Catholic Confirmation Names and their use.

[David Dovey]

I'm new to Genealogy and have just started charting my tree and am puzzling over something and wondered if anyone can help explain something.
I have a Great-Grandfather who appears to use two different middle names.

He is Frances Thomas Murray on his Birth Certificate and his Military Records from WWII.
However, on his Wedding Certificate in January 1923 he is recorded as Francis JOSEPH Murray.
Then on his Son's Birth Certificate two months later in March 1923 he also uses the name Francis Joseph Murray (and also calls his son Francis Joseph Murray).
But on his sons Wedding Certificate in 1943 he is recorded as Francis Thomas Murray again!
His Death Index (not obtained a copy of the certificate yet), he is Francis T.

Knowing that he was a devout Catholic, I'm wondering if 'Joseph' was the Confirmation Name he chose.  If that is so, could/should he have used it on legal paperwork as mentioned above.
I note we has married in the Catholic Church in Birmingham.

Similarly my Great-Grandmother is only Violet on her Birth Certificate and her Wedding Certificate, but is Violet Martha on her death certificate.  I'm again thinking she converted to Catholicism in order to marry my Great-Grandfather in 1923 and chose the name Martha as a confirmation name.

Does any of the above sound feasible?
Is there any where a Catholic Confirmation name is recorded, so I could check on this?

Grateful for any general information anyone can supply

Thank You

David

[shanreagh]

I don't know about the legality of adding the name except to say that most of the Catholics I know have done so.  I come from a mixed RC/Anglican/Pres family. 

But the name chosen isn't usually one chosen out of thin air. It is often (being careful here) one of the Saints, at least all the ones I know are.  So the saint chosen is done by birthdate, child or family idnetifcation with a particular saint or even that the child resembles in character a particualr saint.  In our family we have a couple of Saints - Ambrose and Joseph. 

I note that Martha may come from St Martha
What is St. Martha patron saint of?
Saint Martha – One of Jesus' Closest Friends - International ...
The feast of St. Martha, a witness to service who confessed her faith in Jesus, is July 29. She is the patron saint of homemakers, cooks, domestic workers, waiters and waitresses, and hotel employees. 
and
https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=79

When I was confirmed into the Anglican church I received a certificate that recorded the day/date.  Had this been confirmation been accompanied by a saint's name then I am sure that had I taken this plus my birth certificate somewhere to be verified it might end up with an 'aka' being recorded so eg Anna Frances Catherine Brown where catherine is my confirmatory name I might be recorded as A F Brown aka AFC Brown

In days of old a person may be less worried about the idea of there being a problem with the birth certifcate and an added confirmation name. 

[David Dovey]

Thanks for the reply.
Sounds like those alternate middle names may indeed be Confirmation names then.

I'll try contacting the church my Great-Grandparents were married at.  Chances are that was the same church my Great-Grandmother converted to Catholicism at.  Maybe they have records I can view.

Thank you

David