How do names work in your language? Does the family name go first, or at the end? Do you have middle names, or anything similar? Listen to a conversation about this topic and learn useful new vocabulary in this free English listening lesson.
Woman: I’m sorry, I get confused with western names sometimes. Which is your surname?
Man: Barry is my surname. Craig’s my first name.
Woman: You know, in my country, we always write the family name first. That’s why I mix them up sometimes.
Man: No problem. I can see how that could be confusing!
Woman: Around the office, people often call you something else. What is it… Monty?
Man: Oh, that! That’s just a nickname.
Woman: How did you get it?
Man: Ah, well, that’s a conversation for another time.
Woman: Is it something rude?
Man: No, not exactly, but…
Woman: I see! Do you have a middle name?
Man: I don’t, no. What about you?
Woman: Kind of. In my country we have a first name and surname, same as here. Then, you get a second name which is based on your father’s first name. I don’t know the word in English.
Man: It’s called a patronym, I think.
Woman: Is that the same as a middle name?
Man: Not really, although I think a lot of people use their relatives’ names as middle names. You know, you might use your uncle’s first name, or your grandmother’s first name as a middle name for your child. Everyone’s different, though!
Woman: So why don’t you have one?
Man: I dunno. You’d have to ask my parents!
Names Listening Lesson Quiz
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