Two middle names make a statement, one that usually reminds us of country manors, polo games, royalty, and presidents. ... But with families having fewer children in general, the temptation to bestow two middle names — to honor several parents, for example — is strong.

How do I choose between two middle names?

Why are middle names a thing?

Middle names began to find favor among wealthy extended families in the late 1700s. Aristocratic families increasingly began giving their children two names, so that by the time of the Revolution a quite small but traceable number of southerners carried middle names, mainly those from upper-class families.