diff --git a/src/registrar/forms/application_wizard.py b/src/registrar/forms/application_wizard.py
index 972aa42c6..247700ac6 100644
--- a/src/registrar/forms/application_wizard.py
+++ b/src/registrar/forms/application_wizard.py
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ class AuthorizingOfficialForm(RegistrarForm):
     )
     middle_name = forms.CharField(
         required=False,
-        label="Middle name",
+        label="Middle name (optional)",
     )
     last_name = forms.CharField(
         label="Last name / family name",
@@ -529,7 +529,7 @@ class YourContactForm(RegistrarForm):
     )
     middle_name = forms.CharField(
         required=False,
-        label="Middle name",
+        label="Middle name (optional)",
     )
     last_name = forms.CharField(
         label="Last name / family name",
@@ -558,7 +558,7 @@ class OtherContactsForm(RegistrarForm):
     )
     middle_name = forms.CharField(
         required=False,
-        label="Middle name",
+        label="Middle name (optional)",
     )
     last_name = forms.CharField(
         label="Last name / family name",
diff --git a/src/registrar/migrations/0001_initial.py b/src/registrar/migrations/0001_initial.py
index 8c50c750d..052fd0628 100644
--- a/src/registrar/migrations/0001_initial.py
+++ b/src/registrar/migrations/0001_initial.py
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ class Migration(migrations.Migration):
                 ),
                 (
                     "middle_name",
-                    models.TextField(blank=True, help_text="Middle name", null=True),
+                    models.TextField(blank=True, help_text="Middle name (optional)", null=True),
                 ),
                 (
                     "last_name",
diff --git a/src/registrar/migrations/0046_transitiondomain_email_transitiondomain_first_name_and_more.py b/src/registrar/migrations/0046_transitiondomain_email_transitiondomain_first_name_and_more.py
index 4fcb66713..68633dccc 100644
--- a/src/registrar/migrations/0046_transitiondomain_email_transitiondomain_first_name_and_more.py
+++ b/src/registrar/migrations/0046_transitiondomain_email_transitiondomain_first_name_and_more.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ class Migration(migrations.Migration):
         migrations.AddField(
             model_name="transitiondomain",
             name="middle_name",
-            field=models.TextField(blank=True, help_text="Middle name", null=True),
+            field=models.TextField(blank=True, help_text="Middle name (optional)", null=True),
         ),
         migrations.AddField(
             model_name="transitiondomain",
diff --git a/src/registrar/models/contact.py b/src/registrar/models/contact.py
index 41ed9f2c5..0a7ba4fa1 100644
--- a/src/registrar/models/contact.py
+++ b/src/registrar/models/contact.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ class Contact(TimeStampedModel):
     middle_name = models.TextField(
         null=True,
         blank=True,
-        help_text="Middle name",
+        help_text="Middle name (optional)",
     )
     last_name = models.TextField(
         null=True,
diff --git a/src/registrar/models/transition_domain.py b/src/registrar/models/transition_domain.py
index 3f1c8d641..3679320a7 100644
--- a/src/registrar/models/transition_domain.py
+++ b/src/registrar/models/transition_domain.py
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ class TransitionDomain(TimeStampedModel):
     middle_name = models.TextField(
         null=True,
         blank=True,
-        help_text="Middle name",
+        help_text="Middle name (optional)",
     )
     last_name = models.TextField(
         null=True,