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Original poster

Nicknames for Joseph

55 replies

Xx40yearsyoungxx · 31/08/2024 13:22

Hi, I’m having name regret for my youngest son which I can’t shake. He’s too old to change his name so I’m trying to find peace with an alternative nickname (that’s not Joe or Joey) I can use instead which is linked to his name without looking too contrived/try hard. From reading other posts the consensus is that Zeph / Seph is too far removed and people wouldn’t associate this with Joseph……thoughts please?

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crackfoxy · 31/08/2024 16:40

I know a Joseph
He is called
Jumps
Joe
Josie
Guisepi
Seph

It's a lovely name

muffledvoice · 31/08/2024 16:32

I know Joseph's young and old who go by
Joe
JoJo
Joey
Seph but people think he's a Seth

Duparsisoverrated · 31/08/2024 16:30

I have a Joseph. We called him Joejoe. He’s 25 now and we still call him that. He loves being called Joseph, although he calls himself Joe. It’s a fab name.

CongratsOnYourLilBump · 31/08/2024 16:25

In my part of Scotland the traditional shortening is Josie - I have an Uncle Josie! Sometime pronounced Jossie. I'm guessing that won't be your preference of nn though!

JJ
Jay
Jojo
We had old men named Seppy and a Sephy in the Village (to distinguish from Joe, Wee Joe, Big Joe, Auld Joe, Young Joe, Josie, Wee Josie, Big Josie, Auld Josie, Young Josie - it was a Catholic village and popular name!).

Joss is my favourite after Joey. You might get away with Jock but that's more for John.

IggyAce · 31/08/2024 16:24

Joseph a lovely name. You will probably find once he starts school a nn with develop naturally. My dd is Imogen and as a toddler was Immy, once in ks2 it was Imz or idgy and thru secondary and into adulthood she’s Midge, which I think is quite removed from Imogen.

bittertwisted · 31/08/2024 16:17

My eldest is Joseph, will always be my favourite boys name.
He's Joe to his friends, to me he's my Jojo
Not a fan of Joey

Cinnamonkie · 31/08/2024 16:17

I've decided your child's name is now Joffy 😁

lolly792 · 31/08/2024 16:15

Worn out?! It's a timeless name, not some populist name that turned up 5 minutes ago!

KirstenBlest · 31/08/2024 16:15

Not read the suggestions, but Joss or Jos are both great. Seph, Seppy or Sephy? Pepe? Spike? Sonny? Geezer? Something from the surname (Macca, Robbo, Tommo, or whatever etc) ?

80smonster · 31/08/2024 14:51

Joss is my favourite Joe is so popular it’s a bit worn out.

Tulipvase · 31/08/2024 14:36

Mine is a Joe to his friends and all manner of things to me lol. Jo-Jo mostly.

Waterboatlass · 31/08/2024 14:31

Joe or Joss. I don't like Joey. Why not try and remind yourself why you liked Joseph enough to have it as a finalist, take a bit of time to give it a chance, and grow to love it rather than find an unusual nickname that I'll be honest, probably won't really stick.

It's a lovely classic name. Don't get me wrong, it isn't my absolute no1 favourite ever but you chose well and I think any boy or man would make it his own.

BobbyBiscuits · 31/08/2024 14:22

Joe is great as the short version. I dk why people call this a 'nickname'. To me nickname is a pet name that has little to do with real name.
But anyway, Joe is nice. A nickname could derive from another aspect of his character anyway.
He could simply go by J. Or J followed by his middle initials? Or use his middle name?
But I honestly don't see why you regret giving him a very nice, traditional and attractive name?

TheFormidableMrsC · 31/08/2024 14:22

MerryMarys · 31/08/2024 14:19

I know a Joseph called Josie

I sometimes call my son that 🥰

TheFormidableMrsC · 31/08/2024 14:21

Xx40yearsyoungxx · 31/08/2024 13:53

Thanks everyone. He’s 2. I’m not sure why I can’t shake this- I just thought with the passing of time I would feel like he would ‘grow’ into his name and I couldn’t imagine him being known by anything else but it’s the opposite - I just can’t see him as a Joseph or Joe/y, although bizarrely i like the name - just it’s not him. I know I’m being daft.

I do kind of get this. I had a classic Irish name for my daughter when she was born. That is what is on her hospital tags but after a few days I realised it just didn't suit her, however much I loved it. So I changed it. Her name really suits her and if I'd had another girl I would have tried again but I didn't.

I think at 2 you are just going to have to suck it up. He will grow into his name. Nicknames will evolve naturally. My Joseph has really only had his name shortened by his mates in the last few years and he's a teen now.

YesItsMeYesItsMe · 31/08/2024 14:21

MrsTerryPratchett · 31/08/2024 14:04

My childhood name was Cornflake.

See! Any nickname that fits, fits.

See that is a nickname for sure. OP should have asked for shortenings really, I’m sure that person didn’t go by Cornflake at school for example? I wouldn’t say my Jos goes by a nickname constantly, definitely a diminutive! They’re different things IMO.

MerryMarys · 31/08/2024 14:19

I know a Joseph called Josie

SummerSplashing · 31/08/2024 14:19

lolly792 · 31/08/2024 14:12

Joseph is a beautiful name, no need to shorten it at all, but if you do, Joe works as a cool name for any age: toddler, teenager, adult, old man.

At age 2 he knows what his name is, and I would leave it up to him to decide if he wants to ever change it.

Of course, you can call him any nickname you like, but these sort of things evolve naturally, it would seem a bit odd to suddenly decide to call him by a pet name

@lolly792

,it would seem a bit odd to suddenly decide to call him by a pet name

no it wouldn't. He's 2 not 22.

MerryMarys · 31/08/2024 14:18

Seph sounds like Seth being mispronounced

Meadowwild · 31/08/2024 14:17

Seph is good
I know a Joseph known as Joby
Jos is nice
Josh maybe
Jay

Joseph is a gorgeous name. I'd have chosen it but a close relative got in there first.

theduchessofspork · 31/08/2024 14:17

YesItsMeYesItsMe · 31/08/2024 14:16

Same! Well mine’s Jos. Joss Wheedon the creator of Buffy is a Joseph too. I prefer it with 2 Ss personally but DH is a cricket fan!

Show quote history

Ooh I’ve never heard Joss for Joseph, but I really like that.

theduchessofspork · 31/08/2024 14:17

I know a couple of Josephs who are Zeph / Zepher - nothing wrong with that if you prefer it to Joe.

Failing that Jay is multi purpose for J names

YesItsMeYesItsMe · 31/08/2024 14:16

Chocolateteabag · 31/08/2024 13:25

My Joseph is Joss - it's a North Western nickname

Or you could go Jos as in Jos Butler

Same! Well mine’s Jos. Joss Wheedon the creator of Buffy is a Joseph too. I prefer it with 2 Ss personally but DH is a cricket fan!

SummerSplashing · 31/08/2024 14:16

Seas164 · 31/08/2024 14:12

I think a nickname is something that just happens and can develop over time, ie Cornflake, Joseph is a stand up name, but if you want something else I know a Joff and a Joss if either suit better.

Please don't Zeph him unless it is something that evolves on it's own.

@Seas164

Why not? How does it affect you?

SummerSplashing · 31/08/2024 14:15

Xx40yearsyoungxx · 31/08/2024 13:53

Thanks everyone. He’s 2. I’m not sure why I can’t shake this- I just thought with the passing of time I would feel like he would ‘grow’ into his name and I couldn’t imagine him being known by anything else but it’s the opposite - I just can’t see him as a Joseph or Joe/y, although bizarrely i like the name - just it’s not him. I know I’m being daft.

Why does it matter that Seph isn't the usual shortening? You don't like the usual ones?!

Dors he have a middle name you'd prefer to use?

he can be 'known as' anything you like, without officially changing his name.

toddlers quickly learn to respond to a variety of names/pet names (Grandad always calls him Lad, nanny always calls 'lovely boy' )