Middle Names

Authors

William Webster

Abstract

For the purpose of this article, a middle name is a given name that can be centered in a dictionary word-the longer, the better. Two-letter names such as ED, AL, and JO can always be embedded (feEDer, deALer, banJOist), and I do not consider them further. Below is a type collection of nearly one hundred middle names of three or more letters; no doubt readers can add more. Six-letter names are hard to embed, and there is only one-seven-letter example. Often, one encounters agonizing near-misses like sCARLet, ePAULet and mAGNESia. I am indebted to the editor for adding a number of names to the list.

Recommended Citation

Webster, William (2001) "Middle Names," Word Ways: Vol. 34 : Iss. 3 , Article 20.
Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/wordways/vol34/iss3/20