Gabriel

[Ficidy]

Due in a week and this is my favourite name at the moment. I think we'd probably shorten it to Gabe. Anyway, I'm worried about him being made fun of and called 'Gay'. Not that it matters nowadays, but little things like that upset kids.

Anyone with a Gabriel ever experienced this? Am I over-thinking things?

[dementedma]

My friend's son is a teenage Gabriel. He gets Gabe sometimes but not gay, as far as I know.

[villainousbroodmare]

I think Gabriel is lovely as it is, and imo Gay is a nicer nn than Gabe (makes me think of Gape).
I have a female cousin called Gaye and she has survived very well.

[Idefix]

I have a Gabriel and we do shorten it to Gabe.
Occasionally ds has been called gayboy, mostly late primary school but it never bothered him and did not last.
The other issue we have had is pronunciation, often said the European way again ds has never been bothered by this.

[LBOCS2]

We have one and he doesn't get that (AFAIK). He's 8. Mostly we call him Gabe or G.

[Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost]

Dp wanted us to use this if we ever have had a boy, but I can't use it. . Well technically I could but its too much of a long story to go into
Definitely use it if you can

[SoWhite]

I really like it.

[lavendersun]

Me too, I think it is a fab name. You are overthinking it. .

[Postino]

When I was younger I had a neighbour called Gabriel. I was slightly older and regularly had to defend him from the bullies on the walk home from the school bus (bullying about his name). It was really sad.

Sorry to be negative. This was circa 1990 so things may be completely different now.

[TheMshipIsBack]

It's my son's name, surprisingly not unusual in our neighbourhood (lots of Polish Catholic families) and we've never had any issues. Love the eastern European pronunciation though we say it the American way and shorten to Gabe.

[Fink]

Love this name! We've got a few Gabriels/Gabrielles in the family. I've known people shorten it to Gay but only older generation through choice, not done as bullying. Gabe is quite common but I prefer to use the long form and none of them object to it.

One of them was in class with a Raphael and a Jerome, and I think possibly an Aloysius (may have been the other class). So no room for teasing Gabriel. May go down less well in other areas.

[Elis1905]

I love the name Gabriel. It's in my top 6 DS names. Like the shortening to Gabe. I only know one Gabe who's 31. Lots of nicknames but only gay a couple of times in jest.

[pilates]

I wouldn't use it for the reason you have mentioned.

[cosytoaster]

It's my son's middle name (would've been his first name but vetoed by then DH for this very reason). He really hated it in primary school, although he wasn't teased about it, but loves it now (he's 13).

[LBOCS2]

Oh, actually I know an adult Gabriel too. He's never had any problems with his name AFAIK, and we were at school together.

[Gracey79]

Love Gabriel. Would have had it for ds If a family member didn't use it first. Don't think nn is anything to worry about either

[Aftershock15]

My year 6 ds has known 2 Gabriels - one in infants and one in Juniors. I've never heard him or any of the other children shorten them to Gay. Either full name or Gabs.