Any child can tell you that the sole purpose of a middle name is so he can tell when he’s really in trouble. — Dennis Frakes

Ah, middle names: those seldom uttered but much anguished upon appendages of personal appellation. Pride of our parents, mirth of our peers, bane of our preparatory schoolyard years.

Have you ever wondered where our middle names come from? I did, and I discovered there are some historical and social factors that commonly influence our choices. What follows is a humours look at the Seven Species of middle place monikers. Which one do you most identify with?

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