Shortened name on birth certificate?

Full name on bc. Just introduce him to people as Alex or Tom.

I think it does depend somewhat on the name.

I probably wouldn’t expect you to go with Archibald for Archie or Harold for Harry. Going straight for Beth or Liv might seem a bit odd though.

I would use the name you intend to actually use. It’s a pet peeve of mine when people put one name on the birth certificate and then call their children something else.

I have a Penny who is Penny on birth certificate. We love her name so so much, but we didn’t like Penelope. We have also chosen a shortened name for our 2nd baby arriving this year

When my sister was born my parents in birth certificate used the full name intended to use the Nick name - we never did. Though her school friends used the Nick name & still do now! It’s odd as I only know her by her formal name.

My husband hates it when people use the nick name version of his name. With our daughter the eldest again just uses her full name - her friends often use the shorten. Our second daughter we all use the Nick name - wish I had just put that one on her birth certificate!

Yes

Side note.... many a times I've forgotten to put my 'official' name when I should (flights etc) 😂

We have a longer name for our daughter but never use it and my name is officially a longer name too and I never use it either but the choice is there I guess!

I know many people though who have the shirt / nickname so it's totally your preference

Give the longer name on the BC but introduce him to everyone by what you are planning to call him day to day imo - it’s great for him to have options when older.

Only exception might be if the shortened version is so much more popular or better known than the longer/“formal” version - ie Max is way more popular than Maximilian so most people wouldn’t assume, Jack is much more popular than John etc.

Generally I agree that it's best to use a "full" name on a birth certificate because it gives the child the option in future to use it if they wish, particularly if the shorter name is very casual.
It really depends on what the name is - whether the shorter version is known as a name in its own right.

For example, Teddy, Freddie, Johnny, Matt, Steve, Will - I'd go for a "proper" name on the birth certificate because these are very nick-namey.

Alf, John, Ben, Liam, for example - tend to be known as a name in their own right.

My son is Freddie on his birth certificate, not Frederick cos I knew I’d never use Frederick.

I remember being at school and peoples long ‘names’ being on the register, and them constantly correcting teachers. If my son doesn’t want Freddie growing up, then he’s always got Fred as an option

I'd introduce him as Alex. If you have no intention of using the full name just put Alex on the BC.
Lots of other boys will be things like Archie, Charlie, Freddie, Alfie and Teddy, and girls have names like Evie, Ellie, Hallie and Elsie.

I know someone who was only given the shortened name as his parents didn't like the full name, when he became a teenager he decided he hated his name and chose to go by the longer version . His parents weren't very happy but it was entirely his choice.

Using full name also helps 'futureproof' a name.

I know someone who used to go by Alexa, but now goes by Alexandra. By having the longer name it gives more flexibility in case the short name becomes tedious for whatever reason.

I definitely think name him the name you love, and what he'll be called day to day, why do you need a different name on the birth certificate? I am pregnant currently and lots of my name list could be short versions, but I see them totally as names 😍 Gabe, Xave, Seb, Wilf........ I definitely would be using them as just that, can't see it being an issue for them in future, will just be their name!

How strange, I would never think of Harry being a diminutive of Harrison! It would be Henry. But Harry is now a name in its own right.

OP what’s the name-?? Because if you’re in a Harry - Harrison (!) dilemma or a Toby - Tobias angst then it’s quite different!

What’s the name? (It’s not going to identify you). I would maybe give him the option of using the longer one if it’s obviously a shortened version of a name. End of the day though it’s up to you. Some names eg. Charlie for Charles are as much their own name as a nickname.

I don’t know anybody who has been raised with everybody using a short name (eg: Alex, Chris, Liz) who has decided to use their full name despite never being called it in adulthood just because it’s on the birth certificate. I don’t think you have to overthink it, if you like the name Alex just call him Alex he doesn’t need a long name.

If it's Theo or Max I think you are fine without.

Yes but it’s not your birth certificate or important at all that you’d ‘rarely use it’. It’s about him. He’s the one that might rarely use it or might use it all the time! You don’t know what he’ll prefer, so the obvious thing is to give him the option?

Obviously as it ends up out of your hands, don’t give your baby a name you hate. If you really dislike Nicholas don’t use it even if you love Nick. But I’d say that names with options are always a nicer choice than names with none.

I know someone who was given the short version of a name as their official name (e.g. Jim rather than James). They hate it, and are in the process of officially changing it. The parents don't seem too impressed ["We gave you X name because we like it"]
FWIW the full name and a different nn for it suits him far better.

We used the formal name and call DS by the nickname day to day.

I love both variations, but it’s also nice having the longer version to use when he’s in trouble!

My sister went from using a diminutive as a child/teen to using her formal name as an adult, so I wanted DS to have the choice to do the same.

I’m a shortened name as my full name. It was rather unusual when I was born in the mid 70s to do that. It’s a name that can be short for a few names so I often get asked ‘are you an Elizabeth or a Bethany’, for example.

It’s never been a problem.

We just said Benjamin* (Ben) Smith and then called him Ben until he decided he wanted to be Benjamin.

*Not actual name.