Paddy as a nn for Patrick?

Sarahquilt, Conor and Aidan aren't a byword for Irish stereotypes the way 'Paddy' has been, though they are authentic names, though. Nice names, both of them, though literally every male under seven in my extended family seems to be called Conor...

It may not matter to the OP anyway, as she isn't Irish.

I have a DS Patrick and the only thing that it occasionally gets shortened to is Patch. Mostly though everyone calls him his full name - it's only 2 syllables

I like it - I know a Paddy who is totally fab.

Also knew a Patrick years ago whose nickname (given by his friends, I think, not by his parents) was Patch, which is incredibly cute.

Paddy Ashdown's name isn't Paddy. Or Patrick.

It's Jeremy!

Patrick isn't really an Irish name. St Patrick was from Wales, possibly a Roman-Briton. I prefer names like Conor and Aidan:)

There is Paddy Ashdown...

I know a Paddy! V. cool.

But it does occasionally get turned into "Paddy Pantsdown" (after the Sun headline when Paddy Ashdown was having an affair) so you have been warned.

Burren, I went to school with a Eukaria -- well for a few years up to the Leaving anyway, not the whole way through.. I also knew a Concepta (and a Dymphna). And a Gobnait who does not live in Ireland any more so maybe it's more exotic than a bewildering name choice.

I love both Paddy and Patrick. I know several little Jimmys, which I see in the same vein. I have an uncle and a cousin named Conn, short for Cornelius -- lovely names too.

I like Patch :)

Patrick is lovely just as it is. I'm not very fond of any of the diminutives.

Patrick is DS2's middle name. I didn't want to use it as his first name because I didn't particularly like Paddy, Pat or Pa, and absolutely detest Patsy, which to me is a girl's name.

I think it's true that Paddy is coming back into fashion. DS3 (16) has a friend called Paddy, and there is also a Bill, a Brian & a Stan in their school year.

I think it depends on how it sounds with your surname too. Personally I don't like Paddy at all especially outside the UK but I love Patrick.
My DH [English] met someone called Padraig in a meeting with a supplier once. He genuinely thought that he was calling himself Porridge.....

Patrick is great. Paddy is better. (But not Pat or Patsy)

Patrick is great but Pat, Patty, Patsy, Paddy are not imo!

I quite like Patrick but not Paddy. I agree that it's a bit of an old man's name. It's not always shortened especially in younger ones.

I kind of like Cornelius, too - and in fact it did meet a lovely 10-year-old Cornelius a few years back, called after his granddad, and known as 'Con', but in my region, Cornelius used to usually be abbreviated to 'Nelius', pronounced 'Nailus', which kind of ruined the stately, classical air I associate with it.

I have a friend (aged 43) called Concepta, known as Connie, and was at school with a Eucharia (known as Judy) - when we see little Gobnaits and Immaculatas back in the playground, we will know Ireland has embraced the old man/old lady chic!

I know both a Patsy and a Flor, both Irish men of a certain age.

Burren I love and adore the name Cornelius, I know two very elderly brothers called Cornelius and Thaddeus and think they were absolutely blessed in the name stakes. Gobnait on the other hand........no, no, a thousand times NO. If there's a worse name in existence I've yet to encounter it!

Who looks at their newborn and thinks 'you're so beautiful, I love you so much......I will call you Gobnait'.

I love Paddy, it's a great name.

My ds has a name that has two very usual nn's, I love one and hate the other. Luckily he still (age 12) goes by the full version most of the time, his nn is out surname with a y on the end anyway, lol

I'm not in the uK or Ireland and my little patrick is a paddy, I call him paddy, his sisters call him paddy and some of the kids at kindergarten call him paddy. Most other adults call him patrick

I agree it's nicest left alone as Patrick, and that it is a nice, solid name.

(Squoosh, I hope Ireland eventually reclaims old man/old woman names, but of the Gobnait/Cornelius kind, rather than Wilfred or Florence - I would be most tickled. Though 'Florence', pronounced 'Flurrence' and shortened to 'Flor', is traditionally an old man name in my neck of the woods, which might take a lot of reclaiming...)

I don't agree about anti-Irish prejudice having died out in the UK - at least my own experience doesn't tally with that - but am pleased that someone else's experience is of none. Our experience probably did influence our decision not to give our son an Irish first name, though.

All the little Patricks I know are called Patrick.

Well, one is called Paddy, but his parents called him Paddy from birth as that's what they wanted.

Where I'm from 'Paddy' is definitely the main, most-used, nickname for Patrick.

I really don't think the suggestion you were given of 'Patsy' is a good idea at all.

i had two friends called patrick at school, one was paddy and one was tricky.
this was in liverpool in the '80s

I think Patsy for a boy would constitute intolerable cruelty!