To not like nicknames as full names?

I really dislike these threads - you know people reading them have the names you are choosing to slate. It’s just mean. Obviously people have different preferences on what names they like. No one name is going to be universally liked or loathed. But I cannot fathom why people start threads just to tell the world about names they dislike, surely knowing that they will upset some people.

I really wanted to call dd Katie but ex-dp would only agree if we named her Catherine. I didn't want Catherine, to me it's a completely different name, so we had to choose something else.

I hate the opposite. Call your child what you want to call them
If your name is Charlotte it is Charlotte not Dot, Dottie, Charlie, charlz, Lottie

YABU. I chose the shortened version of a name for my daughter but put the longer one on the birth certificate for the reasons you've stated. We've only ever used the short version, as far as we're concerned that's her name, and that's how she views herself. We've had difficulty getting the message across with school, some teachers seem to think they should use her "proper" name, no matter how many times they're told, and she hates it. If I had a do over I'd just put the short version on her birth certificate.

I also go by a nickname and mine's not even a recognised abbreviation of my name, it's an unusual weird name that my sister gave me when we were little and has just stuck. For years I used to introduce myself by my proper name because I thought people wouldn't take me seriously, especially at work, but then if I ended up befriending work colleagues I would want to change the name they knew me by because I really don't identify with the name on my birth certificate at all. These days I use the nickname professionally as well and, while people do sometimes ask for an explanation, no one has suggested it makes me unprofessional, and it does make me memorable.

I don’t really understand the viewpoint of wanting your child to be called Alfie/ Beth/ Bobby etc but putting a full name on the birth certificate. How many people who grew up being called a name throughout their entire childhoods are goi g to turn around in adulthood and announce actually they are now to be known as Alfred/ Liz/ Robert?

All the friends I grew up with who were called diminutives (Becky, Jenny, Jess, Lizzie, Vicky, Tom, Chris, Matt, Mike etc) are still known by those diminutives now. I don’t know anybody who has turned around now they’re an adult and insisted they’re known by their full name, including those who have gone on to be doctors and lawyers etc.

I hated growing up that I had a name that couldn't be shortened. The person who never met me called me the sake as my closest friends and family.

Equally I think its important to give a name with recognised shortenings which are still a name in own right. We chose the name but they have to live with it their whole life, so it's only right they have a say over it. Think Emily, which can be Emmy, Milly, Emma, Mimi. If we had gone with our first choice of Emmie, would have given her much fewer options than going with Emily. It also grows with her. When she was little she was Mimi, she is now Ems at primary, is thinking she would like Milly when teenager and Emily as a grown up. None of these being the Emmie that we originally were going with. I'm so glad we gave her options

I find this a really bizarre thought process, that some names are superior to others. They’re all just a bunch of letters put together then you’ve added senseless rules. If you like the name Ricky but not Richard why would you call you dc Richard on paper?

My dd has a nave mn thinks is a nickname but it’s actually been it’s own name since the 16th century so it’s not something new.

I grew up in a country where nicknames are rare. I never got the British thing with using one name.officially but actually calling the child something else. Now I've lived here 30+ years I somewhat get it but to me. If you want to use the nickname as a main name I've no issue with people doing that.

My friends son is Ben my friend used to go nuts when teachers would call him Benjamin

Both my children have the diminutive versions of names on their birth certificates. That's their name. We didn't like the long versions and didn't want the long versions on their birth certificate.

And only once have we been asked about youngest's name (never been asked about eldest).

I've never understood the fascination with having "proper" names. Both my children's names are their proper names.

If you are introduced to a "Dave" surely you just call them Dave, and don't say "but your full name is David, right? Because they have told you what they want to be called. I have this with my own name, I use my full name, never the shortened version yet prople are rude enough to change it to the version they prefer.

We also committed the mumsnet sin of not giving them middle names...

I knew a girl called Tania Twisterton who was called Twisto. She allegedly changed her official name to Twisto or Twisty by deed poll and uses it at work. It's ridiculous.

I thought giving an alliterative name with a silly surname was not a good idea.

I prefer using the full version of a name on BC and just calling the child by preferred nickname. Gives the child more options when they're older of what they prefer to be called. DS has a name like this (think like Christoper as legal name, but we call him Topher). It is strange to me when medical professionals for example assume baby goes by other other shortening (e.g Chris). I don't mind it exactly it just sounds strange to me to hear the other shortening even though it's more common.

Despite my feelings on this, I think some nicknames have become so popular they do become names in their own right. For example Theo is huge but hardly any are Theodore. I know a few Kates who are not Catherine's and that doesn't seem strange to me, Kate feels like a proper name on its own.

Haha exactly the same here! It's nice to have the option but I know a few Teddy's as an adult and my brother is 20 and he knows loads!

I think in 30 years time there will be plenty of CEO (or dictators going by my toddler) Teddy's 🙂

Get a grip.

There's nothing unprofessional about the name Bobby.

They're not your children so not sure why it's any of your business.

My son is Tom, not Thomas. I'm not sure that's what will hold him back in life 😂😂😂😂

What? I think this is the weirdest thing I've ever read on here.

But he's called Melvin isn't he?

Ronnie and Reggie spring to mind.

I am inclined to agree with you OP, but I guess there is nothing stopping a man called Bobby from choosing to go by Robert (as a nickname?!)
I don’t think people think past the toddler stage when choosing names sometimes.

I can't imagine why you'd feel strongly enough to post a thread about it. You don't like these kinds of names - fine, don't use them. 🤷‍♀️

Personally I don't see anything wrong with any of your examples. I know several Ali's and a Ricky in accounting and consulting - no one has ever batted an eyelid

I agree with the poster that said many names in this generation are shortened anyway so in terms of jobs, there will be a bunch of them and it won’t stand out as unusual. It will probably be similar in courts ect too. The variety in names is so diverse now and it’s kind of an everyday thing really. I did some time working in a nursery and weather /season themed names seem to be popular. There are quite a few “winters” and there were three children called rain and one storm . Shortened names I wouldn’t really notice in either direction, especially for what of a better word more normal names like Tom or Pat ect, be it a court room or a brain surgeon. I think it’s probably a generational thing and the formality generated by the long version of a name probably won’t be noticed as much as time goes on with the younger generations.

How's it a Hassle ,?My son has a full name on the birth certificate say " Jonathan" but goes by '"Jon," ,its no Hassle he knows what his full name is and his everyday name is
I personally prefer the full name and diminutive for every day use but don't really care what others do.

I find it hard to believe it's a daily occurrence for her to be quizzed on her name. I've met many Kates and not once thought to ask them what their "proper" name is, nor have I observed this happen.

There are plenty of diminutives that I think work perfectly well as standalone names, such as Alex, Mike, Harry, Sam, Pete, etc. In fact a friend of mine is called Sam, it suits him and he has a very respectable job so it obviously hasn't caused him too much of a hinderance in life.

My name is the short form of a name and, as a child, I hated it. The long form of my name is beautiful, regal. People would always presume that what I was called wasn't my actual name. My mother also had the added grandiose idea of changing the spelling, so that I spent most of my childhood correcting people on my name. I resented the fact I could never find merchandise bearing my name.

I then moved to the UK and the short form that is my name is far more common here, albeit still spelled (and pronounced) differently. It still bothers me, but less so now that people don't automatically assume that I am called something else. However, it has presented itself as an issue in some official documents where, time and time again, I needed to expend extra time and energy to get my name corrected.

Names are important, no matter what people like to believe. They can be an inconvenience if they are very uncommon, or if people presume they are a short version of a name. For my own children (or at least the one where the chosen name could have been an issue), the full name goes on the birth certificate, but the shortened version is used in everyday life. They also have middle names if they grow to dislike their given names and want to choose those instead.

I think it's nice to have a proper name and a diminutive for friends and family.
I use my full 4 syllable name for work, doctors etc, my friends and family. It has never cause an issue and it was my plan yo fo the same for my child.
When it came to naming my child I gave him a one syllable diminutive of a more traditional name as I am not a fan of the full version.
He is Jake not Jacob. I knew I would never use Jacob and to me it no longer sounds like the same name.

I have a Teddy, but his real name is Edward (which he does get called occasionally). I just couldn’t picture a 50 year old CEO called Teddy so we wanted him to have a “proper” name even though Teddy suits him as a little toddler.

Does it really matter?