

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "son of James"

    • Description:

      This is a strong new James varietal, sometimes shared by girls. An original way to honor Grandpa Jim, Jameson is swiftly moving up the charts, entering the Top 100 for the first time ever in 2017. Jameson is one of the hottest boy names starting with J, still the most popular first initial for boys' names. One small caveat: Jameson is also a brand of whiskey.
  8. Lowell

    • Origin:

      French

    • Meaning:

      "young wolf"

    • Description:

      Lowell is an upstanding and somewhat conservative name that calls to mind the genteel patrician families of nineteenth century New England, such as the one poet Robert Lowell was born into. Two other Lowell-surnamed poets are Amy and James Russell.
  9. Raina

    • Origin:

      Slavic and German variation of Regina

    • Meaning:

      "queen"

    • Description:

      Strong and solid, with a touch of foreign intrigue, it's the most popular of the rain-related names, with a variety of pronunciations—RAY-na, rah-EE-na, or RY-na. Alternate spellings Reyna and Rayna currently rank higher in the US.
  10. Baxter

    • Origin:

      English occupational name

    • Meaning:

      "baker"

    • Description:

      An x makes any name cooler, so that Baxter has a bit more pizzazz than the original Baker. Baxter had some currency as a first name a century ago--it was on the popularity lists sporadically from 1880 till the 1920s, peaking at Number 515 in 1886-- which means it's just about due for a comeback. And we can see Bax as a worthy follow-up to Max and Jax.
  11. Truman

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "loyal one"

    • Description:

      Truman is an upstanding presidential name that radiates an aura of integrity and moral truth, values any parent would want for a child. It seems definitely headed for a revival.
  12. Davis

    • Origin:

      Surname derived from David, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "beloved"

    • Description:

      Davis is a fresh way to say David. Some sources define it as "son of David," but we see it as a surname spin on the original. While David is an everyman name, Davis has some creative edge -- and still gets you to the classic guy nickname Dave.
  13. Redmond

    • Origin:

      Irish variation of Raymond

    • Meaning:

      "wise protector"

    • Description:

      We love this partly for purely personal reasons, since it is one of our surnames. We used it as the middle name of a son –and it can make a good first choice too. Redmond – also found as Reamann or Raemonn – is the Irish form of the Germanic name that occurs in modern English as Raymond.
  14. Shara

    • Description:

      Shara is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins. In Hebrew, it's related to Sarah, meaning "princess" or "noblewoman," while in Sanskrit, Shara can mean "arrow" or "reed." The name also has connections to Arabic origins, where it can be associated with the word for "poetry" or "song." This multicultural background gives Shara a rich tapestry of meanings. While never extremely common in English-speaking countries, Shara saw modest usage in the United States during the 1970s and 1980s. The name has a simple, melodic sound with its two syllables and soft consonants. Shara offers a slightly distinctive alternative to the more common Sarah while maintaining a familiar and approachable quality. Its cross-cultural nature makes it accessible across various communities.

  15. Christian

    • Origin:

      Greek from Latin

    • Meaning:

      "follower of Christ"

    • Description:

      Long used as a masculine name, when you think about it there is no reason this word name can't be used on a daughter as well as a son. Only about 1 percent of the baby Christians born today are girls, but the name is not unknown for baby girls.
  16. Doyle

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "black stranger"

    • Description:

      Dark horse Irish surname.
  17. January

    • Origin:

      English month name from Latin

    • Meaning:

      "doorway"

    • Description:

      Thanks to two cultural influences, January has joined March, April, June and August as a plausible month name.
  18. Josephina

    • Description:

      Josephina is a feminine form of Joseph, ultimately derived from the Hebrew name Yosef, meaning 'God will add' or 'God will increase.' This elegant variation combines the biblical gravitas of Joseph with a distinctly feminine ending. Popular in Spanish-speaking countries as Josefina, the Josephina spelling is less common but maintains the same melodic quality. The name offers versatile nickname options including Jo, Josie, Fina, or Phina. While not ranking among top names in the US or UK, Josephina appeals to parents seeking a traditional yet distinctive name with religious roots and cross-cultural appeal.
  19. Hawthorn

    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Hawthorne

    • Description:

      The version with the e at the end relates to novelist Nathaniel, so that may be the one most parents attracted to this unusual name would choose. Hawthorn nudges it toward the nature category: Hawthorn is a type of hedge.
  20. Josette

    • Origin:

      French,pet form of Josephine, feminine of Joseph, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "Jehovah increases"

    • Description:

      One of the group of French 'ette'-ending names that emigrated to this country in the last century, though never as popular as some others, such as Claudette and Paulette--it did have a little six-year flurry here between 1967 and 1973. Josette may be feminine and flirty, but, given the choice, most parents today would prefer Josephine.