Would u just have a nick name as a first name?

Your son may well prefer his full name, Frederick, when he's older. Give him the option!

You might picture calling him Freddie forever, but he may well not like it. Give him the option.

I can't stand nicknames being official names. Really makes me wince.

If you're not keen on Fredrick, use Alfred.

"And I dont give a shit what others think so that helps."

But the OP seems to care, hence she's asking for our opinions.

If you like Freddie then go with just Freddie. The "30yo Freddie" argument is moot to me as by the time our kids are 30 there'll be all sorts of names and variations and will more than likely be many just Freddies out there.

My dd has what other people may consider a NN as her fulk name but imo its a name in its own right. And I dont give a shit what others think so that helps.

Frederick is a lovely name! Elegant, masculine and strong. Sounds great in most languages e.g. French, German, Spanish, English.

I'm not keen on Freddie (other than perhaps a nickname for a younger boy).

what Badgerina said.

Also...Freddie Flintoff

......Goes off to drool.... :)

Yeah but Bill was from Arkansas...

Bill Clinton was always Bill, not William Jefferson. :) Even though as Lisaro points out that's an American.

I don't like shortened names for real names...I wanted to call DS just Sam but couldn't bring myself to do it; he is Samuel on his b.c. and I love it now. :)

If a name really and genuinely had any effect whatsoever on where a person ends up on life than we'd all be calling out children the equivalent of AwesomeMcAwesomeness.

I have never had a life changing epiphany where I realised my life would've been so much better if I was called Bob.
Equally I have never sat smugly upon my many achievements and thought thank goodness I wasn't called MoonBeamButtSock, or this would never have happened.

Freddie will just be that dude that does what Freddie does, and so will Frederick.

I much prefer full names, with a nickname for short.

The purpose of a nickname or "diminutive" is to have an affectionate, informal version of your name which your good friends/family may know you by.

This distinguishing aspect of nicknames will be lost if they're just absorbed into the pool of full names.

slappywappydoodah

Finally! Finally someone who actually has one of the coveted Mumsnet BIG THREE occupations (Doctor, Lawyer, High Court Judge), and managed to achieve this having never used their full name - Hallelujah.

Now can we all please stop going on about it, as if it's something that actually matters?

That whole "what if he's a lawyer" statement doesnt wash with me. I have a long name which I have always had shortened - my own mother has never called me by my full name. When asked about this she says "well i knew you'd be glad of that professional-sounding name if you ever became a doctor or a lawyer". Having now become one of these things and never having used the full name I think she talks rubbish ;)

I would. I really do not see the point of having another name than the one you want to call him on the birth certificate.
Freddie is absolutely fine as a name; however what ''bothers" me more about it is the fact that it seems to be increasingly popular.

I can't stop myself from feeling that using a cutesy nickname is a bit, well, common. Frederick is not a pretentious name, it's just a name. Freddie is its nickname, and if you don't like Frederick then you shouldn't be using Freddie, imo, because they're the same name.

I have a Freddie, who is just a Freddie.
He gets Fred a lot, which I also love.

As has been pointed out, he can call himself what he likes when he's older, and I really don't see that putting Frederick on his birth certificate but never calling him it, would make much difference to his life or chosen career.

But, friends who also have a Freddie did use Frederick.

Horses for courses I guess

Do it! It's a wonderful name. Frederick is rather boring and Germanic. Freddie is fabulous.

I know a wonderful 70 plus year old gentleman called Freddie. He's handsome and charming and his name suits him very well.

I think the recent (British) fashion for 'cute' names (Freddie, Archie, Alfie, Ellie, Evie etc) may well end soon. I think Frederick sounds good, solid and timeless, whereas I don't really like Freddie (or Fred - reminds me of West).

I actually prefer Fred to Freddie (or Frederick).

I realise that is not at all helpful, or indeed what you asked.

Not only does Freddie, Olly or Alfie sound nicknamey but I expect these trendy cutesy names will start to sound dated as they fall out of favour as people tire of them, looking for more solid sounding names.

Frederick is a lovely, elegant name - I find it much nicer than Fred or Freddie.

My youngest also have a name we shorten most of the time (she has the long version) everyone at school calls her the nickname most of the time as well.

If he is Fredrick he could be Freddie or Ricky or something else he likes.

Also, when you're cross with him you can call him Fredrick

I have a shortened name and wish I had the long version.

It's easy to shorten a name but I can't really go around lengthening mine without looking like a twat. I'd give him the long version.