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

"My dd has a nick name as her full name. I shall break it to her gently that her career options are limited"

She'll NEVER be a high court judge now.

DS2 is going to be Spike. Dr Lord Justice Spike QC.

I think this pretty much sums up my thoughts on the matter, other than to say:
Freddie is an awesome name

I like it :)

I'm being induced today (currently ongoing) and we have decided to call baby Herbie not Herbert. I think it's nicer :)

I think the teacher thing is exactly why dd1 has a 'nickname' on her birth certificate rather than a 'proper' name. Her name is perfectly reasonable, and I don't want some yr6 teacher deciding to call her by some 'proper' name, (even though she has always been known by her nickname) just because it is on her bc, yes they might decide to anyway, but at least if it isn't on her bc there are more grounds for gently reminding them that they are actually incorrect as that is not her name, her name is actually nickname (if it even bothers her).

If you don't like Fredrick or one of the other names it derrives from then just call him Freddie. It might sound strange to us as a lawyer now, but in 40yrs time when he's helping us redraft our wills it probably will seem normal compared to his collegues Fluffy-Blubel and Hermondo-Zepphiniah.

I think Freddie is a wonderful name. I love it.

I would use the shortened version. 100%

I am never called my full name, ever - so much so it doesn't even feel like my name. I've always been a 'nickname' and this has annoyed me as all of my documents are "wrong" (in that they show the long, never used, name) and I have to correct people every time I meet a new person (boss, Dr etc)

I called two of my sons very short names (3 letters) so they couldn't be shortened and my third is a nickname, though still short (5 letters).

Frederick is pretentious whereas Freddie is charming.

I think you should use Freddie, it's my opinion that people judge you as a person not by your name!

My name is Roxanne which is very un-mumsnet, but apart from people singing the Police song at me it hasn't done me any lasting damage and I like having a different name! It's usually an ice breaker at interviews too :o

Well, as the good Dr Seuss said (commonly known as Ted by the way) You must do as you please OP because 'Those that matter wont mind and those that mind don't matter'

Tony Blair's name is Anthony but the point that I was making is that he was known as Tony professionally.

Freddie Mercury wasn't Freddie Mercury's real name. It was something completely different but Freddie still works.

Of course I would. Freddie is a perfectly sensible name. All the people I know who had nicknames as children but longer names on their birth still use those names as adults both personally and professionally. So yes, lawyer Katie, banker Nicky, accountant Susie, architect Mandy, teacher Gaby. Nobody laughs at them, nobody comments on them having nicknames because they have been known by those names for 40 odd years and those are their names.

There's no way round it, actually. I am an Alix on my birth cert and not an Alexandra but that didn't stop teachers at school assuming I was.

oops, that would be a high court judge

But I suppose you do have the option anyway don't you? If I go by the shortened version of my name (it's on everything except my passport) then couldn't a Freddie choose to call himself Frederick id he really wanted to???

Wordsmith I know Blair is officially an Anthony, my point is that he didn't have to use it to get the job he was after. The idea that if you want to be a high court jude, you couldn't be called Tony is snobbish, outdated and .....wank (to quote Eugene's Axe)

My son does not use his full name and gets cross when other people do.
He uses a shortened version of it.
E.g Alex rather than Alexander.

Freddie Mercury was Farrokh!

bard saddling a child with a 'name' like cupcake would be looked down on here, to the extent that only the very rich and eccentric or the very poor with no aspirations would use it. The naming customs in America are very different than here. Also, I do believe those people you mentioned have real names and those are their nicknames. Have to say though, damn shame it didn't hinder Tony Blair b

My nephew is a Freddie.
He is ace.

Bard No, of course not, they made their choices. I just think it's nice to have the option of using the longer one if you want it.

Tony Blair's first name is Anthony.

Oi, bit wank indeed!!! Be careful with that Axe Eugene

My dd has a nick name as her full name. I shall break it to her gently that her career options are limited

I forgot about Freddie Mercury!

(I didn't forget about Freddie Starr but thought it best not to mention him).

Lisaro I don't really see your point but would; Fred Perry, Teddy Sherringham, Tom Jones, Tony Blair have been more successful in their chosen fields as Frederick, Edward, Thomas and Anthony?

You see? MadBus is a genius. Alfred Richard sounds great, and obviously very kingly. He also gets the choice of Alf when he's an OAP.

Worked for Freddie Mercury! If you like it better go with it

No. I met someone recently with a child that had a traditionally short version of a name; I asked if he was a so and so (I forget the name) and was told 'No, he's just blah'. And I said 'Oh cool!' or something equally vacuous, but inside I was thinking 'Well that's a bit wank.'

I'll put my barbs away now...