When the middle is the best part.

A middle name shouldn’t be an afterthought. This book will help you choose the right name (or names) based on factors you may not have considered. You’ll find hundreds of name ideas, from classic to creative, along with a history of middle naming practices worldwide and middle name usage across cultures.

Hear advice and anecdotes, plus middle name pitfalls, arguments for and against having a middle name, and matters of middle initials. This resource is ideal for anyone who is considering baby names, re-naming themselves, or adding a middle name. The focus isn’t on name meanings or origins but rather what considerations should go into picking a middle name that can stand alone if needed and matches the first name in cadence and feel.

Along with middle name matchups for popular first names, there are lists of unusual and gender-neutral names as well as a roundup of celebrity baby names. The perfect middle name is out there!


Devanie Angel is a longtime name fanatic and former journalist who lives in California with her family and two cats (yes, the cats have middle names.)