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Baby names

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Original poster

Ally? (nn for Alexander?)

62 replies

crabette · 26/01/2022 23:31

I love the name Alexander for a little boy, but struggle to think of nicknames I would be ok with.

(I have an old aunt Alexandra who goes by Alex, who I really dislike! So wouldn't want Alex.) Not sure of Xander, Sandy or Sasha.

Recently heard "Ally" as a shortened form of Alexandra... which I quite liked? I know for a male, Ally is typically used for Alistair, but do you think it would be reasonable to have Ally for Alexander too?

Think I really like Ally for a little one!

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TrashyPanda · 30/01/2022 23:15

And if you use Ally, it will make it even more special when you sing Ally Bally to him!

It’s one of my favourite nursery rhymes

lakeswimmer · 30/01/2022 22:02

@Skeumorph

I don’t like Ally at all! But. More to the point - he WILL be Alex. More than any other name, if you don’t like Alex don’t use Alexander. It’s just going to happen.
That hasn't happened with my son. He introduces himself as Ali to new people and that's what they call him.
lakeswimmer · 30/01/2022 21:58

I have a teen Alexander who has always been known as Ali.

We began using Alex as a nn when he was a baby but it quickly morphed in to Ali and it stuck, so when he started school he was Ali and has been ever since. No-one at school calls him Alex. I think a lot of people probably assume he's an Alistair.

FlamingoDust · 30/01/2022 21:36

I know an adult Alexander that has always gone by Ali

HoliHormonalTigerlilly · 30/01/2022 07:26

It you hate the name Alex then don't call your kid Alexander! 🤷‍♀️

MrsElijahMikaelson1 · 30/01/2022 00:27

We call ours Ali - or Alex - or Alipaly or alijandro

AnnieAmelia · 29/01/2022 22:52

Derry is also a possibility, though the only Alexander I know of who goes by Derry is Derry Irvine.

I agree that you'll struggle to avoid Alex.

Skeumorph · 29/01/2022 22:45

I don’t like Ally at all! But. More to the point - he WILL be Alex. More than any other name, if you don’t like Alex don’t use Alexander. It’s just going to happen.

StrychnineInTheSandwiches · 29/01/2022 22:44

Maybe I got it the wrong way round!

TrashyPanda · 29/01/2022 22:43

Only ever heard Alec Salmond called Wee Eck.

StrychnineInTheSandwiches · 29/01/2022 22:35

Reminds me of Alex 'Big Eck' Salmond.

User48751490 · 29/01/2022 22:27

@StrychnineInTheSandwiches

Eck is bloody awful.
Suits some Alexanders though🤷 still classed as a nickname for Alexander in Scotland.

Alec and Sandy aren't that bad either.

StrychnineInTheSandwiches · 29/01/2022 22:19

Eck is bloody awful.

User48751490 · 29/01/2022 22:11

Eck is okay for Alexander. DH knows one. They used to work together.

Soul11Soul · 29/01/2022 21:18

In Scotland... I know more male Ally/Ali's than females. I'm Elizabeth which is similar. People just choose what they call me. I don't care. I have close friends and family who call me Liz, Lizzy, Betty, Beth and Elizabeth. When I think of my name in my head it's Elizabeth but I like all the shortened versions too and I think they say more about the people who have chosen them to call me than they do about me. Alexander is similar I'd imagine.

Lockdownbear · 29/01/2022 21:13

@334bu

Most people in Scotland would assume Ally was a boy.
Speak for yourself - I know as many Ally / Allison's as I do Ally / Alastair's I would always check and never assume.
User48751490 · 29/01/2022 19:50

@334bu

Most people in Scotland would assume Ally was a boy.
Exactly.
miltonj · 29/01/2022 17:38

The Alexander it life gets called Ally by his nearest and dearest but everyone else calls him Alex. If you name your son Alexander he will 100% get called Alex by the majority of people. Maybe not while he's a baby but definitely later down the line.

334bu · 29/01/2022 17:01

Most people in Scotland would assume Ally was a boy.

Blubells · 29/01/2022 16:43

Ally McBeal is all I think of

Very feminine sounding

Shutupyoutart · 29/01/2022 15:38

Ally is cute for a little boy..lex is a good nn for Alexander aswell.

Susiesue61 · 29/01/2022 12:59

@babyboybluewithnumbertwox

My partner is Ally and his name is Alistair... for Alexander I would say Alex is the obvious nn
Mine too! His mates all call him Al but those is us that knew him when we first met call him Ally. Alistair is nicer than Alexander I think
AnnieLobeseder · 28/01/2022 09:25

DC2 is Alexandra, but we've always called them Allie. They started calling themselves Alex at secondary. But we still mostly use Als.

At one point we lived in a row of three terraced houses, and each one had an Allie/Ali in it - Alexandra, Alison and Alyssa.

But the great thing about Alexandra/er is that it can be shortened so many ways. Xander, Lex, Sascha...

Caszekey · 28/01/2022 09:21

My Nephew is Alex, he's always been an Ally. Even as a strapping six foot soldier although only from us 😂

Hb12 · 28/01/2022 09:18

We have an Alexander, he gets called Ali, Al, Alex in the main.

Other names I have heard people use are Lex, Xander, Xandy.

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