How often does your middle name come up? For most of you, middle names aren’t used until it’s time to sign for something or identify ourselves. But what are they really for? 

History says middle names began in ancient Rome — when many Romans had three names. A praenomen was your personal name or what we call first names today.

A nomen is a family name and lives where middle names currently sit. And the cognomen, which identified what branch of the family you were from, similar to what last names do today. It was a practice mostly reserved for men. Women had two names, and slaves had only one. 

Historians said more names during this time earned more respect. But the use of middle names has evolved. Historians say elite European families in Italy revived the Roman tradition in the 13th century. Many honored saints by giving their children a second name after them in hopes it would bring protection.

But as German immigrants came to America in the 18th century, genealogists say they would begin to write a new story — slowly moving away from religious middle names and getting more creative. John Quincy Adams was the first American president with a middle name taken after his great-grandfather. 

Today, Americans are still sifting through family trees to find middle names — just not as much. 

A recent YouGov poll found 43% of Americans are named after family members, while 24% say their parents just liked the way it sounded. Lineage-related names are still a male-dominated practice. 

YouGov found 32% of men say they were named after a family member, compared to 21% of women. And men’s first and middle names are mostly taken after their fathers. 

So, while old traditions seem to be dwindling, it appears that families still aren’t done passing the torch. 

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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Two white men have been charged in connection with an alleged racial attack on a Black man at an Indiana lake on the Fourth of July.

The alleged victim, Vauhxx Booker, said the news of charges against Sean Purdy and Jerry Cox "isn't a happy moment."

"It's a necessary moment," said Booker, a civil rights activist and member of the Monroe County Human Rights Commission.

Booker and his attorney, Katharine Liell, held a press conference after the Monroe County Prosecutor's Office announced charges Friday. It was held virtually, as Booker has recently tested positive for COVID-19.

Booker said five white men pinned him against a tree at Lake Monroe, shouted racial slurs and one of them threatened to “get a noose” during the incident over Independence Day weekend.

Booker said he's often asked what should happen to Purdy and Cox, and he says it's not for him to say.

"That's not my place to decide," he said. "We have a legal system and what I want now is for our neighbors to do their part and decide the fate of these individuals."

According to a report released Thursday by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, state investigators identified six potential crimes by Sean Purdy and Jerry Cox, as well as Booker. No charges have been filed against Booker by the prosecutor's office.

"This is about justice," Booker said. "Part of that is going to be the need to move on to the federal level. This stopped being just about me and stopped being about the nation the moment I chose to speak out."

Purdy faces the following charges:

• 35-42-3-3(a)/F5: Criminal Confinement with bodily injury
• 35-42-2-1(c)(1)/F6: Battery Resulting in Moderate Bodily Injury
• 35-45-2-1(a)(4)/F6: Intimidation

Purdy’s legal team is aware of the charges and will not be responding Friday.

Cox faces the following charges:

• 35-42-3-3(a)/F5: Criminal Confinement with bodily injury
• 35-42-2-1(c)(1)/F6: Battery Resulting in Moderate Bodily Injury
• 35-45-2-1(a)(4)/MA: Intimidation
• 35-42-2-1(c)(1)/MB: Battery
• 35-42-2-1(c)(1)/MB: Battery

This story was originally published by Matt McKinney at WRTV.

Data released from the Labor Department showed the U.S. economy lost 140,000 jobs in the month of December, and it appears women accounted for all of the job losses.

For the month of December, the data show men overall gained 16,000 jobs, while women lost 156,000, for a total loss to the economy for that month of 140,000.

Not just women, minority women. The data shows Black and Hispanic women lost jobs in December, while white women gained. In December, Hispanic women have the highest unemployment rate at 9.1%, followed by Black women at 8.4%, with white women at 5.7%. The data does not break out other racial or ethnic identities in unemployment rates.

Overall, the unemployment rate in this country in December was 6.7%.

For months, analysts and economists have been pointing to the number of women leaving the workforce, for two main reasons. Women, and especially women of color, disproportionately work in some of the hardest-hit areas of the economy like retail, restaurants, education and hospitality.

Second, women have been more likely than men to leave a job to stay home with kids who are remote learning or whose daycare has closed.

"Those sectors are less likely to have flexibility, so when employers are inflexible or women can't come to work because of caregiving responsibilities — they have to exit the workforce," C. Nicole Mason, president and CEO of the Institute for Women's Policy Research, told CNN.

December’s Labor statistics were a blow to the economy, after analysts had expected small gains the report showed a huge drop. This was the first time since April that U.S. employers overall cut jobs.

In April, 22 million jobs were cut, and according to the December jobs report, the economy still has 9.9 million fewer jobs than it did before the pandemic.

Of those 9.9 million jobs that have not returned since February, the Labor Department says roughly 5.4 million were held by women and 4.4 million were held by men.