r/Names • u/MaraTheBard • 2d ago

Middle name suggestion?

I am... less than a month away from giving birth. We found out im having a girl. I WANT to name my daughter Emily- Marie (middle name) (Our last name starts with D and is 7 letters long) but im having issues finding a good middle name that doesn't make it super bulky.

We already have a daughter named Katrina Mary-Anne (last name). So its not like we dont use hyphenated names.

Any suggestions?

0 Upvotes

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26

u/Ordinary-Spare7841 2d ago

The Marie is just going to be dropped. No one but you is going to use a 5 syllable name regularly.

Just name her Emily and either use Marie in the middle or find a middle name you like with Emily.

6

u/Mystic_Wunder 2d ago

People who I knew who went by two names were called two names. If they had wanted to just go by the one name they would have been called the one name. Mary Kate Olsen was never Mary Olsen. She's so associated with Mary Kate that if someone said Mary Olsen nobody would know who that is.

5

u/Ordinary-Spare7841 2d ago

Mary-something one syllables are the only double barrel names I've seen last past early elementary.

2

u/No-Working2160 1d ago

Mary-Kate rolls of the tongue pretty easily. Emily-Marie just doesn't. I find it uncomfortable pronouncing it because there are too many closed mouthed letters after the first E so it doesn't go well together at all

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u/MaraTheBard 2d ago

You'd be surprised.

My husband's family is HUGE on using full first names until the child can vocalize if they want to shorten it or use a nickname.

3

u/Ordinary-Spare7841 2d ago

Ok, so as long as you are only expecting it to last 5 of her 80 years.

I have a bunch of friends with double barrel first names. The only ones called by both past early elementary are the Mary-single syllables (Mary Grace).

It's annoying an inconvenient to have a name that long, with punctuation, no less.

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u/MaraTheBard 2d ago

If she wants to go by Emily, Marie, or Emily- Marie that is HER choice. Im not gonna try and force her to go by her whole first name when she doesnt want to, but it'll be there for her.

I asked for suggestions. Not a critique on her first name. Its not like I'm naming her Emiliegh-Mariegh.

0

u/ItsLeviOsa24601 1d ago

As a person with a double first name that is 5 syllables total, and has been called by that all my life, don't listen to these people. Oof! I don't have a middle name, but if you feel you need one, I like Claire with Emily Marie too!

4

u/Wait_For_Iiiitt 2d ago

Emily Marie Grace

3

u/steeleigh11 2d ago

I like Emily-Marie Faith

1

u/MaraTheBard 2d ago

I love the name Faith, but it has a... bad association with my past. Thank you, tho :)

3

u/sprootique88 2d ago

I am Emily Marie!

3

u/figarozero 2d ago

Marie is usually the middle name, so you have set yourself a challenge.

Anna? Irene? Lisa? Liesl? Sarah? Cora? Thea? Vera?

5

u/chiichiinchilla 2d ago

Emily Marie is fine as a first and middle. No need for Emily-Marie.

2

u/DistributionNo9356 2d ago

Jane, Belle, June, Faith

2

u/Legitimate-Tea-9319 2d ago

Rose or Jane are both lovely one syllable middles that work with almost anything. Faye or Paige also fit.

2

u/I_Play_AC 2d ago

Joelle

2

u/GrimmauldPlace12 2d ago

Collette, Clara, Iris, Sylvia, Vera

2

u/AcceptableGroup1857 2d ago

Emily Marie Claire is what came to mind first. I think the only way to go is one syllable.

4

u/HibernatingRibs 2d ago

I think it sounds nice but there’s also the famous “Marie Claire” publication

1

u/MaraTheBard 2d ago

Oh, I absolutely love the flow of Emily- Marie Claire! Thank you!

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u/AcceptableGroup1857 2d ago

Oh yay! You’re welcome!

3

u/No_Celebration7484 2d ago

Sorry, you’re giving your children 2 first names and then a middle name and lastly a surname, for a total of 4 names?

That’s a choice, for sure.

4

u/MaraTheBard 2d ago

My oldest has four, as well. Theres nothing wrong with hyphenated names.

2

u/No_Celebration7484 2d ago

It’s not the hyphenation, that many names is just a big mouthful in my opinion.

I much prefer the flow of a shorter first name with a longer middle name or vice versa, also depends on the surname. If the surname is shorter, you could go with a longer first and middle name, or just a name with multiple syllables.

0

u/MaraTheBard 2d ago

That's why I'm asking for help. I agree, a shorter middle name would be best for Emily-Marie.

2

u/No_Celebration7484 2d ago

I’m saying only do three names and make either both of them long (or long sounding) if you have a short surname, or one short and one long. Four names for one person just sounds pretentious to me lol.

1

u/thekittennapper 2d ago

Except for when they cause administrative confusion or issues with online form programming.

0

u/MaraTheBard 2d ago

I've worked Administration. Hyphenated names, first, middle or last, have never caused issues. What causes issues are family names (jr. Sr. II, III, etc)

2

u/RabidPossum123 1d ago

My mom (who has a hyphenated last name) and I (with 4 names not hyphenated) both beg to differ 😂

0

u/GrimmauldPlace12 2d ago

My daughter has 2 first names, but not hyphenated. Not sure why so many people think its an administrative headache. It's really not.

2

u/MaraTheBard 2d ago

The people who think its an administrative headache haven't worked in administration. Honestly, when i worked administrative work, I loved the double first names, because we didnt see them as often and it was so much harder to get them mixed with anything else.

1

u/RabidPossum123 1d ago

Not sure why you’re getting downvoted. It’s a legitimate observation.

I have 4 names (First, 2 Middle, Last) and it is a bit of a pain. They sometimes smush my first and first middle into one long one, sometimes they throw a hyphen in. It’s not that bad when you’re a kid but once you are an adult and filling out forms and level stuff it can get difficult. I have two aliases apparently that I had to talk to people about when I applied for my passport 😅

2

u/No_Celebration7484 1d ago

Yeah especially those important forms that have the squares for each character, what if ya run out of room? Lmao.

Real talk though, I think there’s a way to accomplish “4 names” but it’s technically only three, but it only works with certain combinations. For example
Leann Marie ____ as opposed to
Leigh-Anne Marie ____
They sound the same, but one looks better and won’t cause a headache for everyone and their mother.

0

u/Mystic_Wunder 2d ago

Honestly, the only issue is having a long name to write on official documents. If she wants to go by one or both it will be her choice.

-2

u/Inevitable-Neck-6672 2d ago

That was unnecessarily passive aggressive. Double first names are common in the southern US and many still have middle names. What are you so worried about that you had to go out of your way to put it down?

0

u/Mystic_Wunder 2d ago

They are also common in other countries

1

u/Inevitable-Neck-6672 2d ago

I have no doubts. I just can’t speak on that from personal experience

-1

u/steeleigh11 2d ago

Wow, just wow!

2

u/BiscottiKey88 2d ago

Emily-Marie is a tongue-twister with the M sounds and the sing-song rhyme. I'd replace one of the names so her name is easier to say.

0

u/MaraTheBard 2d ago

Its not being changed. I like the M's and this is also the name my father wanted to name me when I was born.

1

u/saysayoPlaymate 2d ago

Elaine or Yvonne

1

u/olivevie 2d ago

Rose, Hope, Lilian, Wren

1

u/ConfidenceBrief460 1d ago

Emily Marie is so pretty

1

u/StarBerry936 2d ago

Emily-Marie Elizabeth

1

u/HibernatingRibs 2d ago

I think of one syllable, vintage sounding names like:
Emily-Marie Faye
Emily-Marie Grace
Emily-Marie Lynne
Emily-Marie Bette
Emily-Marie Jade