Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To find it annoying when people refer to their children or partners by their initial

86 replies

hanmonisnana · 16/07/2025 20:49

“Just dropped S off at dance class” - just say Sofia, it’s not a long name!!
”D will be home later from work” - why?!!

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Absentmindedsmile · 18/07/2025 12:56

If it’s good enough for the ginger prince, it’s good enough for us 😂

OneCalmFish · 18/07/2025 12:53

I use initials for one of my sons quite simply he dislikes being called by his full name/names, funnily enough I picked the full name based on the initials. A strangers opinion is irrelevant in comparison to his feelings in all honesty and I don’t understand why you care. I’d never choose my own way to address someone else I don’t shorten or use their full names if it’s not their preference.

ShallIstart · 17/07/2025 09:59

I call my son by one letter, but only on whatsapp to my husband.l as he has a long name to type😂

Lemonade2011 · 17/07/2025 09:48

I get called ‘k’ by most of my family don’t know why it’s an issue surely if I don’t mind or the person doesn’t mind then it’s not an issue

NebulousWhistler · 17/07/2025 09:43

The royals always sign off their insta W, C, G, C, L. It’s just weird and the fact that they always do it suggests that it was once a topic of conversation and a decision made. Why? What’s wrong with saying William?

Fargo79 · 17/07/2025 09:40

Cannot imagine caring enough to form an opinion on it. But I am definitely sure I wouldn't want to be friends with the type of person who would get bent out of shape about this. One of the first posters actually said people who use initials are "wankers" 😅 Unhinged.

MeAndMyGhost · 17/07/2025 09:38

I am in a huge minority then because I feel all warm and fuzzy when the kids of my best friend call me by my initial. I'm an honorary member of the family 😀.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 17/07/2025 09:38

I find it annoying to! There’s something, idk, maybe smug about it? Or perhaps as though they think the person is the only one with that initial?

toffeecocomars · 17/07/2025 09:35

MyUmberSeal · 16/07/2025 20:52

It annoys me when people put DH and DS and all that shit on here. Just say husband, son, daughter. What’s with the ‘Dear’ bit. So yes, in solidarity..I sympathise.

Edited

Exactly this!!! What's with the 'D' bit!!! I always thought it meant 'darling', how wrong was I?

Venalopolos · 17/07/2025 09:31

My mum often refers to me verbally as rum initial as my 2 syllable name doesn’t lend well to nicknames. At work I’m often referred to by my first and last initials because someone else in my team has the same name (eg I’ll be called JT). Now I think about it, someone else in my team is also referred to almost exclusively by his initials and there isn’t anyone with same name in our team so I’m not sure why that is.

I thought it was a relatively normal naming convention even face to face, and even more sensible in texts or written form.

Bimblebombles · 17/07/2025 09:29

People refer to my DP in real life by his initial, when they're talking. It's just become his name now, so that's how I type it to people on texts but they then seem to take it to mean that thats how we refer to all people now, so they reply initialising their family's names too sometimes, its funny.

drspouse · 17/07/2025 09:23

WitcheryDivine · 17/07/2025 07:54

I find calling a child “10” or whatever annoying but not at all annoyed by initial, hence doing it sometimes myself. it’s very normal shorthand. Even at work there might be a note saying “C to meet JW at station”, it’s the same as that to me. I never call people by their initial out loud.

That's true - at work all the agenda items say "JS to report to GB".

TimeForABreak4 · 17/07/2025 08:30

I do it in messages for speed, couldn't give a flying fuck who it irritates. It amuses me at the small inconsequential things people get annoyed by in life, glad I'm not so uptight.

OakAshRowan · 17/07/2025 08:26

MyUmberSeal · 16/07/2025 20:52

It annoys me when people put DH and DS and all that shit on here. Just say husband, son, daughter. What’s with the ‘Dear’ bit. So yes, in solidarity..I sympathise.

Edited

Me too. Especially when someone is talking about multiple family members so DS could potentially be a son or a sister and DP could be a partner or a parent. And don't get me started on DDog and DCat...

SupposesRoses · 17/07/2025 08:14

When people do this for their husbands I assume it’s because they don’t really like their name. I don’t encounter it much for children though.

WitcheryDivine · 17/07/2025 07:54

I find calling a child “10” or whatever annoying but not at all annoyed by initial, hence doing it sometimes myself. it’s very normal shorthand. Even at work there might be a note saying “C to meet JW at station”, it’s the same as that to me. I never call people by their initial out loud.

SALaw · 17/07/2025 06:37

@Nt23 .

healthybychristmas · 17/07/2025 06:29

MyUmberSeal · 16/07/2025 20:52

It annoys me when people put DH and DS and all that shit on here. Just say husband, son, daughter. What’s with the ‘Dear’ bit. So yes, in solidarity..I sympathise.

Edited

I really hate that as well! I can't see why someone can't just say my husband or my son particularly given predictive text. As for the people who say DDOG...

Nt23 · 17/07/2025 00:16

SALaw · 16/07/2025 23:32

I find it extremely irritating. Also people text or email me “Hi S” - urgh use my name. It’s 4 letters

I find it extremely irritating when people miss full stops from the end of sentences.

SALaw · 16/07/2025 23:35

MyUmberSeal · 16/07/2025 20:52

It annoys me when people put DH and DS and all that shit on here. Just say husband, son, daughter. What’s with the ‘Dear’ bit. So yes, in solidarity..I sympathise.

Edited

Yes especially when so many get it wrong or Tur themselves in knots distinguishing between their son and sister etc

SALaw · 16/07/2025 23:32

I find it extremely irritating. Also people text or email me “Hi S” - urgh use my name. It’s 4 letters

Nt23 · 16/07/2025 23:25

I get irrationally annoyed by people who post about insignificant things that annoy them irrationally.

Blondeshavemorefun · 16/07/2025 23:23

I do this all the time with my daughter or ex

peers through phone

do I know you 😂

really can’t see the issue

MalcolmMoo · 16/07/2025 23:21

I do this with my dogs haha! Call them L and D in conversation, I think more though so they don’t hear their names and start getting excited especially around dinner time!

GuiltyPleasure · 16/07/2025 23:21

At work everyone uses my initial as my name. I actually prefer it as I’m not fond of my name and it’s a nicer diminutive to me than the usual shortened versions of my name