Experience with going by your middle name vs. first

[disney4us2002]

Don't do it!!

I go by my middle name & I hate it!

The first day of school, every year, every class - you have to correct the teacher "No, sorry, I'm not Catherine, I'm Annette"

I've had insurance claims denied because they got them w/ the name "C. Annette" on them and they had me on file as "Catherine".

I go to dr's appointments & they call for "Catherine" to come back and I don't respond I don't think they're talking to me.

Very rarely do you find a form (paper or online) that has a spot for full middle name. Even if you do, and you put big asterisks by the middle name or highlight it in some way, people will still want to call you by your first name.

It is one big huge PITA! Thus, my kids go by their first names.

This is the experience my older brother has had as well. We considered calling oldest ds by the middle name because he is a jr and having two Marks is a pain as well. After my brother reminding me of the above issues especially school where the teachers often already made & placed nametags on the desks we decided to just stick with the first name.

I'm just curious why name a child a certain thing if you have no intention of calling her that? Why not just go ahead and name her whatever the middle name is as the first name?

 

[scarlett873]

My stepson goes by his middle name...he knows it's his middle name...never been an issue. When DH and I have kids, we've already decided that our boy, who will share his daddy's and his half brother's first name, will be called by his middle name. I believe that naming your child is a very personal decision...if you want to call your child by their middle name, then go for it!

 

[Disney Doll]

My Mom always went by her middle name. In medical offices people would address her by her actual first name but it was unusual to hear it. Oddly enough, with 6 brothers and sisters, they all went by different names. It was like a "family pattern". Either they used nick names from the time they were very young or middle names. My mother's name was Hazel Ruth. She went by Ruth. My aunt's name was Viola Mildred, she was called Middy. My aunt Madelaine was called Pepper. My uncle Joe's real name was Ralph. My uncle Jack's real name was Albert. They both had sons who were named after them exactly. They were called Joey and Jackie. My cousin Bobby's name is George. MY cousin Dolly's real name is Elizabeth. It was totally bizarre.

My family is sort of bizarre like that too. My father's name is George Robert. People who knew him from his childhood call him Bob. People who know him from his adult years call him George. My DH had an Uncle Vincent whose real name was Michael. He has a cousin Art whose real name is Gerard.

We had a neighbor who called my mother Betty(her name was Carol) and me Carol (my name is Patty). Funny thing is, whyen she called Carol, I said "what" and my mother wouldn't even look up, let alone respond. When she called Betty, my mother would respond.

 

[missypie]

Don't do it!!

I go by my middle name & I hate it!

The first day of school, every year, every class - you have to correct the teacher "No, sorry, I'm not Catherine, I'm Annette"

I've had insurance claims denied because they got them w/ the name "C. Annette" on them and they had me on file as "Catherine".

I go to dr's appointments & they call for "Catherine" to come back and I don't respond I don't think they're talking to me.

Very rarely do you find a form (paper or online) that has a spot for full middle name. Even if you do, and you put big asterisks by the middle name or highlight it in some way, people will still want to call you by your first name.

It is one big huge PITA! Thus, my kids go by their first names.

I SECOND THAT!!!!!

In every class of every first day of school of my life, I had to hear the teacher say "Eugenia" and the class snickered and I had to correct her and tell her that I go by my middle name.

Law school graduation, they announce my first name...no one even knows who that is.

I've gotten rid of the "Eugenia" everywhere but the driver's license records. But, because of that, I get double calls for jury duty, because my county goes by both voter registration and DL records, and if your name isn't identical on both, they assume you're two different people.

DON'T DO IT!!!

 

[Annette_VA]

...

I'm just curious why name a child a certain thing if you have no intention of calling her that? Why not just go ahead and name her whatever the middle name is as the first name?

I actually asked my mom what the heck was she thinking when she decided to name me. She said she wanted to name me Annette, but she also wanted to name me after my dad's aunt. She thought Catherine Annette sounded better than Annette Catherine. Whatever, mom! LOL

 

[Jenn Lynn]

My Nephew, who is 4, goes by his middle name. His name is Logan Thomas, but they call him Tommy. I'm pretty sure they did this because his Dad also goes by his middle name.

My name is Jennifer, but you can tell who knew me when by what they call me-Jenny, Jenn, Jennifer.

 

[Talking Hands]

I have always gone by my middle name or a nickname because no one would pronounce my first name correctly or even write it correctly. I had to constantly correct them only to be told I was wrong. What's up with that! I don't know my own first name. My first name is Lisabeth but it is pronounced lees-bet. So I go by Lisa or Gabrielle or Gay.

 

[Deb in IA]

We named our DS Charles David Jr and have always called him David. It was no problem even in school, only in 7th-8th grade his teachers decided he should be called by his first name. I can always tell what friends he had in those grades because when they see me they ask how "Charles" is doing. He is almost 27 now and legally everything says his full name but everyone calls him by his middle.

Same for my just-turned 48 year old hubby. His first name is the same as his dad's, so he always used his middle name. But he lists his first name in any "official" documentation -- like phone book, magazine subscriptions, etc.
So, now when someone calls and asks for him by his first name, we know that it is not someone who knows him personally!

 

[Doug123]

I go by my middle name, and always have. My oldest son also goes by his middle name. I use an initial for my first name, as does my son.

Problems I've had include having to correct the teacher, doctor, whoever, that I go by my middle name. I am avoiding that problem with my son by only using his first initial and his full middle name whenever filling out information papers. I have also had problems with the boneheads at Blue Cross (medical insurance) denying my claim because the name sent in was not the EXACT name they had in their information (though it serves them to delay payment, doesn't it -- an issue for another thread, I know).

With that said, I'm all for it. I never had any of the problems as discussed my many of the respondents (besides the ones I mentioned). If you like it, then do it.

 

[Smydovro]

I go by my middle name. Because of tradition my parents gave me a first name that they never intended to call me so on all legal forms I am one name and to the rest of the world I am another. To make matters worse the name I go by is very unusual so people always say "what" when I tell them to call me **** instead of *****. It's a major hassle. Can you switch the names around or is it some kind of jr. thing?

 

[daisy_77]

My husband goes by his middle name, Brent. His first name is Michael.

 

[Parkhopper]

DH is the third (named after his father-Jr. and his grandfather). He has always gone by the shortened version of his middle name (goes by Vince, even though his middle name is Vincent.)

He has never had a problem with it. All legal documents are signed "First Initial. Complete middle name Last name." It has helped to keep our credit somewhat straight as his mother's name is Susan M. and mine is Suzanne M. Samelastname. With all of us having such similar names, ANY difference to point out to the credit reporting agencies helps!!

Suzi

 

[maddiel]

No one in my family growing up went by their first name. My mom goes by a not-so-obvious diminuitive of her first name and my father, brother and sister go by their second names - they usually include the first initial on official documents.

I take the cake though - I go by my third third name (or a diminuitive thereof) Then when I got married, I decided I wanted to keep my two-word maiden name as another middle name. So my initials are MMCMDL and I go by the 'C' name (except on the internet, where I use one of the 'M' names!)

Since I got married, I've used C...... L..... or C...... M. L....... officially, but I will not tell anyone what the M. is for unless they want to use the whole enchilada - I think it's only been an issue once in the last 10 years. Before that, my records are a mish mash of M. C......., M1...... C., M.M. C........, M2...... C......., C....... M1....., etc Requesting my transcripts is a royal PITA, as every school treated my names/initals differently when they moved to computerized records.

I don't think the rest of my family has had too much of a problem though. You get used to correcting teachers the first day of school. My parents once got a letter from the provincal medical insurance people telling them they did not have daughters named N.... and C.... and they should start filing claims for their daughters A.... and M..... instead!

M.
(for short)

 

[maci]

I'm just curious why name a child a certain thing if you have no intention of calling her that? Why not just go ahead and name her whatever the middle name is as the first name?

Well I am not even sure that is what we will do. I was just trying to get feed back.
The deal is, this is my 3rd child, and I wanted all 3 to have totally different sounds to their names. But, one of the names we like for this baby starts with the same initial (C), and my first child, and my nieces and nephews all start with C's as well. So I feel like, that will leave my middle child out to have her be the only non C name.
Then there is the fact as someone else said I just think the names sound better in this order. And the name I want to call her is a very unisex name, which I really like, but I dont want it to become an issue so I was thinking of a more feminine first name.
The name is Cassidy Reese, in case you are wondering at this point. And PLEASE, if you dont like the name(s), that is ok, but I dont need to know, LOL, I can not please everyone!
I was thinking Cassy Reese would be a cute nick name too.
Reese Cassidy just doesnt sound as good to me.


Thanks for all the input everyone, the issues you have mentioned are ones I was concerned with as well.
Still not sure what we will do.
But I do want her to primarily go by Reese.

 

[Lil_Tink]

we call my friend Garret Kekoa, Kekoa but tease him by calling him Garret (a joke)

 

[Tasha+Scott]

My youngest sister's name is Savannah Loagan. She has been called Loagan since birth. She doesn't even look like a Savannah and Loagan just fits her perfectly. The only time I have ever heard her called by her first name is when our dad or her mom is mad at her. Then I have heard them yell, "Savannah Loagan!" She knows she's in trouble then! So far she has had no problems but then she is only 7!

 

[GoodFairies]

I think it is a good idea to name the kid what you will call her. I think Reese Cassidy sounds fine, as long as your last name isn't Cola.