What is the relevance or importance of a middle name?

Question:

What is the relevance or importance of a middle name?

I would like to change mine to the correct spelling, of which is in my family tree.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: They help identify which "John Adams" you mean.

They can be used to keep a mother's maiden name alive, which in turn gives us genealogists a clue.

As to changing it - go ahead. Just tell the DMV, your employer and your credit card company you found out the spelling you gave them was wrong. As long as you don't do it to defraud someone, you can change it without going through a court. Women do it all the time, when Miss Mary Kay Jones marries and becomes Mrs. Mary Jones Smith.