What order???

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2005
What order???
6
Fri, 11-04-2005 - 6:08pm

Hi - I would like to know the general feeling for calling your baby by his/her middle name. I know this is done, but not sure how to approach. If we have a son, we are naming him after his two grandpas. Troy and Benjamin. We want to call him Ben! But Troy Benjamin flows better than Benjamin Troy. (Just assume a last name like Smith - it's close.)

What do you think??

1. Do you think it flows nicely either way?
2. If you think Troy Benjamin is best - then how does that work in school? Is he T. Benjamin Smith? When I was in school, your first day roll call was your complete name. If the teacher calls Troy Benjamin Smith...will everyone assume his name is Troy?

Okay - this sounds a bit anal retentive...but I hope you know what I mean. I don't want to cause the kid any confusion in the long run...how did others deal with this issue?

Thanks!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-01-2005
In reply to: nellyemh
Fri, 11-04-2005 - 6:25pm
Well, I personally think Benjamin Troy sounds just fine, I actually perfer it over Troy Benjamin. It's not real often you even use the full name, it would eliminate school confusion. I know when my kids started school they asked if they went by a different name than the first name. I think once he got few the first few years, folks would know he went by Ben.
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-14-2005
In reply to: nellyemh
Fri, 11-04-2005 - 6:38pm

I actually think Benjamin Troy flows BETTER than Troy Benjamin.

But if you still like the way Troy Benjamin sounds better, I can tell you from personal experience than using a middle name is really not that hard. I have alternated between using my first name (Meredith) and my middle name (Anne) throughout my entire life. Generally on the first day of school, teachers read off first and last name when calling roll (though I've found that in the south, where using both first and middle or just middle names is very common, teachers often call all three). During this roll call, it gives the students a chance to give their prefered nicknames, and at that time, he could easily say, "I use my middle name. I prefer Ben" The teacher makes and note, and that's the end of it for the semester. Every once in a great while there will be a teacher who gives a hard time about it, but that's pretty rare. In school there is no reason for him to be T. Benjamin. He can just be Benjamin or Ben. On legal documents, bank accounts, etc, he can be Troy Benjamin or T. Benjamin. Honestly, I know SO many people who use their middle name that this doesn't phase me at all. I think you'll find it's much easier than you imagine. (FYI, if I have a second daughter, she will very likely be called by her middle name for the exact same reason. I want to use Blythe for family/personal reasons, but I think it flows much better as a middle name.)



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iVillage Member
Registered: 06-14-2003
In reply to: nellyemh
Sat, 11-05-2005 - 7:32am
I'm not sure about all the details you ask about (school, etc) but, IMO, Benjamin Troy DOES sound nice if you're too concerned about switching the names around the other way yet still want to call him Ben.
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-29-2005
In reply to: nellyemh
Sat, 11-05-2005 - 7:50am
I like Benjamin Troy better than Troy Benjamin. Just flows better for me.
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-11-2005
In reply to: nellyemh
Sat, 11-05-2005 - 7:54am
I actually think Benjamin Troy Smith sounds much better. I like it this way a lot- its a great name!
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-09-2004
In reply to: nellyemh
Sat, 11-05-2005 - 9:55am
I think either way is fine but if you do go w/ Troy Benjamin you just tell the teacher at the beginning of the year that "we call him Ben." You know, teachers are probably so used to that sort of thing!


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