How to reference an adopted person

Question

My father was born Dean Roland Steele. His adopted name was Dean Allen Butterfield.  The adoptive parents have passed so no worry about feelings there, what is the proper way to list his name.  If they had left his middle name alone it would be easy. There is no doubt he was adopted nor who the bio parents were (I have both of his birth certificates, the original and the one issued at the time of adoption. ) In addition he reunited with his biological father several times although his mother wanted nothing to do with him.
Any suggestions would be appreciated (sorry if this is covered in the adoption section but I got lost fast in there and didn't see what I was looking for)

Terry

Comments

If you have not already done so, you can add the adoption template --

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Template:Adopted_Child

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Hi Terry and welcome to WikiTree. Adoption Angels has a help page for this very question.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Adoptees:_How_to_Set_Up_Your_Profile

If this doesn't cover your question, let me know and I'd be happy to help you further.

Answer 1

Terry, my recommendation (which others may disagree with) is to use Dean Roland as proper first name and Dean Allen as preferred first name and leave middle name blank.

This is the way names are usually entered for cultures in several European countries that don't relate to the concept of middle names, yet use multiple first names.  If you do this, WikiTree will pop up an alert asking if you really want to do it, but will allow it.

Comments

Since I am not trying to show the adoptive family at all, only show both sets of names for my dad, his sister, and their half brothers and sisters, this way makes sense. There is  a story behind this, I just dont know what all of it is.