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

The boy’s first and middle names? —Zack Meisel, New York Times, 16 May 2026

What other comedian on the air would be able to, mid-interview, remind his guest that the poet Ovid actually went by his middle name? —David Sims, The Atlantic, 15 May 2026

This primary, people aren’t gonna vote for me ’cause of my middle name. —Dan Adler, Vanity Fair, 15 May 2026

My son's middle name is Morgan. —Diane J. Cho, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1835, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for middle name

• aspartame
• counterclaim
• overcame
• underframe
• username
• acclaim
• aflame
• airframe
• ballgame
• became
• declaim
• defame

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