Kid with four names-bad idea?

[Anonymous]

As a kid who had a hyphenated last name, please don't hyphenate. It's a pain to write in your name in the boxes for standardized tests, usually it's too long to fit in any box on official paperwork, and it's just annoying to write-out a 12+ letter last name on everything. I legally changed my name when I turned 18 to get rid of the hyphen and then I almost didn't get into college because I was using my "new" last name but Social Security hadn't been updated yet and they said I was committing fraud! I think 2 middle names is fine for all of the reasons stated above, but please don't hyphenate your kid's last name!

[Anonymous]

I think two middle names is fine. My kids' middle name is my maiden name, I prefer that. But of you have a middle that you live and want to use, that's fine.

[Anonymous]

That's exactly what we did and I'm really glad we kept my last name. It's First - Given Middle - My Last Middle - DH Last as Last. No issues so far, and I like that she can use my name in the future of she chooses. If I had to have chosen one middle, it would have been my last and not the given middle. It's much more common than you think to use four, and nobody cares about middles except the family anyways. Go for it!

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks. This is helpful. I'm not 100% set on keeping my last name in the mix, but it is good to hear that it's not horribly inconvenient to have four names. 99% of the time our kid, like all kids, will be called by the first and last name: Sam Smith. But the official name would be Sam Joseph Silverstein Smith (not real name, obvs). Aesthetically, I much prefer three names total--it just seems easier for forms, applications, etc. But my father is deceased, and I feel a little (but not entirely) committed to keeping his last name in the mix.

Thanks! Other thoughts are still welcome. It's great to hear from people who have 4 names. Do you just use three of them on forms?

Also, we are going with a pronounceable and recognizable first name because I was always glad that I didn't have to correct people on pronunciation growing up. Does having 4 names require constant correction on, for example, the first day of school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks. This is helpful. I'm not 100% set on keeping my last name in the mix, but it is good to hear that it's not horribly inconvenient to have four names. 99% of the time our kid, like all kids, will be called by the first and last name: Sam Smith. But the official name would be Sam Joseph Silverstein Smith (not real name, obvs). Aesthetically, I much prefer three names total--it just seems easier for forms, applications, etc. But my father is deceased, and I feel a little (but not entirely) committed to keeping his last name in the mix.

Thanks! Other thoughts are still welcome. It's great to hear from people who have 4 names. Do you just use three of them on forms?

Also, we are going with a pronounceable and recognizable first name because I was always glad that I didn't have to correct people on pronunciation growing up. Does having 4 names require constant correction on, for example, the first day of school?

I don't have 4 names but my child does. On forms with a space to write the names, we write all. For initials - we just use the initial of the first middle name.

No issues at school. I don't think middle names ever really come up at school.

[Anonymous]

Again, the kid in this scenario would have one last name, as OP clearly stated. So your hand-wringing about kids with hyphenated names growing and marrying other kids with hyphenated names is irrelevant.

All I did was give an opinion, same as you. There is no "hand wringing" as you say. You opinion is just as irrelevant as mine so don't act so superior. If the Op wants to give her/his kid 20 names it doesn't bother me but, they asked for opinions which I gave. (free btw) They can take it or leave it.

No need to be nasty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks. This is helpful. I'm not 100% set on keeping my last name in the mix, but it is good to hear that it's not horribly inconvenient to have four names. 99% of the time our kid, like all kids, will be called by the first and last name: Sam Smith. But the official name would be Sam Joseph Silverstein Smith (not real name, obvs). Aesthetically, I much prefer three names total--it just seems easier for forms, applications, etc. But my father is deceased, and I feel a little (but not entirely) committed to keeping his last name in the mix.

Thanks! Other thoughts are still welcome. It's great to hear from people who have 4 names. Do you just use three of them on forms?

Also, we are going with a pronounceable and recognizable first name because I was always glad that I didn't have to correct people on pronunciation growing up. Does having 4 names require constant correction on, for example, the first day of school?

I added the fourth name (husband's last name) when I got married. I'm already an adult, but it has been no problem. If there is room on the form, I use them all. If not, I use both middle initials or just the first middle name or the first middle name initial. No biggie.

[Anonymous]

Jennifer Brunilla Esther Pinar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Again, the kid in this scenario would have one last name, as OP clearly stated. So your hand-wringing about kids with hyphenated names growing and marrying other kids with hyphenated names is irrelevant.

All I did was give an opinion, same as you. There is no "hand wringing" as you say. You opinion is just as irrelevant as mine so don't act so superior. If the Op wants to give her/his kid 20 names it doesn't bother me but, they asked for opinions which I gave. (free btw) They can take it or leave it.

No need to be nasty.

It's not nasty to point out that OP was never going to give her kid more than one last name.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would never. Drop the relative. Use one of your last names as the middle name.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks. This is helpful. I'm not 100% set on keeping my last name in the mix, but it is good to hear that it's not horribly inconvenient to have four names. 99% of the time our kid, like all kids, will be called by the first and last name: Sam Smith. But the official name would be Sam Joseph Silverstein Smith (not real name, obvs). Aesthetically, I much prefer three names total--it just seems easier for forms, applications, etc. But my father is deceased, and I feel a little (but not entirely) committed to keeping his last name in the mix.

Thanks! Other thoughts are still welcome. It's great to hear from people who have 4 names. Do you just use three of them on forms?

Also, we are going with a pronounceable and recognizable first name because I was always glad that I didn't have to correct people on pronunciation growing up. Does having 4 names require constant correction on, for example, the first day of school?

9:29 here - before we gave DD four names I asked around a lot, and the consensus from friends and family was that it wasn't a hassle and they encouraged it. A friend said it made her feel special as a kid and another friend who added it when she got married said she's never had trouble with paperwork. I think that sentiment is reflected in the comments here by people who actually have four names themselves.

[Anonymous]

We did it for our kids. Oldest is now in high school.

They have American first and middle name #1. Middle name #2 is honoring each of my uncles on my mom's side who are from another part of the world. Nondescript two syllable last name.

Honestly, having 14 years of parenting behind me, even though it is still nice it is a bit of a pain in the ass and I don't know if I would do it again.

If you do it though, I would go the middle name route vs the hyphenated last name. When you hyphenate your kid's last name you take away their option to choose to do it for themself when they get married down the road.

[Anonymous]

All the women in my family have 4 names but it's: first name, hyphenated middle name (like Rebecca-Claire), last name. This does get confusing because I'm frequently asked at airports which one is my last name, but otherwise, no one will ever know or care that you have two middle names.

[Anonymous]

My boys both have 4 names - it is no big deal at school or at the doctor or anything. I'm Sue Smith, my wife is Jane Doe and my kids are Larlo Bruce Smith Doe and Snowflake Joseph Smith Doe. They go by Larlo Doe and Snowflake Doe in their day to day but certainly know all of their names.

[Anonymous]

It's not nasty to point out that OP was never going to give her kid more than one last name.

Yes, you were being nasty and the reason is we stopped talking about the op using only one last name. You were saying that I can't do math and that I am "hand wringing". I did understand that she was using one last name. i still think four names is a lot regardless. I hope I don't know you in real life. You sound like a peach.