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Baby names

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Original poster

A nickname for James

118 replies

hulahoopqueen · 24/06/2021 18:40

I absolutely love the name James.
DH has a young and pretty distant cousin with the same name, (we don't see them often, so not too fussed about trouble with "stealing" the name), and the whole family uses the nickname Jimmy.
I don't know anyone called James, so Jimmy as a nickname threw me a bit. It turns out I can't get on with it as a nickname at all, to the point I'd avoid using the name.
I'm not against nicknames, I actually love Jamie as a casual version of James.
Anyone who knows a James, is that a common nickname? And if we used Jamie as an alternative to Jimmy, would that catch on?

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Orangelover · 24/06/2021 21:42

My OH is James and he is known as James. Or by a surname based nickname to his friends. My MIL would absolutely hit the roof if anyone referred to him as Jim Grin

I love the name James. So classic but without being pretentious or over trendy. Can't go wrong Smile

Wanttomakeachange · 24/06/2021 21:38

I’m married to a James and all his friends from school call him Jim. Only his family and me call him James. Also a lot of his friends call him by his initials, so JP. I agree with starting off with the nickname early so everyone knows that’s the preferred term.

LawnFever · 24/06/2021 21:35

@Hellocatshome

If you want Jamie call him Jamie, its not really a nickname for James.
Jamie absolutely is a nickname for James, really quite a common one.

Could also be Jim or Jay, I don’t know anyone who’s known as Jimmy but I’d think of it as an older nickname

Twizbe · 24/06/2021 21:34

I have a James who is known as Jimmy. He's named after my grandfather who was always known as Jim.

Jamie is the most common nickname I know but I don't like it much.

BarbaraPapa · 24/06/2021 21:31

My Granda was a Jem - it suited him, and was always top of my boys' list.

HarrisMcCoo · 24/06/2021 21:29

Jimmy is a fine nick name or Jim.

Original poster
hulahoopqueen · 24/06/2021 21:26

@Scarby9

If you absolutely love James, why would you call him something else?
I know some people will do so whether or not we like it, so I'd like to at least have one nickname in the bank to encourage people towards Smile
OP posts:
QueenAdreena · 24/06/2021 21:22

Two of my ex’s were called James, but both went by Jay once they got into their late teens/twenties.

FleasAndKeef · 24/06/2021 21:21

I have a 2 year old James who we have always called Jim or Jimmers- but we introduce him as that. I don't think anyone would have made the leap from James to Jim without our direction!

MichelleScarn · 24/06/2021 21:17

I have a cousin James who is named for his dad James, but goes by Hamish. (Scottish Highlands)

icecreamgirl94 · 24/06/2021 21:13

My partner is a James and everyone has called him Jay since he was little. He’s only James when his mum’s angry with him 😂

speakout · 24/06/2021 21:10

Stef92 I thought it was Jabba the Hut.

RuthW · 24/06/2021 21:08

I know a teenage James known as Jay

Stef92 · 24/06/2021 21:00

@speakout never heard of some of those and Jabbers just reminds me of Jabber the hut...

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 24/06/2021 20:51

I like the medieval nn Jem for James best (although thanks to To Kill a Mockingbird, more people use it for Jeremy instead).

But Jamie or Jay for James is nice too (not keen on Jim/Jimmy- too dated) although I must admit all the James I know seem to be called the full version, at least by their friends (don't know about family nn's).

MissingTheMoonlight · 24/06/2021 20:37

I love the name James and Jamie but loathe Jimmy. I know two James who go by no other names (and one horse called Jimmy!)

yourestandingonmyneck · 24/06/2021 20:35

@Asterales

We have a James who is insistent upon being called by his proper name of James out of the house and at school, but in his softer moments will allow me and his dad to push it as far as Jimbo, Jamesie Bon-Bon and even on occasion Jimbelina. Never Jamie or Jay, he'll have none of that.
Jimbelina 😍😍😍
speakout · 24/06/2021 20:22

Stef92

You won't have your way though. You can insist on calling your son James while he is young, but you won;t have that control forever- he may end up Jabs/Jabbers/Jammie/Jabbo/Jim/Jimmy/.

Scarby9 · 24/06/2021 20:20

If you absolutely love James, why would you call him something else?

yourestandingonmyneck · 24/06/2021 20:16

@Hellocatshome

If you want Jamie call him Jamie, its not really a nickname for James.
Eh? Of course Jamie is a nickname for James Confused
Stef92 · 24/06/2021 20:14

My 16 week old is a James and he won't be anything other than James if I have my way 🤣 he has a great great Uncle Jimmy though

Asterales · 24/06/2021 20:12

We have a James who is insistent upon being called by his proper name of James out of the house and at school, but in his softer moments will allow me and his dad to push it as far as Jimbo, Jamesie Bon-Bon and even on occasion Jimbelina. Never Jamie or Jay, he'll have none of that.

BillyIsMyBunny · 24/06/2021 20:09

All of the James’ I know are known as James in most situations. Occasionally shortened to Jay or Jamie in conversation but not commonly.

itsgettingwierd · 24/06/2021 20:07

Know lots of Jamie's and James.

Jamie's are both male and female.

Some James always called James, some called Jamie and I only know one who gets called Jim.

Use Jamie or James whichever you prefer.

PurpleyBlue · 24/06/2021 20:05

Jim

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