While I spent the first semester of sixth grade playing dodgeball, my friends were learning about the perils of smoking and how to use a condom in health class. A few weeks into the semester, friend spotted my monogrammed notebook and shouted, “Why would you put that on a notebook? You’re gross!” It took me a semester to learn that she was disgusted by my initials because they shared the acronym for sexually transmitted disease (STD). It was then that I decided that if I ever had a child, I’d implement some tips for choosing a middle name for my baby so she could avoid embarrassing initials.
Now, you can skip the embarrassment by opting out of a middle name all together. But a second moniker can give a classic name some pizzaz or serve as a tribute to a beloved friend or family member. Plus, how else are you supposed to let your kid know they are in trouble if they don’t have a great middle name? Because of my own middle name drama, I’ve compiled nine tips on how to choose a great middle name for your baby and not a single one says “Give them initials they will loathe forever.” Because I’m not a monster like my mother.