segundo nombre
/seɡundo nombɾe/from spelling rulesmasculine
The English phrase 'middle name' is translated into Spanish as segundo nombre.
The term is used to refer to the name that appears between a person's given name and their surname.
Meaning: name between given name and surname (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'second name'.
Which one should you use?
While English speakers use the term 'middle name', Spanish speakers typically refer to this part of a name as the 'second name'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase segundo nombre is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/seɡundo nombɾe/
Did you know?
- Because many Spanish-speaking people use two surnames, a person with a 'segundo nombre' might actually have four names in total.
- The word segundo is considered a 'semi-learned' word because it kept its Latin vowel instead of evolving into segondo, which was the expected phonetic shift in Old Spanish.
- In some historical Spanish contexts, the 'segundo nombre' was often chosen to honor a religious figure, such as a saint.
Examples in context
- Peligro es mi segundo nombre.Danger is my middle name.Tatoeba #1389726 by marcelostockle, translation #1389722 by CM
- El segundo nombre de Daphne era Violet.Daphne's middle name was Violet.Tatoeba #13687435 by Seael, translation #13687427 by Seael
- Mi segundo nombre es María.My middle name is Maria.
- ¿Cuál es su segundo nombre?What is your middle name?
- Mi segundo nombre es Ana.My middle name is Ana.
- No puse mi segundo nombre en el formulario.I didn't put my middle name on the form.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are filling out official documents at a cafe.
- Elena¿Cuál es tu segundo nombre?What is your middle name?
- JavierMi segundo nombre es Manuel.My middle name is Manuel.
- ElenaA mí me falta escribir el mío.I forgot to write mine down.
- JavierNo te preocupes, Elena, lo puedes corregir.Don't worry, Elena, you can correct it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “middle name” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries nombre, segundo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
