middle name

noun

1
: a name between one's first name and surname
2
: a term that is particularly apt to denote a person's qualities or affinities
patience is her middle name

Examples of middle name in a Sentence

President John F. Kennedy's middle name was “Fitzgerald.”
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In 1990, Laurence Gregory Watkins of Auckland, New Zealand, changed his legal name by adding more than 2,000 middle names. Brian Anthony Hernandez, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025 The two quickly connected, both romantically and creatively, forming the band Alexander Jean in 2015—a fusion of their middle names. Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025 The little boy’s middle name, Three, is a nod to the number his father wears on the back of his jersey. Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2025 The process went smoothly enough for Daria, except for the moment when the clerk in the internet café paused at her middle name while reviewing her paperwork. Catherine Lacey, New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for middle name

Word History

First Known Use

1835, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of middle name was in 1835

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Cite this Entry

“Middle name.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/middle%20name. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

middle name

noun
1
: a name between one's first name and last name
2
: a term that names a notable quality of a person
patience is her middle name

More from Merriam-Webster on middle name

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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