Styling your name to include a middle initial is far less common now, but in the 19th and 20th centuries, abbreviating your middle name was popular among everyone from presidents to activists.

The Meaning Behind 9 Famous Middle Initials

Famous Figures

S tyling your name to include a middle initial is far less common now, but in the 19th and 20th centuries, abbreviating your middle name was popular among everyone from presidents to activists. Today, it's hard to imagine John Rockefeller's name without the "D" or Susan Anthony without the "B," but at the same time, many people aren't sure what those letters actually stand for. Here's the meaning behind some of history's most famous but mysterious middle initials.

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