General Chat

How many Christian names do you have? Who has the most Christian names? I have only two, but this is already 1 too many. Filling in forms etc. is a bother when you have a lot to fill in. I only gave my children one Christian name; they are not named after anybody, but solely because my husband and I liked the name.

This is something that has had a big emotional effect on me ... my birth mother didn't give me a middle name, although she had given a middle name to the child she had before me. This has made me feel very unwanted, as if she couldn't even be bothered to give me two names. However, my lovely adopted parents gave me a Christian name (Mandy) and a middle name (Denise). My husband has two - his first name is very unusual (Marston) so his parents gave him Anthony as his middle name in case he wanted to be known by that (he doesn't!). Our son has three names - Jordan is his first name (because we really liked it), James is his second (after my late grandad and because it went well with Jordan) and a third name (Shaw) which was to please my in-laws but isn't ever really used.

I have two christian names, but only use a shortened version of my first, hubby is the same. We gave our three children one name each, we had trouble agreeing on their one name, no chance agreeing on two or more. Sue

As a researcher I often come across people who have been registered with more than three christian names - I think they call them after their football heroes etc. Those with so many names must have problems in their later years remembering them all, I am sure. I was miffed when I found out in my teens that my Godfather chose my middle name of Christine - he had chosen that for his previous Goddaughter so I didn't feel very special. Joan was after my mother and aunt so wasn't my name either. I think I may change my name to Desdemona or something really silly!!! to try and make myself unique in some way. My dear mum has enough trouble remembering that she is talking to me, Joan, and often calls me by my other sister's names, Susan or Sheila and I have to keep saying 'Joan' to remind her. Anyone else have this trouble with their mother remembering who she is speaking to?

Yes Joan, my mother had that problem and I also have a roll-call at times when talking to any of my children. Think the one that caused the most amusement was when I called one of my sons by the dogs name!! He was not very impressed and the dog wondered what he had done wrong. I have 5 boys and 2 girls, gave them all two names but my eldest daughter has quite a choice. Her birth was registered by the hospital (she was born in Ireland), we chose Susan Rosemary, found later that she had been registered as Carol. Got her certificate of baptism and she had been christened Susan Mary

Poor Kath Not easy with more than one child I think. Our son answers to many nick names such as egbert (Egbert no bacon), Sausage, Mit Mij (his name Tim Jim shortened from Timothy James - backward!) TJ, Sed, Fred and so on. He knows whatever we call him he is still our lovely boy and answers to them all. I suppose a bit like a dog really although he is not likened to one. His natural mother calls him Julian and he is thinking of having a stage name with Julian in it. I love TJ (Tim Jim) and it sounds good enough for me and his dad. Anyone with suggestions for stage names for my boy who wants to be an opera singer (he's going to be 21 in September and doesn't have the podge up front that opera singers have). On stage he should send his Dad out as he fits the opera singer figure fine and TJ should be behind the curtains singing with Dad miming to his voice. What film was this scenario from? Something to do with Marilyn Munroe I think.

Slim Tim Jim!!!

Joan, When I was a child, we made up stage names by using the name of our first pet AND OUR MOTHJER'S MAIDEN NAME.

Joan, When I was a child, we made up stage names by using the name of our first pet AND OUR MOTHJER'S MAIDEN NAME.

Joan, When I was a child, we chose 'stage names' by using the name of our first pet, followed by our mothers maiden name. I was Korkie Shears! I think you can also use the name of the street you live in. Maggie

I was given the names Kim Tracey! yuk, from Basildon, but also what is really frightening is, these were going to be my names even if I was a boy!!! Can you imagine the stick I would have got then!!! doesn't bare thinking about. It was different with our son, liked Sam, but christened him Samuel, just in case he becomes a bank manager, and john after my brother-in-law who sadly never got to see him. Kim