Does Teddy need a 'grown up' name?

I would name him Theodore

How does Edward shorten to Teddy?confused

In the same way as Robert becomes Bobby, William becomes Billy, Richard becomes Dickie, Helen becomes Nellie, etc.

Please go formal on the birth certificate.
A family member called her boy Teddy after a grandad.
We all judged and some family members were upset that his name hadn't been honoured properly.

Yes. Teddy is very childish and would only suit a small child. I think it would sound quite silly on a teenager/man.

I definitely think Edward, or even Theodore would be a lot better in the long run.

**How does Edward shorten to Teddy?confused

All the Edwards I know sometimes shorten to Ed ir Eddie.**

^This. Also Teddy is cute until they are about 2 or 3. After that is sounds ridiculous

Funny I just met a young man who has a name very similar to Teddy - i.e. a nickname of a “proper” name ending in a y sound. He is training to be a barrister. So I suspect the prejudice against nicknames is going to change with the generations.

My Uncle was Thomas Edmund - known as Ted. I think that's lovely - and more unexpected than Edward (if you wanted more alternatives.)

I think I would go with a formal name on the BC but I can't quite decide which. Edward is more versatile (I can think of at least 5 short forms plus Edward itself), but Theodore gets around the problem of people not realising what his real initial is (I've always been called by a short form of my name that doesn't begin with the same letter as the long version, and I've had a few problems with cheques over the years!) I think you'll just have to go with the one you like best (including Teddy).

My youngest is Edward but goes by Ted most of the time.

We chose Edward so that he has a more traditional name to fall back on if he decides Ted is too babyish..

Why, are they Teddy Bears 🧸 ?

I know two adult Teddys but neither of them are what you could call grown ups

Definitely Edward

@RiverTam maybe I am judging, I see Teddy differently to say Charlie for Charles. I think it's because I feel Teddy isn't taken as seriously as a name such as an Edward or a Ted because it's the name of a cuddly toy. Just like Kitty for a girl - cute as a nickname but not a full name as such. I guess I prefer more traditional names, I wouldn't judge someone for the name without knowing them perhaps more the parents but like PP have said times are changing traditional names are less 'in' and there are lots more 'out there' names. I guess it's just personal preference and everyone has an opinion.
Probably many people don't like my children's names - half my family hated Theodore when we first said it!

Teddy is cute for a fluffy toy or a little baby/toddler.

I'd put a grown up name on his birth certificate.

It's such a popular name that by the time he's old enough to worry about work and business there will be plenty of Teddys, Neds, Harrys, Jays etc for whom that is the only form of their name, no longer version.

If you want to register him as Edward do it because you like the name not because of some upwardly mobile snobs on mumsnet.

As someone with three names herself (full English name, Gaelic equivalent, Gaelic nickname) there is a lot to be said for keeping it simple!

My son is Freddie. A very popular ‘nickname’ name. We didn’t register him as Frederick (I still call him it, along with Fred) as we didn’t want that to be his name. Simple. I know of a few Babies called Teddy. Go with the name you love x

There will be so many grown up Teddys in 20 years’ time, it’s really not an issue.

I have an 8 year old Teddy. He is officially Edward, in part because it is a family name but also because we wanted to give him the option when he was older. Teddy was only in the top 10,000 names when he was born.

He generally gets Teddy but occasionally Ted for short (or Eduardo if he is doing Spanish!). Official forms are completed as Edward but no one ever calls him that unless it’s somewhere like the doctors.

He likes that he has options when he’s older, though I did say to him that I would probably always call him Ted or Teddy as he is just not Edward to me.

I’m bemused at those who say it’s a babyish name as you’ve named your child after a teddy bear given they are named after Theodore ‘Teddy’ Roosevelt. I see it more as a name that was popular early 20th century with a revival as a lot of names of that era have had lately.

Nobby there is a Princess and a Queen in DD's school. They are both from Nigerian families where these kinds of names are not unusual. I really would be quite careful of how your judging names, tbh - snob might not be the only thing thought about you.

Names change - I'm sure Ella was once simply a short for Isabella, Arabella etc - now it's a standalone name. Should all the Ellas out there have a fallback 'proper' name or are they allowed to simply be called Ella?

I know a Teddy and by the time he was in juniors he used to complain to his mum that he didn’t have a proper name - wished he was called Adam or Jack. His parents now regret not giving him a more traditional name on the birth certificate and just using Teddy as a nickname.

My dad was Ted or Teddy and was called Edward.

So you don't judge people who walk around with ridiculous names such as princess or after the recent press example 'abcd'?

I don't know anyone who has given their child a nickname on a birth certificate whether they're my age or my parents. I didn't realise people did that until joining mumsnet a few years ago!

It's the same as Charlie, Harry, Freddie, Sammy. They're not names. They are shortened nicknames.

I just don't see why parents can't just give their children sensible names.

I agree. Amy is a stand alone name. Teddy is the name of s fluffy bear!

It's not a comparable name to Amy.

I would in this instance as Teddy is quite cutesey.

Funnily enough, I'm able to think differently from my parents (born in the 1930s). So nothing to do with how you're brought up, more to do with you think think as an adult able to formulate opinions of your own without referring back to Mum and Dad.

I must say that I would massively judge anyone who in turn judged someone for the name their parents gave them, and for assuming certain things about them because of their name. I would not think that person was particularly mature in their thinking, or professional, and I would wonder how much bias they had in other areas. Basically, I would judge them to be a not-very-bright snob.

sickmumma so should everyone have the option, even if they don't have a name with a nickname? I mean, if it's important for the Teddys of the world, presumably it's importation for the Janes and Clares too.