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Do you have, or know a boy named Kit (Christopher) - any annoyances?

27 replies

persephoneplum · 03/01/2013 13:22

I have wanted a boy named Kit for the longest time, and now we are expecting our third boy, it's very much on the table, with my husband finally agreeing it's a great nickname for Christopher which is my dad's name.

Now here's the dilemma - Christopher is a great option for us as it honours my father, and it has my favourite nickname of Kit attached to it (my Dad goes by Chris). The thing is that we don't intend to ever call him Christopher and don't wish anyone else to either, unless he himself decides to go by it later, which is of course, his choice. Whilst a baby and child, his name will be Kit.

I'd love to hear from people who have experience with using a different formal name to the nickname, and what annoyances there are with it. Obviously his new teacher at the beginning of every year might start out thinking she has a Christopher in the class but soon learn he goes by Kit.

My husband seems to think it will all be too annoying and I'm a little torn, so your stories might help us decide if the annoyances will be too much or not. We don't want to put Kit on the birth certificate either, rather than Christopher.

Thanks so much - would love to hear from parents of boys called Kit and whether there are too many annoyances with formal name / nickname confusion.

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12ylnon · 03/01/2013 13:40

I know a Kit. It didn't really occur to me that his real name was Christopher until quite a while into our friendship! Every one knows him as kit. He used his nickname as the name for his menswear label.
I really wouldn't worry about it, it's a lovely name!

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SaskiaRembrandtVampireHunter · 03/01/2013 14:35

I don't have a Christopher or a Kit, but DS3 and DS4 are both known by nicknames rather than their formal names, and the nickname DS4 uses is not often used in conjunction with his formal name in this country, although it is elsewhere. It's never been a problem though. At school they tend to ask what name a child is known by when they first start, and it's noted down so the teacher should know. And if he/she doesn't you can always have a word on the first day to remind them.

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Snowflakepie · 03/01/2013 14:47

Over the years I have known loads of kids who go by a nickname rather than their given name. There is a box on the school records for 'goes by' and most kids will happily correct teachers. The only time I can remember issues was if someone went by a completely different name, for example Gertrude Emma called Emma, because the first name was something awful (just an example btw, in case Gertrude has suddenly got popular again). Then the other kids I the class would take the mick for most of the day but it would pass. Tended to be supply teachers who didn't know that caused that. Kit is a recognised short form of Christopher and I don't think would be an issue. It's currently the top of my boys list too!

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Battlefront · 03/01/2013 14:57

The only issue that springs to mind is the use of initials. For example, I know an (adult) Tony. Lots of official mail and even some quite important documents refer to Mr T XXX, when of course his actual name is Mr A XXXX (Anthony)

It can cause problems, for example, when trying to provide proof of ID. His passport is Anthony, but his utility bills are addressed to Mr T and no, the banks can't/won't accept that there's an obvious reason, he had to get everything changed.

Provided your DS thinks of this before setting up utility accounts and when completing other forms and paperwork, I think Kit's a lovely name (and I like Christopher too) The problem my friend had is that he hates his actual name, so whenever he can get away with it accounts are opened using the nickname.

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Jojobells1986 · 03/01/2013 15:01

You might have to be prepared for those who will insist on calling him Chris if they know his full name. My DS goes by either his full name or one variant of it but several people insist on calling him another variant. I asked a close friend who we see regularly not to call him that as we don't consider that to be his name & the response was a passive-aggressive "Well, I think mum just needs to let go because she can't control what you get called at school, can she?" addressed to my 3mo! Hmm Sorry, call me a bit pfb but I wasn't prepared to 'let go' of my 3mo just to suit her! Pretty sure that I'm his mother & we chose his name, not her! I'm not keen on her boys' names but I haven't re-named them! I was tempted to start calling her Bob though! Wink

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farmersdaugther · 03/01/2013 17:12

Watching with interest as I want a DS called Kit(t) but not Christopher.

I did meet a mother with a new baby called Kitt not sort for anything!

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Snowflakepie · 03/01/2013 17:38

Funny you should say that jojo, my niece is Charlotte and because my SIL didn't like Charlie as a nn she has been called lottie from birth. No one has ever called her anything different, she is introduced as lottie and that's it. The initial thing would be an issue maybe but knowing one is an official name and one an everyday name is not so uncommon really. I think with a nn like Kit people would assume it was a nn and not the full name so actually the comments along the lines of 'is that his real name' which I get with my dd would be more annoying.

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mysteryfairy · 03/01/2013 17:53

I wanted to call DS2 Kit. It's still one of my absolute favourite boy's names. In our case it would have been short for Christian. We struggled with the fact that the initial for his nickname would be different from the initial for his full name and I wasn't sure what his initial would therefore be iyswim. The second thing that put me off was that DH kept singing the theme from Knightrider (this may not be an issue if you are much younger than me).

DS1 and DD are both known by obvious shortenings at school - think Jake for Jacob kind of thing - and this has never caused any issues. However I have a niece who is called Lily short for Elizabeth and whilst it was no problem at primary school she has had loads of issues at secondary school - lots of teachers checking registers and saying she is not on them etc.

I still think you should use it though - lovely name.

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natsmum100 · 03/01/2013 19:36

I have a friend whose nephew was known by a nn. One teacher insisted on calling him by his full name. So his name was changed by deed poll to shortened form.
I think that after the first year of school, your DS would be known by all teachers as Kit. It's a great name.

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DessieLou · 05/01/2013 19:22

I went to school with a Kit and as far as I know it wasn't short for anything. No one questioned ut as that's just what he went by, iykwim.

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FiveGoMadInDorset · 05/01/2013 19:24

Both Kit's i know are Christopher but have always been known by Kit, one is in his 60's and the other is a teenager.

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redandwhitesprinkles · 05/01/2013 19:27

I know 2 kits one is just kit, the other kieran. Why not just have kit?

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persephoneplum · 05/01/2013 22:50

Christopher is my father's name, so we are honouring him and it is important that we do so. I don't have much intense love for the full name, but want to use it and would totally accept it if Kit wanted to use it down the track. What I would not accept, is if some person in his life started calling him Christopher full time, as a child or baby.

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Flutterbutterby · 05/01/2013 22:58

My DB is known as Kit. His first name is not Christopher but a similar name which begins with a K. My DPs filled in Kit as his 'known as' name on forms etc and I don't think it was until he started senior school that anyone ever called him by his actual first name (he has Kit as a 3rd MN btw, although I see you don't want to do that). Everyone calls him Kit and he always introduces himself as Kit.

He has had a few Kit Kat comments but his age group (20ish) are not as aware of Knightrider etc. I've only met one other, a woman in her late 30s, actual name Catherine/Kathryn. I think it's a great name.

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bevelino · 05/01/2013 22:59

One of my dd's is a Catherine but has been known as Kit from birth. No one has ever called her Catherine and we have had no problems whatsoever. If she had been a boy she would have been named Christopher on the birth certificate but called Kit. It's a great name and we have met other Kits but they have been boys. Girls are normally Kitty. Go for it!

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catsrus · 05/01/2013 23:03

I know a young man in his 20's who is a Christopher/Kit - not a problem (he was at school with my dcs) he got called Kit by everyone.

I had a nickname at school that was totally unrelated to my first name and even teachers used it Grin

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bananaramma · 05/01/2013 23:11

I would avoid having different initials between full name (used for passport, health records and all official forms) and nickname.

If you want Kit, I'd either name him just Kit or use another K name.

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persephoneplum · 05/01/2013 23:41

Sorry but using a K name is not possible - Christopher is my father's name and we are honouring him. I don't see the initial thing being too dire.

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ZooAnimals · 05/01/2013 23:56

I think a lot depends on how you 'announce' the name when he's born. If you say 'Christopher, but will be known as Kit' then you're much more likely to get people calling him Christopher. If you make the announcement 'baby Kit arrived at xxx etc', then people are more likely to just call him Kit.

I'm not sure how much of an honour it will be for your father though, 'we're naming him after you Dad, but don't you dare call him that name! I don't like it and want him to be called something quite different' Confused

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persephoneplum · 06/01/2013 00:16

Well of course I wouldn't be saying that to my father! He is called Chris and Christopher, and Kit being my favourite nickname, it's the perfect opportunity to delineate who is who. He is a very mild-mannered man and would never insist on calling the kid after him - I think he will just be thrilled to be honoured at all.

It really is as simple as using another nickname other than Chris. No biggie for my dad at all.

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birdofthenorth · 06/01/2013 00:18

DD is Elizabeth known as Bess everyone calls her Bess not Elizabeth or Lizzy. No big problems so far, even with the different initials. She calls Elizabeth her "big name"

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Startail · 06/01/2013 00:20

Kits lovely, much better than Chris which to me is female, I have an Auntie Christine so that's my childhood association.

Primary school learn NN quite happily and senior school have a space for preferred name on the contact form.

I've always been known by my NN, I just told teachers that's what I preferred.

Only the head of the lower school ever used my full name, I never quite dared to correct him.

HT of the senior school was a twit, I was more than happy to correct him.
The PE teachers reports always read startail StarGrin

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Arseface · 06/01/2013 00:26

We have an Elizabeth who goes by Lily and DH's family were weirdly adamant that she should be known as Lizzy for the first year or so.
Was a bit odd but soon resolved when she got old enough to decide what she wanted to be called herself.
Has never caused her any probs at school/groups/banks etc.

Love Kit for Christopher btw.

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Musomathsci · 06/01/2013 00:26

I know a couple of Kits - one is definitely a Christopher, but has always been known as Kit, and the other I have no idea whether it is a nickname. I don't think it is likely to cause problems as long as you always use Christopher on official paperwork. Friends and school teachers and so on will quickly get to know that Kit is his preferred name, and anyone who is rude enough to insist on calling him anything else can just be quietly corrected and subsequently ignored if they refuse to comply. How dare anyone dictate what someone else's name should be?!

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soimpressed · 06/01/2013 00:28

My DS is known by his nickname. I always called him that but introduced him by his full name when we met people. Before starting school he said he wanted everyone to call him by his nickname.

Now he very rarely gets called by his actual name but did say recently he might start and use it if he ever got knighted Hmm.

I love the name Kit.

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