"Nicknames" as first names

"Most of the names on my list are shortened versions because I don't know why we would write one name on the birth cert when we know we would call the child by another name."

Just a thought - your child is not going to be a child for ever.
PPs are right, some names such as Jack have become names in their own right, but silly names like Albie and Effie are childish and sound like you are naming a pet, not a human

Depends on the name. Somehow, Kate, Jack, Beth etc. are fine. Izzie, Ollie, Alfie etc. just sound like the sort of names given by parents who think their kid will be a toddler forever.

well If the longer version is ‘in fashion’ then presumably the nicknames will be as well

Yes and nothere's definitely a perceived "parental class/educational level" difference. I think cutesy-poo names for adults will not age well for this reason and will acquire Wayne/Tracey connotations with time. Also, the use of these namesespecially for boys--is very much a UK thing; you don't really see it in the US and most other English speaking countries. I think being a grown man with a name like Alfie will be awkward in contexts outside the UK.

well If the longer version is ‘in fashion’ then presumably the nicknames will be as well 🤔

But Alfie can go by Alfred if he wants to. It’s far less common, but there’s nothing to stop him. And changing your name is free and simple if being Alfie (known as Alfred) doesn’t feel formal enough. That doesn’t mean that everyone has to like the names (and the Alfie/Reggie/Tilly etc aren’t my style) but I don’t think there’s anything objectively wrong with them either.

Cutesy names like Alfie, Albie, Teddie, Izzie may be fashionable now. But they may not be in a few years. Their owners might prefer the option of going by Alfred, Albert, Edward or Isabel?

Exactly, it’s just normal now, things have changed

i think this makes people uncomfortable as the playing field is further levelled so a child’s name isn’t such a class denoter as before

they want their child to be advantaged just by giving them a long ‘classic’ name and get annoyed that those old rules are slipping into the past

we have quite a few Alfie’s/Archies/Poppy’s joining my work now who are 18-20ish but it doesn’t feel odd because they are such popular names for that generation that it just seems ‘normal’ now and not particularly cutesy

Teddy is the worst for Edward.

My DS absolutely cringes if anyone calls him Tommy. It's awful. I also loathe Teddy and Albie. They are baby names. Babies grow up. Their names should reflect that.

I do too! I wonder if it's the same one? My mother was horrified at the child being given a diminutive and predicted that she would hate it. My mother was right.

But people very rarely get to ‘choose’ a name to be referred to by - aside from sticking it on passports etc. Generally whatever your parents call you is whenever you are known by pretty much for life.
That's not my experience. I have a (imo beautiful) 'long' name that I generally use as an adult. Close family and friends tend to use a (cute) diminutive. I know lots of adults who use various versions of their names (at work, among friends, by partner etc)

My daughter has a name which is a shortened form of a longer name (she just has the shortened version on her birth certificate - we aren't keen on the longer name) we call her a completely different nickname though! So not having options is a daft reason!

Are you Jacob Rees Mogg? Lol

I decided at 11, starting senior school, that I didn't want to be known by the cutesy name my family called me. I object to anyone who met me after my 11th birthday using the cutesy name but people do. Originally it fell into my parents, siblings, aunts/uncles/grandparents using the cutesy name and all teachers/friends/colleagues using the diminutive I chose. One or two people obviously felt they were being excluded and insisted on using the cutesy name, MIL being one, and I would ask them not to.

Now life has moved on and SIL/BIL tend to use cutesy name, nieces and nephews do as well. So here I am 58 years on and still trying to stamp out a name I hate and hate isn't an exaggeration but the vast majority of people I see on a daily basis do use my name of choice.

*whatever you are known by

But people very rarely get to ‘choose’ a name to be referred to by - aside from sticking it on passports etc. Generally whatever your parents call you is whenever you are known by pretty much for life. I don’t know any Lotties or Katies who have turned 35 and have declared they now want to be known as Charlotte or Catherine.

I use long to mean the 'proper' name rather than a diminutive

I think it's because you don't know what will suit the child. Charlotte can be Charlotte, lottie or Charlie for example. Lottie may feel too cutsie for them when they grow up so may prefer Charlie or want to stick with Charlotte.

I have a 3 syllable name that I've always loved. As a young child I was known by one nickname, at school another and now I mainly use my full name. (My close family still call me a cute nickname).
I am so glad my parents gave me a beautiful (long) name.

What's a 'long' name? 3 syllables or more?

I have 3 children with long names, who use diminutives in different situations. I also have a child with a short name that can be stand alone but is also part of a longer name. I didn't like the long names so went with what I liked - ultimately whatever you choose, your kids will whinge about at some point because it's human nature to want something different to what you have!
I balanced the short name with a long middle name. In fact all my dc have middle names, so there are options if any of them had grown up to hate my choice of first name.

I'm one of those people that has a short name with no nickname options it's a classic older name and I hated it growing up because everyone would say it's an old lady name but you'll grow into it I feel I only grow into it in my late 20s early 30s so I vowed to never give my children names that had only one option as a full name it really effected my confidence as a kid and I would think that would be the same if the name was too young and cutsie sounding like most diminutives when you child is a young adult they won't feel it suits them IMO

@Hadtocomment agreed

Which options does ‘charles‘ give that ‘Charlie’ doesn’t? Seriously?

using Charles rather than Charlie gives the kid more options when then grow up I always see this as one argument but then if you give them a shorter name that isnt considered a nickname e.g. Séan they don't get options when they grow up so that argument always confused me!

But Charles and Sean are proper names - they can always be 'cutiefied' by becoming Charlie and Seanie when young, by family and friends.