So many nicknames as full names

@CraftyNavySeal , Pippa is short for Philippa.

@NannyR , It's a trend. I don't particularly like the 'cute' ones, but also can't see the point of registering an Archie as Archibald or Archer if the name isn't going to be used. I don't really like Archie and the other two are awful.

@BauhausOfEliott , I know many Tonys who are really Anthony.

@Zitroneneis , Rudy is fine. Rudyard doesn't shorten to Rudy it would shorten to Rud. Rudolph is too associated with a red-nosed reindeer.

Rudolph is a dignified name?

I imagine because not many parents want to give their child a name they think is horrible and they consider Teddy or Stevie to be a proper name, especially with all of the Albie's, Bertie's & Bobby's running around so it seems normal to simply use a name your child will be called anyway.

They are not nicknames!! They are abbreviations. And good on those parents - giving a long name and not using it is so stupid in my opinion.

They sound silly - Pippa sounds twee and has rude connotations in other languages, whereas Philippa is beautiful and travels well. Rudy is even worse at it sounds like a Rude-y! Again, Rudyard or Rudolph are lovely names. Why not give your children the option of a more dignified name?

If you’re always intending to call a kid Archie or Katy, it’s probably simpler all round to have them registered by that name so they don’t have to keep explaining at school, work etc that yes, they’re technically named Archibald or Katherine but have never been called that.

At my cousin’s wedding, almost everyone (including the bride) was genuinely surprised to learn my cousin’s name was Anthony. We had no idea his name wasn’t just Tony. My auntie (who was lovely but incredibly ditzy) said she’d only ever wanted him to be called Tony but “assumed she wasn’t allowed” to register him as Tony when he was born?!

Personally, I don't like the trend for giving children cutesy nicknames such as Teddy or Alfie, but if it's ok to give them the proper name with the option of being called the diminutive, then there's no reason why it couldn't work the other way too - an adult registered as Alfie could say that he prefers to use Alfred if he feels it fits him better.

What’s weird about Pippa and Rudy?

I think it does depend on the name but it’s even more weird to officially name your child “Pipparella” or the full name that you don’t actually like when she is only ever going to be called Pippa.

That's interesting because I much much prefer having the full version plus the diminutive. I've been called the diminutive my whole life but far prefer having a more formal version as well to pick and choose between depending on circumstances.

It's never caused me any problems - and I've jumped through many immigration hoops and piles of associated admin in different places over the years so there have been plenty of opportunities.

I'd be quite cross with my parents if they'd just given me the diminutive. I don't love my name so having the long version at least gives me options.

@Zitroneneis If the adult Stevie or Teddy doesn't like their name they can change it.

I'm planning to give my kids longer names instead of shorter. I think picking longer names makes name stand out more compared to another diminutive name.
But obviously I have to be OK with my kid being named longer name, I have to be OK with most common nicknames and I am aware most people will try to shorten the name. I would never pick longer name if I only like diminutive and I would never pick name I hate most common short form. And I would occasionally use full name.

I hate my full name and went through the pain of a deed poll and updating all documents etc to the diminutive of my name,
which is the only name I’ve ever been called.

I have a "proper" name but am usually known by my preferred diminutive. I really like having the option of a formal, traditional name for formal circumstances and a friendly informal sounding diminutive for people who know me personally.

I can see the point about why give your child a proper name when you'll always call them by the diminutive. But I'm still not keen, it looks like you couldn't be bothered to give your child a proper name. I would never be rude enough to say that directly. I always say "ah, that's nice" like Mrs Brown and hope my resting bitch face doesn't give me away.

I used to have a boss called Jenny - that was her birth certificate/passport name and yet she got addressed as Jennifer so often by people wrongly presuming that was her name. Rude of them of course and infuriating for her but an ongoing problem. I also know a birth certificate Sam (not Samuel) who has this issue.

I do think I'd you introduce yourself as Sam then that is how the other person should address you, whether it's your actual name or a diminutive - it's disrespectful to decide to use Samuel uninvited. But trust me, it's less annoying to be called by your actual name than one that isn't actually your BC name at all!

Glad I'm not the only person who thinks this. There seems to be an obsession on MN that every child must have a "nickname" which, as you've correctly pointed out is not what they're referring to, but a diminutive.

Drives me mad.

Because they are completely different names. Maybe mum and dad like Stevie but don’t like Stephanie?

I don’t know why you’re surprised Middle class people tend to be big on nicknames. In my experience its more common folk that hate their kids names being shortened.

Well, most people don’t run their name choices through Mumsnet for approval, so there’s that. We all know Mumsnet and the real world are 2 different things 😄

Eg I joined Mumsnet long before I had my 3 kids, never consulted Mumsnet on my name choices.

It is an absolute pain in the arse having a "proper" name. My ID never matches because I literally never use the right one. And it doesnt help that there are multiple spellings of the real name and the diminutive and everyone picks whichever one they like. Even when I sign off an email with eg Lucy, the person who replies will write, "Thanks Lucie". (Bad example because Lucy isnt a diminutive but you get my point). Just name your flipping child. It has caused me so many issues!

I like interesting or very old names but nicknames as names are hideous.

"Here's my Lawyer Mr Teddy Smith"
"The surgeon doing your brain operation is called Bunny-Boo Brooks"
"Do you, Pixie Princess Smith take Teddy Bobby Brooks to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

Ridiculous! How can anyone be taken seriously when they're named these ridiculous names?

But it’s not the parent that has to live as a Teddie or Stevie without the option of a proper name like Stephanie or Theodore. Why deny that to your children?

I always wonder what people with a Teddy/Teddie call their child's soft toy in the shape of a bear, which the vast majority of young children have. 'Teddy, have you got your teddy?' 'Where's your teddy Teddy?'.

I also wonder why there aren't as many Dolly's as there are Teddy's.

I totally get and agree with the idea of giving a child the full name despite what you might call them, so they have options when they are older, but I wonder how many of these children do change their names when they are older? My husband has a slightly unusual first name and his mum gave him a very ordinary middle name in case he wanted to change it when he was an adult, he's stuck with the first name. Do people really go 18 years or so of their life called Kit, Teddy, Gigi and then one day say I am now Christopher/Edward/Georgina?

To me a nickname doesn't mean an abbreviation of their birth name. Like I wouldn't call Kate a nickname.

To me it would be like something about their character or appearance, like in Thailand everyone has a nickname.

But it's nothing to do with their actual name. Like Miley Cyrus. Apparently she was very smiley so they called her that then Miley. Her real name is Destiny.

Bob, Kate, Lou, Debbie, Chris etc are not nicknames.

I've found people like the nickname (or multiple nicknames) but not any full forms of it and see it as strange when people love a nickname but feel they must give a (less liked) form of it that will never be used and they don't wish to ever use on the birth certificate.

For me personally, I definitely wanted a full name that I loved and if would have tried to find a similar name that was full in its own right eg Lily rather than Millie. But each to their own, it's not something that bothers me if others do it. I think over time, the nicknames become full names - to me, Charlie feels like it is making that transition to full name status.

@Zitroneneis , I don't understand why someone would put a long name on a birth certificate if they were never going to use it. I think Stephanie and Theodore are horrible and might get shortened to Theo or Steph.

Parents don't get to choose the diminutive the older child will go by.

I bet the little Stevies and Teddies will one day wish that their parents hadn’t denied them of the opportunity to introduce themselves as a Stephanie or a Theodore!

I simply don’t understand why parents would not want their child to have that option. It’s not the parents that have to live with a silly nickname as a proper name.