<P> Furthermore, when the term middle name was introduced in Swedish ("mellannamn") the word was assumed by many to mean the additional given names (apart from the "name of address" (tilltalsnamn)), so since 1983 the word is being used more and more in this, officially, erratic meaning . </P> <P> Occasionally, Scandinavians choose to use their middle name as their surname in everyday life . So Per Gottfrid Svartholm Warg has Per and Gottfrid as his given names, where Gottfrid, not Per, is his name of address, Svartholm as his middle name and Warg as his last name, but in practice he uses Svartholm as a surname . This usage, however, is unofficial . Historically, a middle name could become part of a double - barreled surname (family name) and hence cease to be a middle name, especially if used for several generations . There are many family names of this kind, which contributes to the confusion about middle names that shall not be hyphenated . Some of these double - barreled surnames are combined with a hyphen, while others are not, so a double surname without a hyphen can sometimes be indistinguishable from a middle name followed by a family name . </P> <P> In Scandinavia, there is no limit on how many given names one can have . Given names have never been referred to as middle names, apart from many in Sweden believing so, as mentioned above . The use of more than two or three given names is generally associated with the upper class . The first given name is not necessarily the name of address . For the sake of completeness, Swedish forms often ask people to fill in all their given names and to indicate which one is their "name of address" (tilltalsnamn). </P> <P> Traditional middle names in Vietnamese are "Văn" for male names and "Thị" for female names . However, modern Vietnamese do not consider these to be attractive names, especially "Thị". Therefore, nowadays popular middle names also are popular first names . Middle names play an important role in Vietnamese full names; they could help creating beautiful names when combine with first names, distinguishing people who have the same first name (there are many common last names in Vietnam), and also distinguishing the gender of the names (unisex names are used widely in Vietnam). Hence, Vietnamese rarely abbreviate their middle names . </P>

What is the meaning of first name middle name and last name