Originally Posted by
virmaior
This is largely incorrect.
Having a middle name is foreign to people here in Japan. That foreigners have a middle name is well-known.
Names are generally not translated but transliterated. And the pronunciation in Japanese is also one word for the first names .... and it is a "given name" just the same as we have them in the West (your "family name" / "last name" is one you get based on the law, your "first" name is one you get given specifically)
I am not interested in hair splitting. <phonetic translation> is what I said , which is +/- equal to transliterated. I also think your generalization that foreigners having a middle name is well known is highly arguable. Who are the foreigners in question? You seem to imply foreigners = westerners. Let's just stop at it's unusual East Asians to have the equivalent of middle name and leave it at that. Any other generalization is bound to cause more confusion than helping the OP.