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Baby names

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

Original poster

Alex for a girl

38 replies

owl89 · 01/08/2018 14:05

Not sure of gender yet but struggling for a girl's name. I love Alex for girl but as a stand alone name. I'm not keen on Alexandra or Alexandria. I like Alexa but we have an Amazon Alexa so don't think that will work Grin do you think Alex works on it's own?

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tazzy73 · 03/08/2018 19:04

Hi owl89,

My daughter is Alex, always was, 4 letters so simple.

Why do you need to have a longer name for birth cert and then give her the nn as the name you want? It's a great stand alone name.
Good luck in 2 weeks!
Tazzy.

Bonkerz · 01/08/2018 22:19

I have an alex-Leigh. Leigh was supposed to be her middle name but we hyphenated it as she was called HE a lot!

Lynne1Cat · 01/08/2018 22:12

My 7yr old GD is called Alexia. Her mother calls her "Lex".

CoperCabana · 01/08/2018 21:49

I have two girls with names that are shorter versions of longer names (one arguably and one very obviously). They have short versions after family members which had the shortened versions but they both wish they had the longer name. And they are only pre teens! I would give the longer name and give them options.

sonnyboo · 01/08/2018 21:43

Alex is a great girls name! Please spell it Alex and not Alix or Alx!

IWouldLikeToKnow · 01/08/2018 21:20

I love Alex. Had a girl in primary school called Alexandra and was known as Alex always. I think it's a fab stand alone name and would definitely consider it.

Sevendown · 01/08/2018 21:14

Alexia

BendydickCuminsnatch · 01/08/2018 21:08

I know a teen Alex just Alex. Recently added to my list as I realised all the girl Alexs I’ve known have been sooooo understatedly cool! Almost heartachingly cool. And kind. I think Alex for a boy is as dull as it gets though so that’s niggling in my mind for a girl!

MariaMadita · 01/08/2018 20:50

I once met an Alexandrina :)
There's also Alexandrine, which I personally really like. Alexina apparently enjoyed a tiny little popularity bump about a 100 years ago (in France)...

Original poster
owl89 · 01/08/2018 19:56

Wow thank you for all of your responses. I think we will consider a longer version on birth certificate and use Alex as a nn - that's if the baby is a girl anyway! We can find out in 2 weeks Grin

OP posts:
daisypond · 01/08/2018 19:07

Not Alex on its own - Alexis Alexa Alexandra are better long forms.
But Alix is fine. It's a very old name.

MikeUniformMike · 01/08/2018 18:18

I'd go with Alexis or Alexandra but call her Alex. Alix is quite pretty.

Liz38 · 01/08/2018 17:40

I really like Alex as a full name, as well as as a nn.

user1492951343 · 01/08/2018 17:35

I absolutely love Alex for a girl although would have given a full name Alexandra nn Alex. Would have used it if dh had liked it too. My two girls both have a longer, more feminine names but both have a more masculine nn. I like the idea of them having a choice as to what they would like to be known as. So dd1 prefers her full name whilst dd2 prefers her more masculine nn which suits her better

december212 · 01/08/2018 17:26

Great taste in names Grin I have an Alexandra, known as Alex. I like the fact she can choose what she wants to use when she’s older.

HollyGibney · 01/08/2018 17:18

I have an Alex, has always been my favourite girls name. She's am Alexandra but it never gets used. I did want her to have the proper name then Alex as nn.

MariaMadita · 01/08/2018 17:15

I like Alex, it's nice. Allie could be a cute nn...

But I do prefer Alexandra nn Alex, tbh...

Sophronia · 01/08/2018 17:10

I’d go with Alix, it’s a medieval variant of Alice.

foxtiger · 01/08/2018 15:41

I've recently seem some naff spellings though which I wouldn't touch (Allex, Alix, Alyx)

I think Alix is actually quite well established for girls - in fact I think I might have read that it was what Queen Alexandra's family called her when she was young. There's also an "Alixe" (possibly meant to be an independent name) in one of the Chalet School books iirc.

starkid · 01/08/2018 15:09

sorry crosspost re. Alexis MustBeThursday !

starkid · 01/08/2018 15:08

I know a girl with her name spelt Alix, if that's any interest? Or Alexis?

Anyway I think Alex for a girl is fine :)

Congrats!

MustBeThursday · 01/08/2018 14:55

As the owner of a "short for" name (not Alex for Alexandra, but another rarely used on its own) I really, really wish my parents had named me the long version. It's a huge hassle correcting everyone all the time. If you don't like Alexandra maybe Alexis?

GreatDuckCookery6211 · 01/08/2018 14:32

Sorry I find it too masculine although Alexa is ok.

ajandjjmum · 01/08/2018 14:26

DD is Alexandra.

She has always been Alex to us, but Ali to a number of people, Alexandra at work and Al to some newer friends.

She certainly doesn't get bored with her name! I love Alex on it's own, but maybe it does limit the options.

Failingat40 · 01/08/2018 14:22

I love this name for a girl. I think it's a perfectly good stand alone name as it is but I also like Alexis/Alexandra.

I know two Alex's, both females but were given alternative spellings of Alyx & Alix, I guess to give a more female slant.