Middle name help

[mecawa]

We've finally narrowed down our name list for DD#2, who we are expecting in Jan. One of the names we are considering (and DH's fave) is Mackenzie. Only problem is that we can't seem to come up with a middle name to use if we do decide to name her Mackenzie. We are big family name type people (DD#1's first and middle names are family names) but not one of our family names goes with Mackenzie. Any suggestions??

[CiderLogan]

Pick the family member you want to honor and use their first initial as the first initial of the middle name?

[fivi2]

I loved picking out middle names. In fact, I secretly like one middle name better than one of the first names we used.

However, I never ever ever use my children's middle names. In fact, I jokingly used her full name on my almost 3 yo the other day and she laughed and said that wasn't her name. And, it seems many women drop their middle name when they get married (I know not all do, I didn't change my name and still have my middle, and some use all four names, but a lot seem to drop it).

My point is, if using family names is important in your house, I would use the family name and not worry whether it goes with the other names. jmo!

[mecawa]

Pick the family member you want to honor and use their first initial as the first initial of the middle name?


That's a good idea!! We thought of abbreviating a family name, like we did to DD#1's middle name (used a family members nick name) and the only one I can come up with is Kate (for Katherine) but DH isn't so sure he likes it with Mackenzie.

[irie i]

Its hard to say without knowing the last name...which I understand if you prefer to keep private. :) I am sure something will come to you. Try going on babynames.com and choosing ones you like...then you can have hubby narrow it down from there. Write down the ones you agree on and say them out loud a lot...thats what helped my Sweetie and I decide on a name. :)

[wellyes]

Aw, I like Mackenzie!

Personally I don't care for middle names -- I'd just as soon skip them. My DD is FirstName MyLastName DHLastName (I didn't change my name when I married).

But for some weird reason, I like simple declarative terms for this one:
Mackenzie Pride
Mackenzie Dear
Mackenzie Virtue
Mackenzie Courage

Really out of character for me to go for that sort of thing, but I do like those kinds of names with Mackenzie.

[babystuffbuff]

I know a Mackenzie Grace. I think her name is really pretty. :)

[Tinkerbell313]

How about:

Mackenzie Rose
Mackenzie Grace
Mackenzie Faith
Mackenzie Rae
Mackenzie Layne
Mackenzie Leigh
Mackenzie Lyn

Sorry...I can't decide myself and I am not even having a baby...imagine if I were...oh, I would be driving my husband crazy!!!

[KpbS]

You could go with the initial of the family member's name or chose a nickname from a family name or come up with a name that uses some (or all of) the same letters. I'd say go with a name with one syllable since MacKenzie has 3. DS1 has a girl in his class named Kenna and we know of a MacKenna. I like Kendall.

[catroddick]

How about Mackenzie Kay?
It sorta uses the Kate/Katherine thing.

I also like MacKenzie Lyn or Lynne.

[citymama]

I like Mackenzie Grace a lot - or another very feminine middle name. Mackenzie is a more unisex first name (I don't mean that it's a boy's name, but it's more gender neutral) so a feminine middle name would go really well with it. Is there such a name in your family to pick from? I think a one-syllable middle name (Grace, Rose, Anne) would probably work best, given that the first name has 3.

[mecawa]

I know a Mackenzie Grace. I think her name is really pretty. :)

I like Mackenzie Grace actually, but we sort of promised a certain family member we would not use Grace (she really really really wants to name her first DD that)

[WatchingThemGrow]

Yeah, we used Grace as a middle name, and I think that must have been THE middle name to use in 2006 as 1/2 of her Sunday School class is _____ Grace. My grandmother is who we named her after.

Not that you'll use this one, but I do know a Kinsey Christmas! Very sweet and wonderful little girl.

[mecawa]

I like Mackenzie Grace a lot - or another very feminine middle name. Mackenzie is a more unisex first name (I don't mean that it's a boy's name, but it's more gender neutral) so a feminine middle name would go really well with it. Is there such a name in your family to pick from? I think a one-syllable middle name (Grace, Rose, Anne) would probably work best, given that the first name has 3.

Yes I agree it needs to be something feminine and probably one syllable. It needed to be with DD#1 too because her name is unisex as well.

Everyone is coming up with some good choices. I'm making a list and will run them by DH when he gets back on Friday.

[KHF]

My one big pregnancy meltdown, complete with screaming, crying, cursing and slamming doors, with DD1 was over her middle name. DH wanted it to be Ann, and I absolutely didn't want that. I have relatives with really pronounced southern accents and I knew they'd call DD by her whole name if her middle was Ann. I couldn't deal with that.

I wanted her middle name to be Emerson, but DH kept saying that was a boys name. So then, I told him if she was born on my grandmother's birthday, her middle name would be Lucille (she wasn't born on her birthday).

I ended up combining Lucille and Ann to get Luciana. To go with her decidedly American sounding first name and our Scottish last name. So really, I would just pick one of the family names and go with it (or try to come up with a combo name like we did). It doesn't have to "match." We have never used her middle name, and now I wonder why I made it such an issue! I blame it on hormones.

[maylips]

Sounds like most of the posters are going with one-syllable middle names, which I agree with. Probably no one in your family has the name Rose, but I loved Mackenzie Rose.

My mom's middle name is Louise and my MIL's middle name is Lou. We weren't set on a family name at all but couldn't figure out what middle name went with Kate (just Kate, not another name and we would call her Kate). Louisa ended up working well and had the added bonus of being a derivative of two great women. But again, that went to the one syllable one name and three syllable other name, much like Mackenzie.

Good luck!

[Tondi G]

I know a Mackenzie Grace too! So funny! I think it's a pretty name too.

How about

Mackenzie Paige
Mackenzie Brynn
Mackenzie Faith
Mackenzie Claire

I think a one-syllable middle name works well with a longer first name!

[elektra]

Sounds like most of the posters are going with one-syllable middle names, which I agree with. Probably no one in your family has the name Rose, but I loved Mackenzie Rose.

My mom's middle name is Louise and my MIL's middle name is Lou. We weren't set on a family name at all but couldn't figure out what middle name went with Kate (just Kate, not another name and we would call her Kate). Louisa ended up working well and had the added bonus of being a derivative of two great women. But again, that went to the one syllable one name and three syllable other name, much like Mackenzie.

Good luck!
SIL did this too- took both first names of the grandmothers and combined it into one. Jeri plus Nellie equals Jenell. ;)
I think Mackenzie Grace sounds great. DD and I actually have the same middle name which is not exactly the same as one cousin sharing their middle name with another's first name, but I don't think it's that big of a deal IMO.
Mackenzie Marie sounds nice too I think.

[LarsMal]

I like the pp suggestion for Mackenzie Claire, but I am partial to Claire (It's DD's middle name, and I like it so much sometimes I just call her "Miss Claire or M Claire!!!)

My friend's daughter is Mackenzie Pearl, but her other DD has a very old fashioned middle name, too.

I think a one syllable middle name goes best with Mackenzie.

[MamaMolly]

SIL did this too- took both first names of the grandmothers and combined it into one. Jeri plus Nellie equals Jenell. ;).


Oooh, I LOVE Jenell! So pretty!

DD's middle name is to honor her Great Grandpa Eli and her great Aunt and Aunt Elizabeth. We took a common girl's name and changed the spelling a little to make it work.

I love Makenzie Jane

Clearly I have J names on the mind....

[mecawa]

I am so glad I started this thread!! I am getting so many good ideas now.