Don't want to use 'proper' name on birth certificate/passport

I've got a longer version of a name (4 syllables) and am called by the shortened version of it (two syllables). I've never been introduced by the full name except in job interviews and the like, but I'm immensely grateful to my parents for giving me the full version, because it gives you more options (and frankly the option for a bit of gravitas/credibility) as an adult.

Ultimately it's up to you and I wouldn't give a full name I absolutely hated -- but there are good points to having the longer name.

I know, I know, we are trying to use both now that he is older.... thank you...

Carlos is lovely and much nicer than Charlie imo .

My son is Charlie, BC Carlos (I am Hispanic and is a family name) I have been having the same worries when he goes to school but we were always keen on using the full name as is a family name and it gives him an option. As a baby he was such a perfect Charlie, it was irresistible not to call him that.
So would go full name.

ALittleLemonTwist, there is a girl in my daughter's class called just Maggie and it really suits her. Somehow it's girly and tomboyish at the same time - just like her.

I'm with sleepywombat on this. The four of us in our family have no obvious short or long versions of our names - they are just our (non-shortenable)names and that's that. I don't really understand the big deal about nicknames - if the girls hate their names as adults, they can use their middle names or change them to something totally different, but at the moment they love them!

Wish i had put the full version of dd2s name, would have been nice to give her the option. Was the one and only time i didn't ignore dh and do what i wanted anyway

I think use the full name on the BC so he (if you have a ds) has a choice. My BC uses my full name (Amanda) as a child I hated it and was always insisted I was called Mandy. I got to 27 and decided I hated Mandy and have been Amanda for the last 23 years. Although my family compromise with Manda.

I have a long form on my bc and rarely use it. It annoys me actually as there are loads of forms but they are either formal or very friendly types with nothing in between. The doctors etc all call me the formal and it is used all the time on exams etc and at school. So the bc name IS used alot. I sometimes wish I had a name like Jane where it is more simple!!

I have 5 DC and one has a shortened version such as mentioned on this thread. I did like the long form but nobody else did in the family and we intended to call him the short form all the time so he has that on the bc. With his name it is actually more popular in the short form in the statistics. Only one person so far has assumed it is short for the long form and 2 people have asked, 'is it short for ............'.

I know loads of Archies/ Alfies and none have the long form. Also know loads of Bens and Alexes. My advice is to put on the bc what you will use all the time unless you like both long and short equally.

I gave my new employer my full name as I had to have background checks done due to the type of work I do and the first question was 'Full name'.

HR then passed that onto the team I would be working with and my new manager thought that was the name I used.

So depending on what your kids' end up doing for work that birth certificate name might have to be quoted at some point.

I have to point out that my parents intended to use my full name - I insisted on the nn so all school records, qualifications etc are in the full name. Perhaps if the nn is used for everything apart from the BC then no one would ever even know the nn was not on the BC.

Can you get a passport in a nn or does it have to be the name on the BC?

Actually, I think a number would suffice for tax purposes. which would solve everyone's baby naming dilemmas - just allocate everyone a number and there you go.

the only reason you need a name is for tax purposes

Are you sue you don't have to apply under your legal name for tax purposes?

for goodness sake: when you apply for a job you don't have to apply under the name written on your bc!

you just apply using the name you are known by

This has been a really interesting thread for me as I'm having the same probalm as the OP. DH and I love the name Maggie for a girl and there aren't any other girls names we both agree on.

However, my only issue is whether it is a name in its own right or too nick-namey. DH doesn't mind Margaret to go on the bc but I think its awful. having read this thread and some of the good points raised, I think we will stick with just Maggie (if we have a girl that is!). A good point my friend made was that by the time our dcs will be looking for jobs, so many of their peers will have 'unusual' names, that it will probably won't matter.

Off to tell dh that I've changed my mind again and that yes, we'll be sticking with Maggie if it's a girl and Maggie she shall be on the bc!

Exoticfruits - I see your point but to me his name isnt James its Jamie and always will be, the 8 yr old boy saying I dont like Jamie call me James is no different to a boy being called Tim saying I dont like my name call me Roger...its not his name but you wouldnt put another name on his bc just incase he doesnt like what you've chosen.
I dont know many people who like their own names, me included, but thats the problem with letting your parents choose your name :)

Right - well to answer the question you are actually asking

I think that as you don't like the long name you shouldn't back down. You'd be agreeing to a name you don't like!

Either put the short name you DO like or start again with a new name.

It really depends on the names. This is for life, and your son might one day want to be Prime Minister, a QC or even an undertaker... it would be unfair to register him as Jezza when you could use Jeremy. Thomas/Tom probably won't make of a difference.

I'm afraid I find 'Jamie' very babyish.

but why does it matter if Jamie is on a birth certificate and everyone calls him James as he likes it? if he is happy being called James, then he says "Hi I am James" when asked his name - people will then often call him James.
I notice that people refer to me on here as Ivykate, I don't care really but if I did I would correct them and say no my name is IvyKaty not Kate regardless of the fact on my birth certificate my name is written Esmerelda

They only attach if the person likes them. I introduce myself by my nickname-if I wanted the full name I would insist they use it. I am grateful that I have the full version and use it in formal occasions.
Once you give a DC a name you lose control over it, once the DC has a preference-therefore it is nice to give them the options.

choux -I can understand passports - but why did you give your employers then name you DON'T want to be called by in the first place????

It's all very well saying ' we will use xxx as a nickname' but nicknames have a habit of appearing and attaching themselves to the person!

I hope that he isn't like the Jamie I know-he refused to be called it at 8yrs and insisted on James-just as well it was on his birth certificate. (his parents never intended him to be anything but Jamie)
Much better to give the options.

Ive got an Alfie, never even considered putting Alfred on the birth certificate as in my eyes that is not his name. He has always been and always will be Alfie and he now gets shortened to 'Alf' by everyone so no matter what name you use on the birth certificate people will always shorten it.

Ive just registered my 2nd DS as Jamie and never considered James as again to me its not his name. :)