middle name

noun

1. the part of a person's name occurring between the first and family names, as a second given name or a maternal surname.

middle name

noun

1. a name between a person's first name and surname
2. a characteristic quality for which a person is known

   caution is my middle name

Word History and Origins

Origin of middle name¹

An Americanism dating back to 1825–35

Example Sentences

His middle name comes from Henry Mayo Newhall, who traveled to California in 1850 with the miners to strike it rich, and did, in land and railroad speculation.

From Vox

“’Stress’ is the middle name of my title right now,” Kumar said in the latest episode of the Digiday Podcast.

From Digiday

The reporting about the teenager identified as Grace, her middle name, prompted protests and a grassroots social media campaign calling for her release, as well as calls by members of Congress for a civil rights investigation.

From ProPublica

Her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honor her beloved late grandmother, The Princess of Wales.

From The Daily Beast

If you’re expecting an unbiased take on anything to do with “A River Runs Through It,” I should disclose that my son’s middle name is “Maclean.”

From Washington Post

Middle-name-free passport in hand, Kawalek boarded a flight to Israel the next day.

From The Daily Beast

The reason IMC was less than thrilled about sending Kawalek into Gaza was his middle name, Zvi.

From The Daily Beast

They told me that if I could get a new passport without my middle name in it, they would be willing to consider it.

From The Daily Beast

Grossman recruited Noel Stookey instead, who henceforth went by his middle name Paul.

From The Daily Beast

Barzee married Smart to Mitchell—her new name was Shearjashub, but she preferred her new middle name, which was Esther.

From The Daily Beast

Cullen will be easily identified, as the middle name of Bryant.

From Project Gutenberg

The eldest son of every daughter was called Gano, and Gano was given to each succeeding child for a middle name.

From Project Gutenberg

His maternal ancestors, from whom he received his middle name,—the Gerrisbes,—emigrated from England to this country in 1640.

From Project Gutenberg

Ask your uncle if there wasnt a middle name somebody almost gave you once, and if there was use it.

From Project Gutenberg

Ah, of course, that middle name reminds me of something else.

From Project Gutenberg