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Baby names

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

Original poster

Nathaniel

37 replies

Ilovekittyelise · 03/12/2013 19:54

oh dear. another two months to go back and forth! i was really keen on robert but now im thinking its a bit safe. what about nathaniel robert (brother of sam/samuel)? be honest, im on the fence. husband loves it but hes american and whats liked there versus here can differ a lot (apologies if that sounds ignorant!)

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Original poster
Ilovekittyelise · 09/12/2013 20:11

i appreciate everyones suggestions and advice; thankyou.

OP posts:
drspouse · 09/12/2013 16:44

My point was that, since Nate is traditionally a nickname for Nathan (as everyone seems to agree) and this family seem to like the idea of having Sam and Nate as everyday names, and also the idea of giving them both longer names they can use when adult if they wish, why not use Nathan as the full name instead of the easily-confused Nathaniel?

If they both end up wanting to use the longer form they might not be too happy that their two longer names sound very similar.

I also know that a lot of people do use what is traditionally a nickname, but without the longer name. But it sounds like this family have already thought of that and decided against it.

TessOfTheBaublevilles · 08/12/2013 19:56

The Nat and Nate comment is ridiculous.

Nat and Nate are BOTH short forms of Nathaniel (and Nathan).

Nat King Cole was 'Nat' as he chose to be, not because it's the only "proper" nickname for Nathaniel. How laughable!

My husband is Nate by the way, he'd give you death glares if you called him Nate!

NB: And not that it matters, but in Gossip Girl, Nate is a Nathaniel.

Original poster
Ilovekittyelise · 07/12/2013 19:03

i definitely like nate. i know samuel and nathaniel sounds a bit ridick together but we arent the kind of folkthat yell "henrietta, beatrice, come here darlings" across the playground. in every day our children would always be sam and nate and they just have the option of a formal name if they choose to use it.

OP posts:
RalphRecklessCardew · 07/12/2013 18:54

Um, Nat King Cole being Nathaniel only proves that Nat is a nickname for Nathaniel, not that Nate isn't. It's a bit like saying that Bill Clinton proves that Will isn't a traditional nickname for William. If anything, I'd say it's more typical for Nathan to stay Nathan, while Nathaniel can be Nat, Nate or even Thaniel. Nowt wrong with calling your Nathan Nate of course.

AuntieBrenda · 07/12/2013 15:49

Massive eye roll at drspouse
Not really gonna take it that I've named my child incorrectly mate. My name is a one syllable, three letter name that gets shortened to a sound basically. My brothers gets shortened to a vowel sound.
Again, message to all, you can name
Your child whatever you like!

hopethesnowgoessoon · 07/12/2013 08:12

It's a lovely name and I have one, he is the only one with that name in his nursery and pre school.which I love but othe other kids struggle with saying the name though. He gets called mainly Nathaniel by me but sometimes Nath, or nat, or Nathan but his daddy, so they are lots of good nicknames to shorten to. x

AuntieBrenda · 07/12/2013 08:02

Call your baby what you like mate!
Seriously, it's your baby and they'll be beautiful, snuggly and amazing whatever you name them.

drspouse · 07/12/2013 07:55

There aren't any rules, but there are traditions. That's why I said tradition. Nat King Cole was Nathaniel.

I was making a suggestion based on the confusion that I know people make between the full names - if they wanted to use Nate anyway, they'll avoid this if they start with Nathan.

Original poster
Ilovekittyelise · 06/12/2013 21:02

i wasnt aware that there were rules on use of nicknames, i dont actually like the name nathan.

OP posts:
brokenhearted55a · 06/12/2013 20:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

RalphRecklessCardew · 06/12/2013 17:30

Nonsense. Nate, if anything, belongs more to Nathaniel than to Nathan. See Six Feet Under and Nate Silver.

drspouse · 06/12/2013 12:58

Not to be picky, but Nate is the nn for Nathan while Nat is the nickname for Nathaniel. Obviously you can use any nn you want for any name but that's the traditional shortening of those two names.

So if you're set on Nate, why not go with Nathan? That will also avoid the situation if they were older and both wanted to use the long version, of their names being confused.

Leeds2 · 05/12/2013 22:10

I prefer Robert, tbh.

Original poster
Ilovekittyelise · 05/12/2013 21:41

im not too fussed about how they sound together as whole names, sams always sam and i think nathaniel/nathanael (might use hebrew spelling) would be nate. xmas cards could alternate between:

.....samuel & nate
.....sam & nathaniel
.....sam & nate

[ok so now im just being silly!]

OP posts:
drspouse · 05/12/2013 15:40

We know one and everyone thinks he's called Samuel or Daniel the first time they meet. So unless you are definitely intending to use the nn for both of them, I wouldn't pair those together.

RalphRecklessCardew · 04/12/2013 13:08

Great name,

Spaghettinetti · 04/12/2013 08:47

Sounds good to me!

TessOfTheBaublevilles · 03/12/2013 23:21

I love it, but I'm biased, as I'm married to one!

PrammyMammy · 03/12/2013 23:03

My dh loves it, on his list. It's cute.

WheresMeJumperOhNo · 03/12/2013 21:51

I have one! Half of his nursery/ preschool class called him Daniel Hmm . Once he started school he decided Nathaniel was too much effort to write out and insisted on being 'Nat' at school! We still call him Nathaniel though. Everyone seems to like it.

SomeDizzyWhore1804 · 03/12/2013 21:44

Oh and I got it from SFU Smile

SomeDizzyWhore1804 · 03/12/2013 21:43

I love Nathaniel with the shortening Nate. It's top of my boys name list.

AuntieBrenda · 03/12/2013 21:38

Kitty - so funny! My mn name is from the show Stella though, can't claim that Smile

chimchar · 03/12/2013 21:34

I have one too. He is also called Nate.
Bloody ace name! Wink

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