Ally? (nn for Alexander?)

My partner is Ally and his name is Alistair... for Alexander I would say Alex is the obvious nn

I really like Ally also OP

My son is called Alexander, shortened to Alex. I know a girl called Ally, shortened from Alison.

No reason you can’t call him Ally. (I have an Alasdair whom I call Ally, everyone else calls him Al or Dair).

My favourite nickname for Alexander is Alec (which is irrelevant) but I do agree with others that once he goes to school you can’t control nicknames and if you would strongly object to Alex perhaps Alexander, although lovely, is not the name for you. At least 90% of the (many) Alexanders my kids went to school with were Alex.

However, when the child gets to go out and about without your.....school, sports, Scouts, drama, swimming, whatever.... they will get called Alex. So if you really dislike the name Alex, I just would choose a name - any name - that is not Alexander

That's the reason we're not going with Alexander, either.

Eck. Nickname for Alexander in some parts of Scotland. Just saying.

OR he may end up choosing Alex for himself as well!

I like Ally but it's definitely Alistair to me and unless your son actually introduces himself as Ally through school etc he will be an Alex.

I think it skews slightly more feminine

Not in Scotland.

I know an Ali and she's an Alexandria. Don't use the name of you don't like Alex as someone will call him Alex

In Scotland diminutives for Alexander are usually Alec, Sandy or Zander. Personally have never come across Al except for someone called Alistair.

I think Ally is fine, I knew an adult male Ally and I don't even know what his full name is.
Having said that he is highly likely to choose to go by Alex when he is older. If you were to choose Xander from birth then I think that would stick as it's a cool recognised boy name but I think an Ally may choose something a bit stronger sounding as they get older even if it's just Al.

I think if you call him Alexander, he will end up being called Alex whether you like it or not. Xander is a possibility but if you don't like either then I just wouldn't use that name.

As others have said, Alasdair is the Scottish Gaelic version of Alexander, and Ali or Ally or Alla are perfectly normal short forms. I know at least two within a 5 mile radius. And a 'Sandy'. And an 'Alec'.

I also know a Xander, but, like the OP, I'm not keen. Nor on 'Xan', which is occasionally used.

I agree with @SummaLuvin that if you hate Alex then you should avoid Alexander. It’s not fair you to want to control his name because your don’t like old Aunt Alexandra. Ally does work for Alexander, but only if your son likes it too and you won’t know that until it’s too late.

I think Alistair has always been a much more common name in Scotland than in England. Growing up in England, the only Allys I've known have been Alisons. As an adult I know that it's also a nn for Alistair but I don't know any. Alison isn't popular now though. Alice is but I don't hear that being shortened to Ally.

Ally/Ali isn't feminine! It's the normal shortening for Alasdair etc...

I don’t like it really. Prefer Al or Alec

Alexander WILL be Alex whether you like it or not. It’s funny how parents think they can’t dictated a nickname. You absolutely can’t I’m afraid. Everyone will call him Alex becouse it’s the only normal nickname of Alexander. Ally is a nn for Alison ( a girl)
Alexander (Alex) is a great name and I wanted to use it for my son but in your case since you dislike Alex it may not be an option

You can use whatever nn you like but you can't control other people.

Alexander and Alexandra are both very popular at the moment, so he'll find himself in groups where distinctions have to be made between them. Ally is a lot less popular now (in my generation it was common, for Alison) so it might help him avoid having to be 'Alex B'.

I'd assume Alistair for a male Ally but wouldn't be too surprised to discover an Alexander. There are certainly plenty of Alexanders know as Al. Alexander 'Boris' Johnson for example.

My BIL is known as Ally by his friends. Alexander by his parents and Alex by his siblings.
Bear in mind you only get to choose nickname for a few years.
DS friend is known as Al

Ally works, I think it skews slightly more feminine, like the way Al is slightly more masculine - but both work for either genders.

I adore Sacha for a boy, but if you aren't fussed then thats irrelevant.

However, if you really dislike Alex then I would avoid Alexander entirely. You can never fully remove the chance that Alex would be used and favoured by your son when he grows up.

Alistair is a dashing name and, as PP pointed out, you get Ally that way too.

I know an Ally who is an Alexander.

My brother is an Alexander. He is Alex to most people, but family call him Al or Ally. My son's friend whose full name is Alexander goes by Xand.