In the USA every year the Middle Name Pride Day celebrated – a day that should put the middle name in the foreground. It was introduced by name researcher Jerry Hill, who launched an entire “Celebrate Your Name Week” in 1997. He wanted to draw attention to various aspects of onomastics, i.e. name research.
In Germany, middle names are not entirely uncommon, but they are not particularly common either. Not every child gets one from their parents. It’s completely different in the United States, where middle names are standard. It often has a symbolic meaning, e.g. reminiscent of family traditions, ancestors or roots abroad.
It’s no different with celebrities. In our photo series we reveal the middle names of some stars – and also what stories lie behind them.
JK Rowling just made up her middle name
And sometimes they’re pretty weird. Actor Uwe Ochsenknecht and his wife Natascha, for example, all named their children Jimi Blue, Wilson Gonzalez and Cheyenne Savannah after their respective birth circumstances.
Bestselling author JK Rowling, on the other hand, became world famous with her initials, but simply invented them: the publisher assumed that the “Harry Potter” books would appeal more to teenage boys than to the general public. However, it is feared that a woman as the author could deter young readers. That’s why Rowling should only appear with her initials – and came up with the additional name Kathleen, although she has no middle name by birth.
What stands out: There are some celebrities who do Middle Name Pride Day don’t do much credit. James Corden and Leonardo DiCaprio even kept their real names from the public for a long time — for different reasons. Some people who are rather embarrassed to have their name on their ID card can understand that.
Incidentally, it was completely different with Duchess Meghan: She first became known as an actress and then as Prince Harry’s wife around the world under her middle name. Actually, her first name is Rachel.
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
