middle name

American  

noun

• middle names
  plural

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

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middle name British  

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

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• middle names
  plural

Etymology

Origin of middle name

An Americanism dating back to 1825–35

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

middle name

“Michael Collins,” my dad beckoned, addressing me by my first and middle name he loved so well and alone always used, “tell us something you’ve learned in school.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

Fernanda asked to be identified by only her middle name because of her immigration status.

From Salon ● Mar. 24, 2026

“Even minor changes, such as to a middle name or abbreviation, can cause processing issues,” says Elizabeth Young, director of tax practice at the American Institute of CPAs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 20, 2026

“It was almost like the system was taunting me,” said Alex, who is now a Cal State University graduate student and chose to use his middle name for fear of being targeted by immigration authorities.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 11, 2025

Bat’s middle name, Alexander, was the same as his dad’s middle name.

From "A Boy Called Bat" by Elana K. Arnold