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A question for our American friends...

by Martin Avis
16 replies
I've noticed that a great many Americans use their middle initials. Most of the American people I do business with all make sure to have their middle initial displayed on their business card or headed paper.

As the use of a middle initial is somewhat rare here in the UK (and I assume in other English speaking places) I wondered why its use is so prevalent in the US and what, if any, cultural trigger caused it to become so?

From a marketing standpoint, does the use of the middle initial on a website make the owner of that site look:

a. More businesslike
b. More serious
c. More American
d. More pompous
e. More self-important
f. More trustworthy
g. Makes no difference

Martin R. Avis (It seems really weird to write my name like that!)
#american #friends #question
  • Profile picture of the author R Hagel
    Hi Martin,

    I've never noticed a lot of folks using middle initials (some, not a lot). In fact, you writing "Martin R. Avis" looked weird to me, too.

    However, I do know some folks who use middle initials. Here's why they do it:

    1. Some of them do so because their name is common, so they want to differentiate themselves. For example, a "John Smith" would likely use his middle initial so he's not so easily confused with the gazillions of other John Smiths roaming around in this country.

    2. Some families start naming their kids after other family members -- in particular, the boys get named after the fathers.

    So there might be a "Joe Senior" and a "Joe Junior" in the family. But Joe Jr. might decide that "junior" sounds unprofessional, so he uses his middle initial instead.

    Example: the father/son Bush presidents we've had in the U.S. -- the last one didn't go by "George Bush, Junior." Instead, he went by "George W. Bush." Much more professional.

    Cheers,
    Becky
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    • Profile picture of the author Martin Avis
      Thanks Becky,

      Interesting insights. I don't think too many people get named after their fathers here in teh UK - or if they do, they tend to use their middle name instead of their first name. Certainly we don;t see a lot of folks called junior or senior.

      Traffic Bug - the question certainly does impact on Internet marketing. If we accept that a very large percentage of our market is to Americans, then it may make marketing sense to make sure we use an online identity that is most likely to get a positive response.

      If it turns out that using a middle initial makes us look more professional to American eyes, while not making any difference to other nationalities, then there is no harm, and potentially great good to be done from adopting the convention.

      If, however, it makes no odds either way, then carry on calling yourself whatever you are most comfortable with.

      Anything that makes us think about what we are doing in our business communications is a marketing question, in my opinion.

      Martin
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      • Profile picture of the author marciayudkin
        Martin,

        Most attorneys use their middle initial in the professional version of their name. For instance, my father's business identity was George J. Yudkin and his brother, also a lawyer, was Harold B. Yudkin.

        However, outside of the law and academia, this pattern is quite uncommon in the U.S.

        It may be that the people you see doing this are trying to seem more important.

        Marcia Yudkin
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  • Profile picture of the author Paul Buckley
    Hmmm...I never really noticed before; however, now that I've given it some thought, I'm not sure it's particularly common.

    The U.S. is a nation of immigrants and a hogde podge of cultures. Each has their own naming traditions.

    My paternal grandparents emigrated from Ireland less than 90 years ago. Among Irish folk, it is common to use full first and middle name when addressing someone verbally. I suspect this is because we tend to name our children, especially sons, after the same dozen or so saints (Patrick, Kevin, Brian, Joseph, Paul, Brendan etc) and it becomes necessary to use two names to differentiate us

    I have always used my middle initial in my signature but not when I print my name.
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    "Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something." -Plato

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  • Profile picture of the author RobinSkeen
    It was how I was taught early on that you sign legal documents, checks, etc. with a full name. When writing a business letter, I would use my full name. Just something I've always done.
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  • Profile picture of the author Charles E. White
    Originally Posted by Traffic-Bug View Post

    Hmm does this concern internet marketing the topic of this forum? In my opinion it makes no difference. I found one quirk though in 1&1 domain registration only North Americans are allowed to put the initial first in the First name field: Check it out.
    Yep, it could concern internet marketing in knowing your customers likes and dislikes and why they do what they do.

    I use my middle initial because there are so many Charles White's. It just narrows it down a bit in identity. For example there is another Charles White on this forum, there's a Charles White that played football but neither have the middle initial of E., as far as I know.
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    • Profile picture of the author RobinSkeen
      Originally Posted by Charles E. White View Post

      For example there is another Charles White on this forum, there's a Charles White that played football but neither have the middle initial of E., as far as I know.

      And none could possibly look as good as you do either.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      Charles makes a good point - if your surname is one that many have, the middle initial can identify you specifically.

      In the US it is unusual to have more than a first and middle name while two Brits I knew had three names and then a last name. Is that common in the U.K.?

      In my own family it's a bit different as the first name is often a "family" name and many of us use our first initial, middle name or only the middle name.

      kay
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      • Profile picture of the author ChristianM
        Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

        Charles makes a good point - if your surname is one that many have, the middle initial can identify you specifically.

        In the US it is unusual to have more than a first and middle name while two Brits I knew had three names and then a last name. Is that common in the U.K.?

        In my own family it's a bit different as the first name is often a "family" name and many of us use our first initial, middle name or only the middle name.

        ksy
        In the UK it is more common for the middle name to be the "family" name.

        I also haven't noticed Brits having multiple middle names.
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  • Profile picture of the author Martin Avis
    Just steer clear of Alfred E. Neuman.

    What me worry?

    Martin
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    • Profile picture of the author Martin Avis
      As well as middle initials, there are another set of people who go one stage further...

      Harvey "The Rabbit" Segal springs to mind.

      Or Paul "Over the Oche" Myers.

      Martin
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  • Profile picture of the author bobsstuff
    A possible explanation is that legal FORMS, ever since I can remember asked for
    FIRST NAME
    MIDDLE INITIAL
    LAST NAME
    Then asked you to: Sign Below.
    The most obvious thing to sign is Robert J Hale. I always put the J. in when I sign a check or other document. If I just sign Bob Hale, I always leave out the J. -- less formal document

    My legal signature looks naked without the J.
    Signature
    Bob Hale
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  • Profile picture of the author Dave Patterson
    Originally Posted by Martin.Avis View Post


    Martin R. Avis (It seems really weird to write my name like that!)
    And to think I thought your middle name was "Dot"...
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