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Baby names

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Nearly full term, chosen a name, but wobbling about likely nicknames

32 replies

HorryIsUpduffed · 11/10/2013 22:07

36+5 with DS3, settled on a name at around 25w.

With his being a third boy we have used a lot of names already and talked ourselves out of a lot of names along the way - our backups for DS2 now feel like awful dreadful names that nobody should inflict on a child Grin

Consequently our shortlist this time was very very short and although we're both happy with the chosen name, it isn't The Name in the way that DS1's name was easily chosen and indisputably The Name. We also had this problem, though to a lesser extent, with DS2.

Our position therefore is that we have A Name for this unborn child, which we like and which goes with DS1 and DS2's name and our surname and isn't a known serial killer, etc etc.

But... the most usual shortening of the name itself isn't one I particularly like. There's nothing wrong with it, I just don't think I'd use it myself.

DS2 has a similar normal shortening that I don't use, but other people (notably the in-laws) do. It doesn't bother me precisely but AFAIC it isn't really his name. Pre-school don't use it because they have another child with the shortening and it helps to tell them apart!

In both cases it's the equivalent of my calling him Charles but the obvious shortening is Charlie.

Reassure me that this doesn't matter, or warn me that it will BURN ME UP FOREVER and I need to go back to the drawing board. Please?

OP posts:
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beingsuper · 11/10/2013 22:25

DS2's name was my favourite name but I didn't like the shortening so didn't use it for DS1. Same scenario as your Charles/Charlie scenario. Didn't matter as loved replacement name for DS1.

DS2s name was shortened to the shortening I didn't like at all almost immediately by everyone. Within weeks I didn't even think about it.

By the time DS3 came along there were no more boys names I liked. Didn't even like the name we chose but kept coming back to it. Cringed when we made the birth announcement. Again within weeks didn't think about it.

They just become their names and you love them, love their name.

On the other hand it might BURN YOU UP FOREVER ha ha.

Thurlow · 11/10/2013 22:21

That's not an unusual shortening, you'll be fine!

Will you be using the shortening as his daily name? As in, will he probably be Ted to most people, so that he grows up introducing himself as Ted?

Was just checking it was Sebastian nn Ian Grin

Nicknamegrief · 11/10/2013 22:20

I have a Joshua- he is almost 10

Only a handful of people I know call him Josh, we move loads so we constantly are getting to know new people but most people will call you the name they tell them.

I do understand your problem though as we did live in Germany and the way they pronounce my youngest sons name makes my toes curl. He was born 4weeks after we left and while it was the main reason I didn't want to use that name, my husband reassured me we would never be coming back to Germany.

We are back- my toes curl, thankfully some Germans do pronounce it the English way!

In my experience 95% of people will use the name you do. If you can live with that keep the name.

HorryIsUpduffed · 11/10/2013 22:19

And it's Eddie I am meh about. I am also sufficiently happy with Edward not to want to steer towards Ned or Ted shortenings just to avoid Eddie.

OP posts:
HorryIsUpduffed · 11/10/2013 22:19

Ah bugger you both Wink

Name is Edward.

OP posts:
Thurlow · 11/10/2013 22:18

I don't think you have much control in the long run over shortenings, but having said that you will be the person who introduces your DC for the next few years so you do have an element of control.

DD has a long name and I really can't stand the current popular shortening of that name. We never call her that and I hope, because we always introduce her by the specific shortening we use, that the other version won't really catch on. But it might.

I think all you can do is work out whether you would hate it your DC ends up being called 'Charlie' and if so, then it's probably back to the drawing board.

Could you give us a clue what the name is - how unusual is the shortening?

weaselinthenight · 11/10/2013 22:13

I want to give you reassurance - but given that you're NOT TELLING US WHAT THE NAME IS - how can I ?!

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