15 Middle Names That Honor Your Family’s Heritage

One of the best places to start is, well actually, a place. Maybe you and your partner grew up in different cities that have names you can mash together, or maybe baby will be born in the same town generations of your family lived in. From Abilene to Zibo, every spot on the map has incredible history you can draw from and share with baby.

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If mom (or dad) decided to take the partner's last name, a great way to preserve her family name is to give it to baby as a middle name. You can even go up a generation and use grandma or grandpa's last name. Many last names are also unisex so you can honor that badass ancestor with your boy or girl.

Mom Madeline Holler thinks there's no better way to honor someone you love. "When deciding on middle names, make a list of people — relatives, friends, mentors — you might like to honor," Holler wrote for Mom.com. "Your child will love the connection they have to someone so special to you. The honoree will be moved by such a tribute."

If your great-grandparents came from another country, look up popular names in those places. A common girl name in Cambodia could be almost unheard of in Greece or vice versa and can make for really unique yet traditional names. Start with our gallery of most popular names from around the world.

Honor the people who gave you life by giving baby their first names, and don't be afraid to use a double middle name if you end up not being able to choose between two. Who knows? Your mom and mother-in-law's names might make a beautiful combination (for example Jean-Avery or Eliana Mae)!

If your ancestor's names are in non-Roman scripts, for example, consider translating the name by using the meaning of the word or a phonetic version of the name. For example, my middle name spelled phonetically is Yeh-shen, which translated from Mandarin means Jade in English.

Sometimes the perfect middle name won't hit you until you've climbed up a few branches through the family tree. Look through your family's records or consult government registries. More and more birth and marriage records can be found online now, so it might be easier than you think!

If your great-great-great aunt was named Seraphina and you think she was one of the coolest people you've ever heard of but you want to give baby a more modern and unique name, try shortening it to Fi. Many nicknames can be cute alternatives that keep your little ones in this decade, like Tori instead of Victoria or Leo instead of Leonardo. Or maybe your grandfather was nicknamed Chuck because he had an affinity for steak. Ask around and try it out (and hope that baby won't go all ham instead)!

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If a nickname is a bit too cutesy for you but you still want a middle name that stems from great-grandma's name (just not hers exactly), choose a name that has a similar root word or sound as hers. This also works great if you're looking for a name of the opposite gender. Pick Hazel or Henry instead of Harrison or Elliot instead of Elizabeth.

Everyone has a favorite relative, even if he or she won't admit it openly. But instead of naming your baby's middle name directly after that favorite uncle, ask Uncle Arvin for his favorite names. His answers might surprise you!

If surnames and place names aren't cutting it for you, try an occupational name. Maybe you grew up in a line of chefs or maybe your most famous ancestor was a poet. Many names are rooted in professions, and Cook or Baird may be just the one you're looking for.

Whether it's a book that's been passed down for generations or your grandpa's favorite book, its characters can offer a treasure trove of names that will both fit your baby and connect her to your family. Here are 10 names from literary faves to start.

If your family history is more rooted in music, look into relatives' favorite songs or performers. Your grandparents' first wedding song or the most popular song of their generation just might have the name that rings true.

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Maybe you don't want baby to have names anyone else in the family has had, but you still want to honor a relative in some way. Using the same initials instead of an entire name can open up so many more doors. And don't be afraid to play with the placing of these initials. For example, if grandma's first name is Maria and middle name is Guadalupe, you can have baby's first and middle initials shortened to M.G. or have two middle initials that form M.G. (Silvia May Gabriela).

As we mentioned a bit before, a good way of choosing names when you don't want to upset multiple family members is to combine your options. This can work especially well if baby's first and last names are already short. Take your uncle's first name and your grand aunt's last and give baby a double middle name, or hyphenate shorter versions of both names. Or, if you're a more adventurous wordsmith, combine two names into one (some tricks include mixing and matching syllables or swapping prefixes). For example, Deanne and Luca combined can be DeLuca.

Many people take a middle name that has passed through several generations. If that's not the case for your family, start your own tradition by giving baby the same middle name given to you by your parents.

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