Smallwood-Lockwood - can we?

As others have said I also think having two names so similar in a surname is too much. I would just pick one or the other.

pandaporter. Yep, and I've always put dds known as name down on the form. First primary ignored this, second primary called her by her known name but there were only six kids in her year so it had that personal touch.

At secondary she's always been called by her full name but it's a massive school so maybe they just can't remember all the known as names.

What Robin said. Clunky but fine.

I think if you think people will never make the connection between Billy and Willy then you are completely deluded. William doesn't work with my surname either, which is why neither of my son's have it despite it being one of my favourite names.

Possum - I'm not being rude, but on the school registration form there's a 'known by' name. All the teachers use that - that's what's on the coat peg/tray on the first day of term, etc. well, definitely in my area anyway... That's going by 5 different schools!

You say he will be known as Billy, yes at home but possibly not at school.

I guess some teachers haven't got the time or inclination to remember nicknames. My dd has always being known at school as her full length name by teachers. And a friend of mine who has a boy called Ted (that's what's on his birth certificate) has had to go into school several times and say please stop calling him Edward as that isn't his name.

I am 90% certain that this is a joke thread. In the unlikely event that it is real:

Smallwood-Lockwood - clunky but basically fine.

Any combination of William and Smallwood - no no no no no.

Yoarchie why?

Woodwood, doublewood, wood or Woodward if you wanted to do that. I know 2 couples who have made up names 'mcwood' being a mixture of Mcarthur and Smallwood. They have used this name as a family. Each to their own.

Smallwood Lockwood is awful imo.

Hmm, it might be deeply irritating having everyone focus on the willy Smallwood angle, but it's representing a disinterested audience and if this is what a nice mn crowd spot instantly, it's definitely what teenagers will do.

Feel your pain re surnames though, I think you should have both unhyphenated like the Spanish, we have done this and it gives us a lot of flexibility over what names we use where.

OP you can't discount people teasing him as Willy small wood, even if you insist on calling him Billy. I knew a Richard Pullar. He tried to get people to call him Rich, but everyone called him Dick. I used to wonder how his parents hadn't seen that one coming. Don't do that to your son. If you're going to go with Smallwood, then please give him any other first name other than William.

If he is at school, his full whole name will be on the register, called out at exam time etc so even if you want him to be known as Billy his official name will be William. i don't know any Williams known as Billy.

You can say he will be called Billy all you like but he won't be, if he's called William Smallwood he will be mocked for having a tiny erection by teenage boys everywhere. And if lots of people are telling you he will be you might want to consider the possibility that we're speaking the truth, however much you say that we're not.

Smallwood-Lockwood is fine - but only if you call him Edward

I know a Richman-Langman.

I think Smallwood is a perfectly fine name. And there's nothing wrong with Smallwood-Lockwood.

But William (or Billy!) Smallwood(-Lockwood)
What about Henry? Or Charles or Albert, Anton, Thaddeus, Robert, Rupert, Wilhelm, Arlo, Thomas....?

It's just the combination of William and Smallwood that's...well, pretty awful, tbh...

Please do rethink this - you say he'll be Billy and won't even know about William. Fairly sure most teens are smart enough to work it out though so he will definitely end up being small willy at school!

I think a woman can get away with the name Smallwood but not a boy and not a boy called Willy .

It's a bit of a mouthful but people would get used to it. I wouldn't go for William Smallwood. Smallwood on its own is ok but I think there might be teasing issues if he were called William. Willy SmallWood is a bit too much of a risk.

If your partner won't be seeing his son so much then how about him getting to choose the surname as you are getting the actual child. Iyswim - I presume he is in the military or something.

I suppose You could have your name as an unused middle name.

SHE WANTS TO USE SMALLWOOD

The only combination that is not unfortunate is William Locksmall. Actually that's unfortunate as well. How about your mum's maiden name OP? Maybe you can use that?

Billy Woodward?

He'll be called small willy, I can promise you that now.

If you do go for Lockwood-Smallwood, would you consider going the whole hog and calling him Edward?

Is this a joke?

If it's not... then you definitely can't call your son Billy Smallwood.