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Baby names

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

How would you shorten Theodore?

64 replies

pingoose · 18/12/2018 19:41

Teddy or Theo?

DH and I can't agree. To go with a single syllable colour surname.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
LordProfFekkoThePenguinPhD · 18/12/2018 22:27

I do know American and German Teddies

tammytoby · 18/12/2018 22:27

Surely the natural shortening of Theodore is Theo Hmm.

Teddy is a Teddy Bear 🧸!

Willow1992 · 18/12/2018 22:23

Oh and the only Teddys I have known have been quite middle class, not 'chavvy' at all.

Willow1992 · 18/12/2018 22:18

I really like both. Why don't you use them both interchangeably when he is born and you will hopefully find out which one suits him the most? Babies often have multiple nicknames, I doubt sometimes being called Theo and sometimes Teddy would confuse him anymore than most babies with nicknames and pet names.

DramaAlpaca · 18/12/2018 22:17

Theo.

I think Teddy is babyish.

ForAMinuteThere · 18/12/2018 22:16

Theo. Teddy is quite chavvy I think (sorry)

3boysandabump · 18/12/2018 22:11

Theo

pingoose · 18/12/2018 22:11

Why would you?
We gave DD a name that had multiple nicknames, and my DM chose to use the one I wasn't keen on, so trying to avoid that by making a decision at the start.
Of course, we now call her Moo, which has nothing to do with her name. I anticipate the same would happen with a Theo/Teddy :)

OP posts:
Trills · 18/12/2018 22:04

Laurie

StresserJoy · 18/12/2018 22:01

Theo Black
Teddy White
Theo Green
Teddy Brown

Personally, I love Teddy.

TisTheSeasonForPigsInBlankets · 18/12/2018 22:01

I know one who was just "T"
One as Teddy

I'd shorten to Theo

myidentitymycrisis · 18/12/2018 22:00

Where I live people will often shorten/lengthen any name you go by as a sign of familiarity/affection. So Theo people might shorten to The, which is quite odd, and Teddy would become Ted, regardless of what you used at home close/family.

BlueJay1 · 18/12/2018 21:57

Theo.
Teddy is short for Edward ? Or so I thought.

llangennith · 18/12/2018 21:55

If you make sure you use whatever short name you choose right from the start and introduce him as that name you'll be fine. If you don't, people will call him Theo.

Raggedyaine · 18/12/2018 21:50

I always though Odie (Garfields dog) came from Theodore.

I know a lovely grown up Teddy who goes by Ted.

Cbeebiesrehab · 18/12/2018 21:49

All the Theodores I know are Teddy but then I don’t know any over 3. I don’t really like Theo so I would use Ted.

BackforGood · 18/12/2018 21:48

Theo

starzig · 18/12/2018 20:52

Why would you?

GinIsIn · 18/12/2018 20:19

I think just see what they look like.

AppleKatie · 18/12/2018 20:19

Both equally acceptable.
I prefer Teddy/Ted.

TheRedFox · 18/12/2018 20:15

Theo, Ted or Teddy?

The nickname you end up using might depend on the character of your son as you get to know him.

Sophronia · 18/12/2018 20:12

I prefer Ted

ShadyLady53 · 18/12/2018 20:08

Theo. Really not keen on Teddy as a nickname for such a beautiful longer name.

oneofthose · 18/12/2018 20:07

I shorted it to Ted but any of them work well and I figured he'd choose his own when older

GobblersKnob · 18/12/2018 19:59

Obvs Teddy if your surname is Brown ;)

Personally I generally prefer Theo. But you can shorten it to anything, even if people say it isn't traditional, or even that it has never been done before.....

PeaQiwiComHequo ds was 'niblet' until her was about three, I've never heard it from anyone else before!