Middle names are certainly more popular than they ever have been. If a person has a common first and last name a middle name can help her be distinguished from other people with the same name.
James, Alan, Michael and William top the list of most common boys’ middle names, with Louise, Marie, Anne, and Grace sitting atop of the chart for girls, according to research by Ancestry.com and namenerds.com.
Keep reading to learn more about common middle names.
Top Ten Common Middle Names
A study conducted by Ancestry.com (in the UK), shows that many of the middle names’ parents select for their children are based on heritage, rather than drawn from the most common names lists. Instead, common middle names are drawn from traditional names. Most commonly, middle names were chosen as they were commemorating a grandparent, the mother or father (or their middle name), a family name, an aunt or uncle, or a great grandparent.
Top ten middle names for girls
In these lists you’ll find the most popular and common middle names for girls.
Common middle names for girls in US
| 1 | Marie / Maree |
| 2 | Anne / Ann |
| 3 | Lynn |
| 4 | Elizabeth |
| 5 | Lee / Leigh |
| 6 | Nicole |
| 7 | Louise |
| 8 | Michelle |
| 9 | Renee |
| 10 | Jean |
The data of common middle names for girls in the US was compiled from thousands of names supplied by namenerds visitors in a un-scientific survey.
Common middle names for girls in UK
| 1 | Louise |
| 2 | Rose |
| 3 | Grace |
| 4 | Jane |
| 4 | Elizabeth |
| 5 | Anne/Ann |
| 6 | May / Mae |
| 7 | Marie |
| 8 | Mary |
| 9 | Amy |
| 9 | Catherine |
| 10 | Victoria |
| 10 | Kate |
Top ten middle names for boys
In these lists you’ll find the most popular middle names for boys.
Common middle names for boys in US
| 1 | Alan |
| 2 | Michael |
| 3 | James |
| 4 | William |
| 5 | Lee |
| 6 | John |
| 7 | Robert |
| 8 | Andrew |
| 9 | David |
| 10 | Joseph |
The data of common middle names for girls in the US was compiled from thousands of names supplied by namenerds visitors in a un-scientific survey.
Common middle names for boys in UK
| 1 | James |
| 2 | John |
| 3 | William |
| 4 | Thomas |
| 5 | David |
| 6 | Robert |
| 7 | Edward |
| 8 | Peter |
| 8 | Lee |
| 9 | Christopher |
| 9 | Alexander |
| 10 | Michael |
| 10 | Daniel |
Common Middle names
Looking for a middle name for your baby boy or baby girl? Browse our list of common middle names below.
Common Middle Names for girls
Browse our list of common middle names for girls.
| Alaine | Faith | Mae |
| Alexandra | Fay | Maree |
| Alexis | Fayre | Margaret |
| Alice | Fern | Maria |
| Alicia | Frances | Mariam |
| Alissa | Gail | Marie |
| Allison | Gemma | Mary |
| Allyce | Grace | Mary |
| Amanda | Hayden | Maureen |
| Amber | Heather | May |
| Amelia | Helen | Melissa |
| Amy | Hope | Michelle |
| Anais | Irene | Monique |
| Andrea | Isabel | Nalia |
| Anise | Jade | Nicole |
| Ann | Jane | Noel |
| Anna | Jean | None |
| Anne | Jeanette | Paige |
| Annette | Jennifer | Paige |
| Antonella | Jo | Paisley |
| Ashley | Joan | Patrice |
| Belle | Joann | Patricia |
| Berkley | Johanna | Pauline |
| Beth | Josephine | Phoenix |
| Blossom | Josie | Rachel |
| Brooke | Joy | Rae |
| Caitlin | Joyce | Rain |
| Carol | Julia | Rebecca |
| Catherine | Julien | Renee |
| Charlotte | June | Rose |
| Christina | Kamilah | Ruby |
| Christine | Kate | Ruth |
| Claire | Kathleen | Ryan |
| Colleen | Kathren | Sarah |
| Danielle | Kay | Saturn |
| Dawn | Kristin | Sue |
| Deanne | Lane | Susan |
| Dee | Laura | Suzanne |
| Della | Lauren | Theresa |
| Demi | Leah | Therese |
| Denise | Leann | Victoria |
| Diana | Lee | Virginia |
| Diane | Leigh | Xiomara |
| Eileen | Lesley | Yvonne |
| Elaine | Lily | |
| Elise | Lorraine | |
| Elizabeth | Louise | |
| Ellen | Love | |
| Emily | Lux | |
| Erin | Lynette | |
| Eva | Lynn | |
| Evelyn | Lynne |
Common Middle Names for boys
Browse our list of common middle names for boys.
| Aaron | George | Nash |
| Ace | Glenn | Nova |
| Adam | Gordon | Oliver |
| Alan | Graham | Orlando |
| Alexander | Gregory | Oscar |
| Allen | Griffin | Patrick |
| Andrew | Hendrix | Paul |
| Anthony | Henry | Peter |
| Arthur | Hyrum | Peter |
| Asher | Isaac | Phillip |
| Atlas | Jack | Quintin |
| Bailey | Jackson | Randall |
| Benicio | James | Ray |
| Benjamin | Jason | Raymond |
| Bjorn | Jax | Rhett |
| Brett | Jay | Rhys |
| Bryant | John | Richard |
| Cameron | Joseph | Riley |
| Carl | Jude | Robert |
| Carson | Justin | Russell |
| Casey | Kai | Ryan |
| Charles | Keith | Ryder |
| Christopher | Kenji | Ryder |
| Claude | Knox | Santana |
| Conrad | Lawrence | Scott |
| Craig | Lee | Shane |
| Damon | Leigh | Sonny |
| Daniel | Lennon | Stephen |
| Dante | Lewis | Stuart |
| David | Liam | Sutton |
| Dean | Lincoln | Theo |
| Dominick | Louis | Thomas |
| Douglas | Lucas | Timothy |
| Drake | Luke | Tobias |
| Drew | Lynn | Todd |
| Dustin | Mark | Troy |
| Edward | Martin | Tyler |
| Elliot | Matthew | Wallace |
| Eric | Maximus | Walter |
| Eugene | Michael | Watson |
| Fernando | Miles | Wayne |
| Ford | Myles | Wesley |
| Forest | William | |
| Francis | Zaid | |
| Zion |
Read more: Why Do People Have Middle Names?