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

Jeremiah, who was born after his father died and bears the English version of his middle name, is getting his first tooth and starting to roll over. — Sacbee.com, 25 June 2026

Her middle name, James, is after her other dad, Mark James. — Sarah Scott, Parents, 24 June 2026

Masour Ousmane Dembélé, who goes by his middle name, is a 29-year-old member of the France national team. — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 24 June 2026

The only Marcelo Andrade in the database is a New York City resident with a different middle name who had a student pilot certificate in 2016. — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 23 June 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