Love the name but it's a nn. What to do?

Alexandra is beautiful as a full name but a bit of a mouthful so perfect shortened to Lexi.

Alexis is quite nice too.

We gave our DD1 a nn on her bc. I just couldn't look at her when she was a few weeks old and think of her with a grown up name. She is now a toddler and is starting to look like the grown version of her name. When I hear her name called out on registers/doctors surgery and things I think - oh bum the full version would have sounded so much better!

The trouble is the full version kind of rhymes with her middle name. I am currently looking into Deed Poll to give her the formal version and perhaps add another middle name.

Anyway, my point is that it is good to give them options.

How about Electra?

smileat Cheerful Yank. Me too - see my post - also considered Isambard!

I agree with not having nn as a "real" name. DS was given a "real" name, with the intetion of using the nn abreviation, which is what has panned out.

In my mind "Lexie" is very little-girly, cute on a child, but would not suit an adult in a formal setting. Sorry.

I think Alessandra is pretty :)

I was in the same boat; I loved Sam but wasn't huge on Samuel or Samson. I couldn't use just Sam in the end. We ended up going with Samuel, and now I love it. :)

what about lexi as her first name and another "complete name" as a middle name giving her the option when older of using her second name if necessary

eg
lexi elizabeth
lexi katherine etc

Snownutty - did you consider the option of using Lexi as a middle name and always using it - just allowing her a more formal first name for CV's and other 'formal' things.

I can see what Muddled is saying - but I know a lot of people who will judge a CV by the name on it and maybe in 15 years time that will have changed, but I wouldn't take the risk.

I would either go for Felicity (which is growing on me), but I like Flick for a NN or using Lexi as a middle name, but using it as her name - plenty of people do this.

rhubarb- I always thought Gus was short for Angus

I like Lexie as a name - and Kiwi has given some lovely name options there.

Please don't be put off by what everyone else thinks - working for a govt agency names are being removed from applications anyway to help the whole diversity/equality thing and having an unusual first name myself it provides an ice breaker when networking!

I personally like Lottie but again am stuck bcause DP says it's not a proper name but I don't like Charlotte (well I do but too many friends called it) and the only other option I can think of it Carlotta!

Sorry snownutty, just realised you'd already posted back this morning. Now you know why I'm Muddled Mum x

I'm glad my post made you smile snownutty. I know it went on for ages (which this one no doubt will too) but I wanted to properly explain my thoughts in case it helped. I very nearly didn't pick the name I loved for my second son because like you I worried about the nicknames for names dilemma. I am now genuinely so glad I thought about everything above and just went for it. Bizarrely the only place I ever feel slightly uncomfortable having chosen a shortened name is on here as in general the popular view is for formal names on birth certificates. In RL no-one has ever asked whether my son is actually anything other than the name we've picked.

I think it is rare to find names that jump off the page and stick with us so if you've found one don't let worries about traditions, popularity or the future automatically disuade you. Some people will love your choice others will loathe it, what's important is that it makes you happy. In my (sometimes slightly sleep deprived) opinion all of us just want to get this naming business right and our views will always be skewed by the decisions we ourselves have made. If we picked a formal name then we tell ourselves it's best to give our child options, those of us who chose shortened names justify it as I have above. If we pick a name outside the top 100 we argue that it's better for a child to be unique and not one of 3 in a class, if we opt for something in the top 20 we maintain that it's best for a child to have a regular name and fit in and that obscure choices are ripe for future bullying. In truth we all want to feel that the name we choose is the very best of names (at least I know I do) and that neither we or our DCs will end up regretting it. How will we ever know? Well I figure we just need to lurk on these boards for another 30 years till our DDs or DSs start posting and see what they've got to say then!

Good luck with it all. I say if this is a punk bundle, and Lexi is a name you and your DH love, then have faith in the fact that you are making a great choice for her, worry not and go for it x

Lexie is a lovely name. Don't worry about it being a nickname, personally I don't think it sounds like that at all. Also there is no need for a "formal" name. A name is a name.

The girl's name Lexie \lex-

xie\ is pronounced LEK-see. It is of Greek origin. Short form of Alexis and Alexandra (Greek) "man's defender".

Lexie has 9 variant forms: Lexa, Lexandra, Lexann, Lexi, Lexia, Lexina, Lexine, Lexus and Lexya.

Baby names that sound like Lexie are Lexy and Lakecia.

Lexie is a somewhat common first name for women (#3029 out of 4276) but an uncommon last name for both men and women. (1990 U.S. Census)

Displayed below is the baby name popularity trend for the girl name Lexie.

Compare Lexie with its variant forms and related girl names.

I've always thought children need formal names. But i'm changing my tune too. I think it really depends on the name itself, some stand up better than others, and personally I think Lexi is fine. A future ds of mine will be Gus, and I think Augustus is too poncey for words so I wouldn't subject him to that.

I went to school with a very posh lexie. I dont think it was short for anything.

I think it is fine for a name it it's own right so if you like it go for it.

To me Lexi is the sort of name a teenager gives herself to look cool (like my dn calling himself Chazza). I'm sorry but I really think it lacks credibility. Plus I think it is nice to have some flexibility, names that are already nicknames really cut down the options for your child.

How about Angelica, Letitia, Millicent, Felicia, Alicia or Electra as other non obvious alternates (some of them are a bit of stretch!)?

Just go for Lexi.

DS has taught me I do all sorts of things as a parent I never thought I'd do, and judged others for doing! It's part of parenthood IMO.

^...off the list that comes

Unfortunately fruity lexia is some kind of cheap alcoholic drink. Don't do it.

Muddled, that is indeed a very lovely post.

I've never been held back having a nn on my bc, at least I don't think I have . But then I think my name is a name in its own right now.

Ellies/Lexis/Alfies are going to be the new Peggys/Mikes/Katies/Harrys.

Oooo I like Lexya.

Alexis is a strong possibility I'd say, my friend is called Alexis her nn had always been Lexi or Lex! I'd steer clear of Alexa because of the Chung link! Tis a dilemma indeed!

Here are a few more possibilities, some rather unusual options that I'd never heard of:

Alexiah
Alexiana
Lexia
Lexina
Lexine
Lexya

Isn't Steven & Alex Gerrard's daughter called Lexie? ..and Amanda Holden too I believe! Good luck xx

Lovely Post Muddled and I agree with everything you said. I too have children with nn on their BC. Funnily I have always seen the more formal name as their name it just isn't on their BC and will call them the formal name when they are in trouble lol The older they have got the more they use the formal name when introducing themselves in situations when needed.

Basically I am saying that I & my kids see the formal name as their nn and will use both.