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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Girls names that aren't traditionally shortened

29 replies

HowCanADoorBeAJar · 18/02/2012 17:09

Hi, I am a newbie here, expecting a girl in June.

DH is quite unfussed about names being shortened and doesn't have strong opinions regarding nicknames but I'm not a fan. His only stipulation is that the name must not be too popular. I agree with this, I don't want our daughter to be one of 5 Lilys in her class. My dislike of names that can be shortened stems from having a name that has a variety of nicknames. Therefore, we don't want names like Samantha or Jessica.

Our tentative list:

Niamh
Mia - would everyone call her Mimi?
Hannah - too popular?
Eden

Any ideas please for a fussy customer?

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PercyFilth · 20/02/2012 10:56

Kay. You cannot even shorten it to an initial!
Jay. Ditto.

rumngingerbeer · 20/02/2012 10:37

Belle
Elle
Cerys
Jeanne
Niamh
Anna
Gwen
Iris

Original poster
HowCanADoorBeAJar · 20/02/2012 09:46

You are correct ButterPopcorn.

I understand I cannot control any random nicknames that come my daughter-to-be's way, I would prefer something that cannot obviously be shortened.

I do like some of the names you've suggested. THANK YOU.

I love the name June but I'm worried about the tacky factor. I'm due on the 30th June and as it's my first, I may go overdue and I don't know if baby June born in July is too strange. :)

OP posts:
ButterPopcorn · 19/02/2012 02:21

I understand that any name can be shortened in an affectionate "pet" way i.e. Amy = moo, Laura = lau, lolly, Holly = hols but I think the OP meant names that wouldn't be shortened to names they would actually introduce themselves as and become known as, so she wouldn't go for Alexandra as Alex is a proper name that the DC would introduce themselves as, ditto Catherine = Kate but not so Amy = moo.

surprisearrival · 19/02/2012 00:16

my little girl is Amy but I call her moo or missy .. even the shortest names will get a nickname!

:-)

CointreauVersial · 19/02/2012 00:03

OP, I'm like you - can't bear names being shortened.

DD1 is Erin - pretty tough to mess with that name.

kbsydney · 18/02/2012 23:57

Zara
Thea
Ella
Sarah
Sadie
Piper

HolyNoSheDittantBatman · 18/02/2012 22:53

Rachel is either Rae or Rach
Alice is Ali
Esme is Es
Lucy is Loose

pommedechocolat · 18/02/2012 22:51

Holly becomes hols.

startail · 18/02/2012 22:49

Hollie
Rachel
May
Lynn
Alice (could become Ali, but DDs DF doesn't)
Claire
Esme
Lucy
Sorry Hellen becomes Hel
Emma and Emily become Emms or Emmy.
Megan becomes Meg, but that's so inoffensive as not to matter.
Jane

But clearly if a name doesn't shorten some on will come up with a nn anyway.
I know a grown man who still goes by the female nn he got at primary school.
There were several x's at a very small school so it was convenient to call them something else.
It was many years before I even realised it was a girls name, it just suits him.

HolyNoSheDittantBatman · 18/02/2012 22:35

Pretty much anything can be shortened. If it is difficult to shorten it gets made longer. I have a very short name and have been called all number of longer nicknames. I'd go for a name you don't mind the shorter version of to be on the safe side.

GrimmaTheNome · 18/02/2012 22:26

Louise. (never known a 'louse'!)

GrimmaTheNome · 18/02/2012 22:25

I know an Emma who gets called Ems.
Louse - Lou.

Almost anything with more than one syllable is liable to get shortened!

GrimmaTheNome · 18/02/2012 22:23

I knew someone whose mother named her Helen fondly believing it couldn't be shortened. Unfortunately it can!

KenDoddsDadsDog · 18/02/2012 22:20

Lola
Mary
Orla
Nuala

TeamEdward · 18/02/2012 17:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

strandednomore · 18/02/2012 17:31

Yes I thought June immediately too!

BendyBob · 18/02/2012 17:31

Plonker is right. Both my girls have short names I didn't think could be messed about with at all. You should hear the names - some of them totally daft and wacky - that their friends call them.

It's true though, even a long name needn't be shortened as long as you keep reinforcing it yourself. Ultimately though it's up to the owner of the name as to what they'll accept as a nickname.

PopcornBiscuit · 18/02/2012 17:30

Cara
Nina
Louise
Anne
May
Emma
Georgia

ButterPopcorn · 18/02/2012 17:29

Amy
Laura
Sarah
Mary
Faye
Paige
Cara
Marie
Heather
Helen
Erika
Sascha
Chloe
Kate (not Catherine, but just Kate on its own)
Rhian
Lucy
Holly
Anna
Nancy

RandomMess · 18/02/2012 17:26

I always wanted billie for a girl long before billie Piper was on the scene!

Lois?

jammydodger1 · 18/02/2012 17:24

sorry me again please dont shoot me but I chose names girls names that could be shortened to boys name (thinking ahead for CV) so there would be no discrimination against them being female
Georgina - George
Charlotte - charlie
Francesca - Frank
you get the picture!

belgo · 18/02/2012 17:23

Mia is a shortened name in itself - short form of Maria/Anne-Maria.

Plonker · 18/02/2012 17:22

...and Hannah in our street is, and always has, been known as Hannie

jammydodger1 · 18/02/2012 17:22

Tilly
Ella
Mary
Eva
but I really like Mia Smile

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