Ted.. just Ted.

It doesn't even have to be Edward- there are lots of choices Edmund, Edwin, Theodore etc

Ruth, sian, John etc are real names. No one is going to ask what they are short for and give them the wrong initial. This poor child faces a lifetime of explaining 'no it's my name, my parents didn't like the long version' and 'please don't address letters to E Smith, it really is T Smith'.
So simple to give him a proper name and call him the nickname.
I may be biased as Edward is a lovely name and I don't like Ted!

You've got to think of poor lad bring asked all his life what it's short for.

I don't like a nickname as a real name. Why is Edward so awful? I like it. Not loving Theodore but even that is better than Ted (love Theo which is what I'd shorten it to).

I just think it's a dull limiting name. Made worse by association with a bear. I like it better as nn for Edward.

I don't get the "it's selfish to just give him Ted" argument. Are people selfish calling their children Ruth Sian John Mark or any other 1 syllable name? If his name is Ted it's Ted...and I think my mum was selfish giving me a long arty farty name and not allowing me to shorten it as a teenager. Life was hellish!

I wouldn't.

I hated growing up with a name that didn't have an associated nickname (especially as it was a crap choice with my surname and caused me no end of pain!).

Since they had no idea what your taste would be it makes sense to widen the options. He can still be Ted.

I love Ted on its own. Think everyone is getting a bit precious about bc names..it's hardly selfish not giving a long fancier version never to be used. Only seeing it as a negative if you personally don't like the name. I don't like my name, it's just a bog standard name that can't be shortened but I don't see my parents as being selfish?! They just had different taste to me

It's easy to say that you can change your name, but if the people around you refuse to cooperate you are stuck with it. I have one of these nickname names (and no middle name) because my parents were FUCKING SELFISH. I always hated my name and tried to get people to call me by another name of my choice, but they just laughed and ignored it.

But you could have it if you wanted. If you are called Beth and your BC is Elizabeth then you have lots of possibilities at a later date. It is not the same as deciding to call yourself Sophie!
You know that you don't want a choice, but for all the parents know the child may hate Beth (or Ted) and then at least they have alternatives,like my friend with a Jamie - his parents loved it and intended that he would always be Jamie but he thought it babyish once he got older.
I was always called my BC name when young- I was the one that shortened it and I never asked my parents what they thought, it was my name - just grateful to have choices.

If you're sometimes called it then of course it's your name. I have never been called my BC name. Not once. So it's not my name.

I love Ted, great name and I would use it if I ever had another child ( boy obviously ).

I don't think so. I get called my full name less than 10% of the time but it is my name. It is officially my name and I can use it if I want and sometimes I do.

He can choose.... he can choose to be called Bert, Daniel or Fred if he wants. Could also choose Edward. But my point is that to be a choice he does need to be called it at least 10% of the time otherwise it's as much his name as Bert, Daniel or Fred.

Yes. Love that name

The child should be the one to choose- give him the choice.

I think its a silly name.

When i worked in a nursery 10 years ago we had a child start called Ted.

The staff sniggered about his name for ages.

The childs grandparents didnt like telling people what he was called if anyone asked whilst in the park etc, so he used to say he was called David!

Yes, definitely. I teach a Ted but he's Edward on the register and I always call 'Edward, I mean Ted!' Drives me mad! If he's going to be called Ted, call him Ted.

I am generally known by a nickname and rarely use my full name- however I am very, very grateful that I have it and options. ( especially since I have no middle name and fall back options)

I have a full BC name, I suppose to give me options when I grew up, but as I was always called by the nickname I don't associate the full name with me at all. I wouldn't turn around if someone called it out as it's just not my name. I find it a real pain. I forget to put the 'proper' name on official documents because it's NOT MY NAME. I don't get up at the doctors when they call me.... Because it's NOT MY NAME. Just please if people must use a BC name, call the child it from time to time! My family wouldn't know who I was if I phoned and said 'Hi, it's BC-name'. If he is only to be called Ted, call him Ted! If he doesn't like his name he can always officially change it to whatever he wants by deed poll. Or give himself the nickname Ed from Ted.

The poor child will have a lifetime of explaining that it is his full name and his initial isn't E. Despite that official letters will come with E as the initial anyway.
He should also get the choice. I know a child called Jamie, his parents always intended him to be Jamie but luckily he had James in his birth certificate and once he got to about 8 yrs he absolutely insisted on everyone calling him James.

Edgar is another possibility (I always think of the cool Dutch footballer Edgar Davids), so far we have

Edmund/Edmond
Edwin/Edwyn
Edgar
Edric

I like Ted, but I agree that nicknames as full names are just a bit mean and not thinking of the child at all. No wriggle room if he hates Ted unless he changes it. No option to have a longer name for 'best' and then to choose the nickname YOU feel suits you best - no, mum and dad wanted to make so sure the nickname they liked got used that they just gave you that on its own!

Ted's nice. But give him a name which also gives him some choices in the future. Most people have that and it's nice to have it!

No, it's really mean to shortchange a child with just a nickname or shortened form of a name. Be generous and unselfish and give him a proper name he can adapt as he wishes.