Changing a child's middle name

[GreyhoundsRUs]

I would just legally change it to "A". What was FIL's middle name?


Wife of a PGY-4 Orthopod

[samssugarmomma]

If you change it, I agree with not telling MIL. Why open that can of worms?

[houseelf]

Just to play devil's advocate, I'm going to counter. (Really, I think this is kind of a nonissue. It's only an issue if you and Aidan think its an issue). There are lots of Josephs out there. Stalin left a pretty big stain on that moniker. With that name, it is implicity understood that the namesake is probably in tribute to someone or something else. Adolf is a *bit* less common, but whatever. You get my drift. I think intent rules here.

TBH, I'm kind of lazy in this regard. I"m using an email address in a maiden name that I haven't used in 15 years. Don't listen to me.

[SoonerTexan]

If I have to be honest with you Kris I would change it regardless of what your son said. I totally understand why you hate it. Pay the fee and just change it asap. He's about to start high school next year (right?) and its a good time to get this type of stuff done. And I wouldn't tell you MIL at all. If your hubby tells her, oh well. Otherwise I wouldn't breath a word of it to his family. Good luck!!

I disagree. It's his name, and to Kelly's point, there was more than one Adolf out there. It's not like you were the crazy lady from a few years ago that named her son Adolf Hitler. I'd really leave it up to Aidan.

[PrincessFiona]

I'm so afraid he will be judged as some sort of white extremist or something when he grows older. Ugh. What WAS I thinking?

[diggitydot]

I'm so afraid he will be judged as some sort of white extremist or something when he grows older. Ugh. What WAS I thinking?

It's a common German name. If HE has a problem with it, change the name. If not, let it be.

It's a common German name that honors his German grandfather. Unless his grandfather IS Hitler, you're fine.

[PrincessFiona]

The name was actually given to Thomas' father then to honor Hitler. Ugh. I know. His dad hated his name. There aren't many Adolfs in Germany really. I'm going to talk to Aidan..

[diggitydot]

Changing a child's middle name

The name was actually given to Thomas' father then to honor Hitler. Ugh. I know. His dad hated his name. There aren't many Adolfs in Germany really. I'm going to talk to Aidan..

Truly, it's not that big of a deal, Kris, unless it's a big deal to him. Your kids aren't racist assholes who could even remotely be mistaken for white supremacists.

My grandfather WAS a racist asshole who just happened to be the first American officer to reach the concentration camps in Poland. Good and bad people were on both sides of that historical shitfest.

[moonlight]

The name was actually given to Thomas' father then to honor Hitler. Ugh. I know. His dad hated his name. There aren't many Adolfs in Germany really. I'm going to talk to Aidan..

OMG You can't run fast enough to the court to change that name! Hurry, just do it! Yuck yuck yuck.
PS your family can honor him and being part German in loads of other ways. I know you do that anyways!

[SoonerTexan]

OMG You can't run fast enough to the court to change that name! Hurry, just do it! Yuck yuck yuck.

Sorry, I think you are overreacting. It's not like Aidan was named after Hitler, he was named after his grandfather. I'm guessing said grandfather may have been born around the time when Hitler was popular in Germany/before the end of WWII?

Kris, change it if it really bothers you or if it bothers Aidan. But I really don't think it's a "ick yuck OMG" situation.

[bokelley]

If it was me I would leave it. If the kid hates it when he is older he can change it. I wouldn't worry about it.

[PrincessFiona]

OMG You can't run fast enough to the court to change that name! Hurry, just do it! Yuck yuck yuck.
PS your family can honor him and being part German in loads of other ways. I know you do that anyways!

This is exactly what worries me.

Adolf was a wonderful man. I wanted to honor him after he died ... but I will have to make the choice for Aidan, I think. Aidan wants to keep it...

[diggitydot]

This is exactly what worries me.

Adolf was a wonderful man. I wanted to honor him after he died ... but I will have to make the choice for Aidan, I think. Aidan wants to keep it...

Then let him keep it. That is part of Aidan's journey.

[Vanquisher]

Then let him keep it. That is part of Aidan's journey.

Yup. And most people don't know each other's middle names. He can always decide to change it in middle or high school as he learns more about WWII and the Holocaust.

He's very young right now, and he wouldn't understand, truly, the negative feelings attached to that name, only that it is his, and he was named for his grandfather.

[Pollyanna]

Then let him keep it. That is part of Aidan's journey.

Yes this! It was a name given to honor a wonderful man, don't make it into something it's not. If Aidan wanted to change it then go for it but I think changing it against his will is far more negative at this point.