Is Alfie really a no no for a birth certificate?

I personally would always use the full name on the BC - when we have a DD, her BC will say Elizabeth but we will call her Theo, because I love the name Theo but I want to give her options. I think its better to give them options, and nn on BC don't age at all well.

I know where you are coming from with Alfred, its not a great name, but as ever, its your choice! Just remember that your DC has no choice in this matter and he might like one in 20 years time.

And people do judge, a lot, based on your name - you do assume a Talysha will be a Talysha, and they are rarely lawyers. People who send their children to smart private schools and push them give the children very different silly made up names to the council house silly made up names.

My sister lives in Liverpool and her extended family in-law is full of Alfie's - think grandad/uncle/nephew etc. Depends where you are in the country I reckon, you can't call a 90 year old Alfie 'faddish'. They're not shortened names either, that's their full name.

jellybeans fair play, that's your choice. But at least you have a choice.

And I agree with previous posters that Alfred is much nicer, more solid and gives your ds more options later on in life. I mean, would you really want to go through life as 'Alfie'? Also, think about how the name works in other languages/countries - who knows where our children may work/live/study one day?

"I would like to think that, squoosh. But I don't think it's true. My dd went from a very socially mixed primary school to a grammar school. And much though I hate it, the grammar school is more likely to produce lawyers, surgeons and prime ministers than the high school. And painful though it is to tell you, the grammar school is wall to wall Charlottes and Emilys and Emmas. Not a Ellie-Boo or Kylie in sight. Not sure which is cause qnd which is effect, though!"

Assuming that the assessment into the grammar school was based on academic credentials, this would strongly suggest that not their name got them into the school but that parents who chose such names were more likely to be educated.

I have a long name and only go by one form of it, it is annoying having different ones!

abbypumpkin I can't see the point of putting one name when you'll only ever call them something else. I don't think it gives options as I've never known anyone that goes by another name than the one that is was used by their parents

Of course it gives options. I have encountered plenty of examples. Michael has always been called Mike in the family, but he is Mick to his wife and most of his friends. Patricia is Trish to the family, but Pat to colleagues and neighbours. Katherine is Katie or Kate to her parents and siblings, but her boyfriend calls her Kathy.

Pretty sure that the many Alfies I know are not Alfreds. Alfred is a much, much nicer name IMHO.

Personally I'd use full names for Archie/Charlie/Harry too.

I'd say...if you don't like the full name don't use the nn. But that's just me.

I know several Alfie's who are just Alfie! But I only know 1 Alfred! Why is it any different from Archie, Charlie or Harry?

Good Luck.

I wouldn't have Alfie either, it reminds me of the 1950's in a bad way.

I've just realised my post doesn't really make sense My point being, Bobbie seemed both infantile and feminine. Also agree that Alfie will date badly and has been SO popular over the last 8-10 years.

I knew someone called Bob. He was tall and sort of burly and it absolutely suited him. Turns out his given name was Bobbie .

I'm not keen on nicknames as full names so I'd go for Alfred with Alfie for short.

Not many other options for shortening to Alfred... unless you like Alfonso, Alford etc.

I know three Alfies. Two are dogs and one has just been expelled from his third school. So personally it's not a name I could use!

squoosh - nobody's saying Alfie, Kai and Jayden can't become barristers and prime ministers; there's no law in place to stop them.

But rightly or (more likely very) wrongly, there are glass ceilings and social mores in place which make it far easier for people with certain names to glide through life, application and interview processes, and to basically just get their foot in the door.

Not read Freakanomics? Their theories aren't hard science of course, but do seem to pan out a lot of the time, unfortunately. Especially in places like the UK which is so much more class-ridden than other, more meritocratic, societies...

I would like to think that, squoosh. But I don't think it's true. My dd went from a very socially mixed primary school to a grammar school. And much though I hate it, the grammar school is more likely to produce lawyers, surgeons and prime ministers than the high school. And painful though it is to tell you, the grammar school is wall to wall Charlottes and Emilys and Emmas. Not a Ellie-Boo or Kylie in sight. Not sure which is cause qnd which is effect, though!

Have to say that even I would draw the line at Ellie-Boo.

Don't see why not. Two of my friends have brothers, now in their 60s and 70s, who, regardless of what they were registered, have always just been called Alfie. I think it is just one of those names where you would normally shorten even if you had the full version on your birth certificate; Frederick and Leonard also spring to mind.

I don?t really like Alfie. I think it?s the Wayne of its day.

And I don?t really like diminutives as official names.

Having said that I HATE when people say ?oh I can?t imagine a barrister/CEO/scientist/economist called Alfie/Kai/Jayden/Poppy/Ella-Boo?

The fact is that names are chosen form a far wider pool of names then even twenty years ago. So while you may have an idea of a Jayden?s socio-economic background that doesn?t mean that Jayden can?t go on to become a QC or whatever else he damn well pleases.

These days posh people give their kids ridiculous names, middle class people give their kids ridiculous names and working class people give their kids ridiculous names. I guarantee that 40 years from now there will be an array of highly successful people in high profile positions called things like Alfie/Jayden/Kitty/Poppy etc. Now, none of these names would fit with my personal taste but I wouldn?t dream of assuming that because a child is called Daisy and not Beatrice that a low brow life awaits her.

And who knows, maybe Bear will be Prime Minister!

I feel better now. :)

Are you sure that an adult man would like to be called Alfie? Sure?

I think it's fine though may be biased as DD as nn as a name.
I can't see the point of putting one name when you'll only ever call them something else.
I don't think it gives options as I've never known anyone that goes by another name than the one that is was used by their parents all the time at home as they grew up (apart from pet names of course!)
I also think that someone who doesn't like their name probably won't like another version of it either so for me if Alfie doesn't like Alfie then he's unlikely to go with Alfred.
I agree Alfred is horrible - don't name your child something you dislike just because you're second guessing what he's think 25 years down the line

Oh, and by the way, there is nothing "modern" about shortening names.

Full name every time. Alfie is too cutesy and doggy too. Alfred is the name of a great king, and he can go by Fred or Freddy if he hates Alfie himself.

But I'll just throw in another option:

Alphonse

Well that just shows you how little imagination and forethought 5478 people had in 2010 when lumbering a child with such a common and awful name