Middle names

[Jeuel]

People then as now sometimes liked to change or add a name.  I've got examples of  a Rose who became Rosella when she married, an Annie who turned into Elizabeth Anne etc.

I also have an Emily Kezia who didn't use her middle name on her marriage cert and an Eliza Ellen who became plain Ellen.

[Nick29]

Middle name may have been added at baptism

My nephews birth was registered with just one christian name.  However - by the time he was christened, his maternal grandfather had died so he was given his grandfathers christian name as a middle name when he was christened

Yes, that's true.   My grandmother was known as 'Happy Phillis'.   It's on her marriage certificate, and on her children's birth certificates.  It's on her baptism record. 

But on her birth certificate, she is just 'Phillis'.  I can only think that in the time between registering the birth and her baptism, my g. grandmother must have decided to add the 'Happy', and it stuck throughout her life 

[toni*]

you can call yourself whatever you like as long as its not for fraudulent purposes

[Redroger]

I have a slightly different mystery. My mother was Emily Hannah, she said she was Emily Hannah Maud, but no record of Maud could be found. This site cracked the problem, she was baptised Emily Hannah Maud, 3 weeks after her birth in 1903. As her parents were Baptists, the question then became why was she baptised?

[Jeuel]

They were lapsed Baptists?  They wanted to conform to please parents/impress neighbours/get their child into Sunday school? 

[Redroger]

Definitely not lapsed. My grandmother still attended a Baptist chapel over 50 years later. I think she was not born a Baptist, but if Mum was ill as a baby decided to take no chances. By the way Mum lived to be 99 years and 4 months.

[Plummiegirl]

One name 'change' I have come across on several ocasions is the child be baptised one name ie
Charles James, name registered Charles Francis and on marriage Charles Robert.  Oh and known as Jack all his life.  Do they want to confuse us on purpose

As we all know names are not written in stone, only on paper, and unless for nefarious purposes you can call yourself anything you like.