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Baby names

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

Original poster

Correct spelling for Wilfie/Wilfy

39 replies

Mangotango123 · 23/05/2021 16:09

If we have a son, we are naming him Wilfred but nn will be Wilf and/or Wilfy.

I’ve seen a lot of people do this and they seem to spell it Wilfie, but then other people have spelt it the other way - Wilfy.
Does anyone know what would be the correct way to spell it, or does it not matter/have a correct way?
Many thanks

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LittleGwyneth · 26/05/2021 13:05

Wolfie as a nickname is so sweet.

MadeOfStarStuff · 25/05/2021 19:56

I like Wilf and Wilfred but think Wilfy is awful however you spell it

If you must use it, keep it as a verbal baby name only, stick to Wilf whenever you need to spell it

3CCC · 25/05/2021 13:38

Love Wilfred as a name
Personally I think Wilfie looks better maybe even Wilffie

ThornAmongstRoses · 25/05/2021 13:35

Wilfred is dreadful.

Wilf is great!!!!

Clevererthanyou · 24/05/2021 22:32

You can put any name on the certificate that you want Op, (no Hitler or Little Bastards ofc) and it doesn’t make a jot of difference if a few people don’t recognise Wilf as a proper name in its own right. Fwiw I wish I had put my sons nickname on his birth certificate as I never use his full Christian name and I don’t intend to.

Ginger1982 · 24/05/2021 22:28

Seriously, just make his official name Wilf. Much cooler and then he won't have to explain, 'I'm Wilfred, but call me Wilf.'

And you'll probably find you call him all sorts of nicknames. Some my 4 year old has are Lollipop and Cheech, neither of which are really derivatives of his name and not used by other family members.

Maybe call him Wolfie as a nickname just for you and DH.

Cheeseplantandpickle · 24/05/2021 22:26

Wilfie, like Wilkie.

Lightningrain · 24/05/2021 22:12

I’d go with Wilfie as I read Wilfy as Willy in the thread title.

HercwasanEnemyofEducation · 24/05/2021 22:11

You can't pre plan a nickname!

Wilfy looks like willy fwiw.

Original poster
Mangotango123 · 24/05/2021 22:10

@piefacedClique I’d probably try to get away with it for ages too. Love that it’s passed through the family 💙

OP posts:
Original poster
Mangotango123 · 24/05/2021 22:05

@FurForksSake awww good choice. I too know someone who calls theirs Wilfy at home. I think even if it did have a proper spelling, people would still choose their way wouldn’t they. Thanks for posting x

OP posts:
piefacedClique · 24/05/2021 22:05

It’s a family name for us... the senior is Wilf/Wilfy.... junior is Wilf/Wilfie-(middle name). I called my older brother wilfie- until he was in sixth form! He was mortified.... he’s very much Wilf now 😂

Original poster
Mangotango123 · 24/05/2021 22:02

True, I can think of a few ways I could alter the spelling of your 4 letter name to a more apt version. I prefer it to boring and overused names. Regardless of what I call him, I will raise him not to be rude, so that’s the main thing.

Thank you @Flymetothestars we love it too 😊

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FurForksSake · 24/05/2021 21:55

I have a Wilfred, he is 8 now and goes by Wilf. When he was a baby people did call him Wilfy (or Wilfy-pops, please vom now) but no-one ever wrote it down and I've never considered how to spell it. People could spell it how they liked as it was a very small number of family members who used it.

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeep · 24/05/2021 21:50

Wilf is better than Wilfred
Since wilfy will only be a nickname when he's little you won't really need to spell it will you?

katy1213 · 24/05/2021 21:48

Poor child - but if you make up stupid names, I guess you can spell them any way you like.

User27aw · 24/05/2021 21:37

I think Wilfie is best .
Wilfy looks like Whiffy

Flymetothestars · 24/05/2021 21:33

@seven7sisters lol I'm finding it really funny you think a teenage Wilfred would be so horrifying. Have you looked at the official popularity charts recently? I think you're going to be horrified at loads of the names in the top 100 .....and in 13 years time- these kids will be teenagers!!

Wilfred is one of my favourite names by the way. I'd use Wilf as the nickname. Great choice @Mangotango123

Hufflepuffsunite · 24/05/2021 17:44

I would spell it Wilfie but either is fine. Also it's a perfectly fine name! I like it!

RandomMess · 24/05/2021 17:31

Just go for Wilf!!

Original poster
Mangotango123 · 24/05/2021 16:52

@Tal45 well ... that’s what I had always intended to do as I didn’t really want Wilfred in case the ‘Fred’ part of it got used, as I’ve always liked Wilf - but everyone I mentioned it to said “you can’t just call him that, it’s not a name per se, for official purposes you are going to have to use the proper name’ so I thought maybe I was wrong and they were right 🙈

OP posts:
Tal45 · 24/05/2021 16:29

I really like Wilf - but if that's what you're going to call him day to day why wouldn't you put that on the BC instead of saddling him with the awful Wilfred?

Newmum110 · 24/05/2021 16:23

I think Wilfy definitely looks better

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 23/05/2021 22:12

Wilfie reminds me of the more well known Wolfie (also sometimes used as a nn for Wilfred I think as well as Wolfgang) - so I'd be tempted to use that spelling.

UnaLength · 23/05/2021 19:02

Oh and our Wilfy is now 13 so goes by Will or Wills usually but I still call him Wilf or Wilfy occasionally and he still answers to it. Smile