Call him Teddy or call him Theodore and use Teddy as a nickname

Definitely Theodore on the BC, it gives him more options as an adult.

In UK I'd go for Edward as the full name for Teddy. Possibly Edwin.

Work in a student setting, huge year groups, been there years, professional course, perfect opportunity to use another name when you start. We use the registered full name to contact students - so we don’t collect preferred names as primary and secondary schools now do.

Absolutely loads of students use their derivations and nns in reply when I’ve emailed them using their full names. So can’t agree with redwarves on this!

We went for just ‘Theo’.

But I think Theo works for baby, teenager and adult.

In your case i’d go for Theodore or Edward/win. Don’t like Edmund.

Joomper But that assumes everyone likes their name, which definitely isn't true. A lot of people don't like their names, but they're more likely to dislike being called Lizzy than they are being called Elizabeth and having the choice to shorten it to Lizzy or something else, or use the full name.

@RedDwarves you say that you wouldn't like to be called those names but if that was your name you would have grown up with it and it would be normal. Teddy is an accepted name in its own right and if that's what he will be called then i personally think that's what should be on the bc.

thatsmy Well, I wouldn't like to be called Lizzy instead of Elizabeth. Or Izzy instead of Isabella. Or Maddie instead of Madeleine. Teddy fits into those categories. It's not an "accepted" standalone name, which something like Jack instead of John or Sadie instead of Sarah would be.

I would go for Teddy as that's the name you want him to be called. I really don't understand why you'd put a different name to the one you want on the birth certificate. As an adult, a person can choose to be called whatever they want and a different nickname may naturally occur anyway. When he starts school it is likely all his books, peg label etc will have his full name on as that will be on the register. Obviously once teachers know they will use the nickname but any supply etc will call full name out. Also other clubs he may join are likely to use full name, for example I was at a club with DS and the leader called out 'Charles' but no one responded as neither the mother nor the child recognised it as he'd always been 'CJ'!!!

we have a Teddy (Teddy on birth certificate), if he doesn’t like it when he’s older he can just shorten it to Ted. i’m assuming when he’s older there will be a lot of men called Teddy as it’s becoming more popular!

Theodore, Edward or Edmund with the nn Teddy.

Most adult men would not appreciate being called Teddy, especially as it's not only nicknamey, but is also very of its time. If you give him the longer name, it gives him more options later on.

Another vote for Theodore.

Theodore moving through Teddy and ending up with Ted at school age works well. At least it did for us.

Theodore or Edward.

Remember you aren’t just naming a baby you are also naming a teenager and a middle aged man.

Cute just doesnt have longevity.

Remember also that it’s not your name. Your DS will also have his own view.

My DS announced at 5yo that he prefers the full version of his name and requested everyone stop calling him the short form.

We were fine with it because we love his full name. I imagine it might be problematic if we hadn’t.

Our son is just Teddy for the exact reasons you’ve said - that’s what we have always intended for him to be called

But you now call him Ted which you think is a lovely strong name for a man so why is it so important that you called him Teddy which isn't now what you call him at all?

I also think that their generation will all have similar names - thinking Betsy, Dottie, Wilf etc so Teddy won’t be unusual in that sense

Our son is just Teddy for the exact reasons you’ve said - that’s what we have always intended for him to be called so seemed pointless having a different name on birth certificate. We actually now tend to shorten it to Ted much more often, which I think is a lovely strong name for a man so clearly my vote is for Teddy!

I would definitely use Theodore. Or Edward with Teddy as a NN. I named my son Toby as I didn't like Tobias. Now he's getting older I wish I'd listened and used Tobias on his bc. Mainly because at his age Toby is sweet but in 15 years hell be a grown man and I should of given him a full name. (Yes ill get slated for it but I wanted Toby not Tobias and I was so poorly after his birth I didn't stick up for myself.)

I’d go for Theodore.

The teddy bear association makes Teddy feel like a very babyish name to me.

I’m very firm on this. When people name their kids (formally) with a nickname, it always smacks of insecurity on their part. Like they don’t believe the kid will have friends to give them a nickname that comes naturally later in life. I don’t think many people in my neighbourhood agree with me though, given how many Harrys, Maxs and Bellas are running about!

I like Theodore.

Agree that Teddy as an official name is too cutesy.

Could you do Ted on the BC and have a longer nn of Teddy?

He could always use Ted when he was older if he didn't like Teddy.

It will still be his name on his drivers license, passport, job applications, marriage certificate,,, think about the reactions other people/strangers will have towards him only knowing his first name is Teddy.
It's cute for a newborn and a sweet NN for a young boy, but no grown man is going to be thanking you for a name like that anytime in the future.

Edward is nicer than Theodore. When he’s older he’d just be Theo rather than Ted/Teddy if you went with Theodore. I like Edward shortened to Ted/Teddy when they’re young but Teddy as a stand alone name isn’t great.

I'd go Edward

Theodore with Teddy as his everyday name...gives him the choice as an adult.