You already have so much to think about when a little one is on the way… baby announcements, prenatal care, nursery themes, and your baby’s name! It was hard enough to come up with the perfect first name, but now, it’s time to gather middle name ideas. In this article, we’ll give you tips to help narrow down options along with 30 of our favorite middle name ideas for boys and girls!
How to Choose the Perfect Middle Name
Rather than just selecting a name that sounds good, it may be easier to take a closer look at your life. There could be some clues that will help you make the perfect selection that you may not have thought of yet.
Honor a Close Friend or Family Member
One of the most popular ways to choose a middle name is by honoring a close friend or family member by using their name. You can choose a close family member who recently passed or carry on a family name in a unique way.
If you and your spouse have a hard time choosing between a name from your side or their side, it may be possible to beautifully combine two names. In fact, many parents are giving their little ones two names – one from each side of the family.
Consider Using Your Maiden Name
Using your maiden name as your child’s middle name gives you a chance to keep your maiden name alive.
Of course, some last names don’t quite flow well as a middle name. If this is the case, you may be able to use your maiden name as inspiration. For example, the last name “Hendrickson” could be shortened to “Rick” or “Henry”.
Gain Inspiration From Your Heritage
Another unique idea is to choose a middle name that highlights a piece of history or ancestry. Be sure to do your research to ensure the spelling is in its original form.
Choose Something with Meaning to You and Your Spouse
There are a lot of ways you can take a special moment from your relationship and turn it into a name. Maybe your first date was at “Joshua Tree National Park”. If this holds special meaning to you, a perfect middle name may be “Joshua”.
You can also gain inspiration from a TV show or movie that you both love watching together and choose the name of one of the main characters.
Questions to Ask Before Making Your Decision:
- What will the initials be? Some children go by initials rather than their first name alone. However, even if you don’t foresee that, there are some three-letter words or acronyms your child may not want to be associated with.
- Does the name flow well? This, of course, will be a personal opinion. Say it out loud a few times and write it down to see how it flows on paper.
- What’s the length of their first and last name? If your child will have a long first and last name, it may be a good idea to shorten the middle name.
10 Unique Middle Name Ideas For Girls
While there are a lot of cute and feminine middle name ideas for little girls, we wanted to find as many unique names as we could that also had meaning. Below are our top 10 picks:
1. Luna
Luna is a unique feminine name that means “moon” in Latin along with languages with Latin roots, including Italian. In ancient Roman mythology, Luna is the name of a female moon goddess.
2. Zaylee
Zaylee is a name with Australian origin meaning “flower” or the Christian meaning, “a heavenly woman” — two beautiful meanings for an adorably unique little girl’s middle name.
3. Caprice
Pronounced “ka-preese”, Caprice is a girl name of English, French, and Italian origin. It means “whimsical” and “playful”, making it a perfect fit for your little bundle of joy.
4. Thea
Similar to the name Luna, Thea means “goddess” and in Greek mythology, Thea is the goddess of light, mother of the sun, moon, and dawn.
5. Vera
Vera is a female name of Slavic origin meaning “faith”. In folk etymology, it has the meaning “true”. Although it has been a common first name, especially in the early 20th century, it can also be such a cute middle name for a little girl.
6. Eyre
Rooted in ancient Anglo-Saxon culture, the name”Eyre” is a name for someone well-known as the heir to a fortune or title. In etymology, it comes from the Old French Air, which is derived from Latin hēres or “heir”. Pronounced as “ehr”, it makes a simple, yet unique addition to your little one’s name.
7. Ember
As you may see in a fire, the name Ember means “spark” or “burning low”. If you suspect you will be having a fiery addition to your family, what better middle name than Ember?
8. Demi
Demi is a name derived from Demeter, a Greek goddess of agriculture. Demeter, when broken down in Greek, comes from “De” meaning “earth” and “meter” meaning “mother”. The name “Demi” grew in popularity in the ’90s when actress, Demi Moore, grew in popularity.
9. Ayra
Pronounced as “ah-rah” or “air-uh” depending on the location, Ayra is a feminine name that flows well as a middle name. Ayra comes from the Sanskrit origin meaning “noble”, “air/song” or”respectable”.
10. Ireland
Ireland, the country, comes from the words “Irishmen” and “land. It’s a common surname in Liverpool, England, as well as other Irish populations. It makes a gorgeous middle name for a little girl with an Irish heritage.
10 Unique Middle Name Ideas For Boys
Like the middle name ideas for girls, we wanted to share some unique boy name ideas you may not have heard of. Below are our top 10 favorite unique middle name ideas for boys.
1. Asher
In Hebrew, Asher is a name that means “happy” and “blessed”. Asher is derived from the word osher, meaning “happiness”. What better addition to a name for a happy little boy that will soon bless your life?
2. Beven
Beven is of Welsh origin and simply means “son of Evan”. Although it doesn’t have a deep meaning, it’s a unique name that may flow well between your little boy’s first and last name. If the father’s name is Evan, then even better!
3. Forest
Forest is an adorably unique name for a little boy who is destined to love the outdoors. The name Forest is of French origin meaning “woodsman” or “woods”.
4. Myles
Myles is a name with the Latin word meaning “soldier”. It can also mean “grace” or “gracious”. Though Myles is more commonly the first name for a little boy, it suits well as a middle name, too.
5. Chance
Chance is a masculine name with Middle English origin that means “good fortune”. Variants of the name Chance include the surname of Old French origin “cheance” and Middle English, “chaeunce”. For any mother who feels blessed by their new family addition, what name could be better?
6. Leif
Leif is a boy name of Scandinavian origin that is pronounced as “leef”. Derived from the name “Leifr”, this Old Norse name means “heir or “descendant”.
7. King
As the name suggests, King is a masculine name meaning “ruler”. For parents who are looking for a unique, powerful, and strong middle name, what better choice than “King”?
8. Dean
Dean is a male name that’s commonly used as a first name but is a one-syllable word that also creates a beautiful middle name for a boy. The name Dean is derived from the English surname dean meaning “valley”.
9. Thatcher
Thatcher is a name that has been growing in popularity since the early 2000s. For a boy who’ll have a simple first name, Thatcher will be sure to add a strong, masculine flair. The word thatcher itself means a person who makes a roof from reeds or straw.
10. Jax
Jax is a name that has grown in popularity since the airing of a popular Netflix series, “Sons of Anarchy” because of the main character. It’s a short form of “Jaxon” and means “God is gracious”.
10 Unique Gender-Neutral Middle Name Ideas
Whether you’re having a little boy or a little girl, there are a lot of names that can be used for both. Below are our top 10 favorite unique middle names that are gender-neutral.
1. Ariel
For Disney fanatics, the name Ariel probably reminds you of a red-headed mermaid. However, it’s a Hebrew name meaning “lion of God” and comes from the Biblical place that’s name is Ariel.
2. Finley
Finley is a Scottish name from the Gaelic personal name “Fionnlagh”, which is composed of the elements “fionn” meaning “fair” and “laoch” meaning “warrior” or “hero”. It’s a cute name that would suit any little boy or girl.
3. Ellery
Ellery is typically a boy’s first name but can be used as a gender-neutral middle name, as well. It’s of Old English origin and means “alder tree”.
4. Henley
Of English origin, the girl’s name Henley means “high meadow” and was the name of a British town that hosts a famous regatta. Now, the name Henley is quickly growing in popularity for both boys and girls in the United States. Still, it makes a fun, unique name for your little one no matter which gender they are.
5. Ira
Ira is a name of Hebrew origin and means “full-grown” and “watchful”. This name is popular for both little boys and girls and is a simple, yet fun name that can make the perfect middle name for either.
6. Kai
Kai means “sea” in Hawaiian culture and means “shell” in Japanese culture. It can also mean “warrior” as Kai is shorthand of the name “Kaimbe” which holds that meaning. Kai is a name that’s considered to also have Greek, Welsh, and Scandinavian roots meaning “keeper of the keys; earth”.
7. Lyric
For a family that loves music, the middle name Lyric couldn’t fit better for your soon-to-be little rockstar. The word lyric, itself, means “words of a song”.
8. Ocean
Ocean is of Greek origin meaning “sea”. For a family that spends a lot of their life at the beach, the ocean may have special meaning.
9. Shiloh
Shiloh is a name of Hebrew origin and actually has two meanings attached to it. Whether you identify more with the meaning “gift from God” or “peaceful one”, both seem fitting for a name of a special little one.
10. Vie
The word Vie is of French origin meaning “life”, “to live”, or “to be alive”. You may have heard the common phrase or the popular French song “La Vie en Rose” meaning “life in pink”. There’s no more precious gift than life, so the name Vie is a way to express gratitude for the little life you’ve created.
Final Thoughts
When brainstorming middle name ideas for your newborn boy or girl, you’re probably looking for something not only meaningful but flows well with their first and last name. A middle name can be used to make a loved one feel special, honor your heritage, or add a special meaning between you and your spouse.
Whichever name you choose, all that matters is that you and your significant other love it.