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

That is a great post, muddled. Have more wine to celebrate your loveliness.:)

I know I will be shot down in flames for saying this but it's Friday and I've already had a glass of wine so here goes...

My sons name is a nickname and I went through the same quandry. I don't like the formal version of his name, nor do I believe he would ever want to use it, so we have stuck with his name (the nn) on his birth certificate too. When I was fretting about this two things were pointed out to me which I tend to agree with...

In 20 years our children will be part of a generation where nicknames without formal names will be part of the norm. It will be a generation of Charlies, Millies, Alfies and Evies and what seems awkward or cutesy to us now just won't be by the time they are adults. Whilst I agree that having the option of both might be more flexible I don't believe our children will see it as necessary, particularly if you don't like the longform name in question.

Secondly, and this is where I know I'll be in the minority, I don't believe that the lack of a formal name will in any way hold your child back for the future, or hinder them from becoming say a Judge, Politician or CEO. Willie Walsh, Tony Blair, Archie Norman, Nick Clegg have all done very nicely. Yes, I'm sure they may have called themselves Anthony, William and Archibald on their CVs but the fact remains that it's their nicknames which they use, and we're quite comfortable with it. Whilst we may from time to time question their ability to do their job it's unlikely to be because they called themselves Willie not William. I would imagine the name Cherie may have got pretty short shrift on the name boards but Cherie Booth/Blair clearly doesn't let that bother her as she chooses to use it professionally over Theresa (which is her formal name).

Lexi, to me, stands up as a name in it's own right. I see it as Jake is to Jacob. A name that derived from another but which is perfectly acceptable independent of that. If you love it go for it. I'll look out for a Lexi ruling the world in years to come and hope she's yours!

Ah just go for it. You can always give her a "proper" middle name if you want to give her a choice. FWIW I think Lexi could still be a High Court Judge etc. etc. if she wanted to be.

Alexandra's much nicer than Felicity.

I like Lexi and Alexa. I would worry about 'Sexi Lexi' though. I would just use Lexi. there is something abit weird with a nn having a different letter than your long name. Is Robert/Bob Smith ~ R Smith or B Smith for example. Short forms are fine such as Sam, Ben, Jack, Zac, pretty much just as many parents chose them as the long forms. It's only names like Shaz/Daz/Alfie etc that are cutesy/too informal. Lexi is fine though.

I don't see why you can't call your daughter, say, Miranda, and still give her the nn Lexi. My Dad's name is Neil. Everyone calls him Jeff.

If it's any help, I'm Alexandra and I have never ever been called that, always the nickname, since the day I was born. I don't use Alexandra for any official stuff either. It's just a name on my birth certificate. But, I have to say, I kind of like "owning" the name Alexandra, even though I've never used it.

I know a little girl who is just Lexi! Funnily enough her mum is called Sandra which isn't short for Alexandra either, it's just Sandra.

Alexa, Alexia is lovely, although I'm not keen on Alexandra for some reason. I think it's because of a girl that I went to school with.

I like Alexandra

Sorry but I do think you need to give her a full name for birth cert purposes, just to give her the choice.

"Lexi" is not going to create a great impression on, say, an application to become a barrister. It's just too cutesy and a little bit showgirl. (I do like the name btw).

Alexa or Alexandra much better for "serious" purposes. Don't you like them? I do.

Alessia is the Italian version, maybe you prefer that? Could still just about have nn Lexi.

Teds, the "female" Felix is Felicity...

Alexandra
Alexandria
Alexandrina (Queen Victoria's first name I think)
Alexia
Alexa

?? But sounds like you might not like any of them?

Is there a female version of Felix - only other name with a 'x' I can think of.

I usually a full name type but if you like it then just do it.

Personally, I would put a "full name" on the birth certificate, but just always use Lexi for day to day etc etc.

At least then, your DD can choose later on if she wants to revert to a "full name"....

Or you of course have Lexie, or Lexia, which looks like more a full name??

Hard, isn't it!

I like Lexi - but I'd probably have the same dilemma as you!

I don't like Alexandra, Alexia or Alexis (ot the E equivalents). I just had a google, but the only other one I came up with was Lexington - sounds like an area of New York to me!

How about using Lexi as her official middle name and just calling her that, loads of people do... I know it's not ideal, but it would give her a more formal name for when she wants to use it.

We very nearly called dd Lexie. It would have been a nn for Alexa though, so see where you're coming from...

Alexandra is gorgeous though (totally irrelevant) But, I bet all the Sandras in the world aren't called Alexandra

Poor you! I know that feeling of being tied in knots by my own ridiculous rules!

I thought that was a 'proper' name.

I wouldn't worry at all - my DC is christened a 'nickname' - same on Birth Certificate, everyone assumes it is short for something else, it isn't - but I am not particularly 'precious' if people want to use the more formal name.

My niece is Lexie short for Alexia. Alexis is another possibility. As is AlexandrIa.

x post.

I like Alexis as a proper name for nn Lexi.