Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

To avoid initials?

80 replies

NHT · 22/03/2026 18:27

Hi all,

My husband and I are dead set on our baby’s name being Freddie (Frederick for birth certificate probably). We’d also want the middle name to be after his brother (Alexander). We’d like the middle name to have meaning to us but neither of our dad’s names would suit. Only problem is, our surname begins with a T.

Adding another middle name to break up the initials would make it very long, and as I said we just don’t have any names we feel really strongly about so it would be adding for the sake of it.

Would really appreciate thoughts as we’ve been set on this name for years but the initials are making me second guess now…

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Toomanyweekstogo · 22/03/2026 23:53

NHT · 22/03/2026 18:27

Hi all,

My husband and I are dead set on our baby’s name being Freddie (Frederick for birth certificate probably). We’d also want the middle name to be after his brother (Alexander). We’d like the middle name to have meaning to us but neither of our dad’s names would suit. Only problem is, our surname begins with a T.

Adding another middle name to break up the initials would make it very long, and as I said we just don’t have any names we feel really strongly about so it would be adding for the sake of it.

Would really appreciate thoughts as we’ve been set on this name for years but the initials are making me second guess now…

Could you use Xander as a middle name? So it’s a shortened version of Alexander, but won’t have the horrible initials?

lady725516 · 22/03/2026 22:52

My initials are FAT, not many people realise as you dont go round asking what someone's middle name is. There isn’t much I can do about it so I find it quite funny.

RosesAndHellebores · 22/03/2026 22:33

It would be cruel.

Original poster
NHT · 22/03/2026 22:22

Thanks all - I do think it’s a big deal and my husband not so much, so I’ll be showing him these responses (and going back to the drawing board…)

OP posts:
Diversion · 22/03/2026 20:27

When we had our fourth child (DD3) my husband chose her first name, he wanted her middle name to be a name beginning with the letter "I" meaning that her initials would have been PIG, to make it worse he was the manager of a pig farm at the time. That was a very clear no from me and we maanged to agree on another middle name thankfully.

BendingSpoons · 22/03/2026 20:26

Please don't. He will get called Fat or Fatty without a doubt. Some of the schools near me have school bags with initials on. Imagine walking around with 'FAT'. I get it is disappointing, but you will have to come up with another plan here sadly.

Normandy144 · 22/03/2026 20:23

If you absolutely must have Freddie and you must have Alexander then you need to an in a third short one or two syllable lucname. It won't sound too much and will solve the problem of the FAT initials.

Right2BareArms · 22/03/2026 19:56

Alfred Alexander known as Freddie.

TeenToTwenties · 22/03/2026 19:10

Thanks @Applecup The five findouters was my fallback guess.

SmokeySmokeyBacon · 22/03/2026 19:03

Definitely not!

I would also seriously rethink using his brother's name, regardless of whether the brother is still with you or not (I am sorry if he isn't). Children are individual humans, not new versions of a sibling. Naming after a person who is not your child is different (eg your grandad) became children do not compare themselves to their grandad iyswim.

TinyMouseTheatre · 22/03/2026 19:02

mummysmagicmedicine · 22/03/2026 18:32

Don’t do it- my work email is first middle and last initial so if he worked somewhere similar, email would be [email protected]

We communicate with a few companies with the same policy. I can’t imagine why anyone would give these initials to their LO.

BauhausOfEliott · 22/03/2026 19:00

hahabahbag · 22/03/2026 18:33

Adding a short second middle name is the obvious solution

Just don’t make it Robin or Rory.

Applecup · 22/03/2026 18:55

TeenToTwenties · 22/03/2026 18:34

Frederick Algernon Trotter(9?) aka Fatty in the Secret Seven (I think).

You just can't.

You could have Ian - FIT
Or Alexander Frederick known as Freddie though using middle names is a pain. AFT.

Or a second middle name - Charles? - FACT.

Mystery books - five findouters and a dog. 😀I was waiting for it to come up.

BrickProblems · 22/03/2026 18:50

If you added another middle name like Simon or Stefan he could be FAST.

Realistically I’d probably just not have a middle name.

I once read a children’s book where there was a whole plot line based on the fact that someone had a different first name to the one used so as not to have the initials CAT or RAT.

nomoretwisters · 22/03/2026 18:45

What about the husbands name as the 2nd middle?
All my children have 2 middle names we never ever use them it’s only in the passport. Even school applications number 1 child has all names mentioned the others just have first and surname. Never been an issue but don’t do FAT or even FART 🤣

Downtownabs · 22/03/2026 18:41

I was going to suggest xander too to honour the name Alexander but not fully use it x

Theunamedcat · 22/03/2026 18:40

Dd nearly had "VD" as her initials

We had a rethink

CelticSilver · 22/03/2026 18:37

hahabahbag · 22/03/2026 18:33

Adding a short second middle name is the obvious solution

Frederick Alexander Rex T ...?

TinyMouseTheatre · 22/03/2026 18:37

My DUncle had the initials of FAT. Please don’t do it, he changed his name the second he turned 18.

Right2BareArms · 22/03/2026 18:36

MrsMabelThorpe · 22/03/2026 18:32

If you love those names would you consider Alexander Frederick, known as Freddie? (Am wonderingif you lost Alexander and that would be too much understandably in those circs though. 💐)

But I wouldn't do FAT as initials, no. It is too obvious not to be spotted.

Don't do this. People assume the first name is the one that's used.

KillTheTurkey · 22/03/2026 18:35

I’ve got an Alfred nn Freddie, people say it’s a nice surprise to find out he’s Alfred rather than Frederick.

GoldenRosebee · 22/03/2026 18:35

or just name him Frederick T - no need for middle

TeenToTwenties · 22/03/2026 18:34

Frederick Algernon Trotter(9?) aka Fatty in the Secret Seven (I think).

You just can't.

You could have Ian - FIT
Or Alexander Frederick known as Freddie though using middle names is a pain. AFT.

Or a second middle name - Charles? - FACT.

GoldenRosebee · 22/03/2026 18:34

NHT · 22/03/2026 18:27

Hi all,

My husband and I are dead set on our baby’s name being Freddie (Frederick for birth certificate probably). We’d also want the middle name to be after his brother (Alexander). We’d like the middle name to have meaning to us but neither of our dad’s names would suit. Only problem is, our surname begins with a T.

Adding another middle name to break up the initials would make it very long, and as I said we just don’t have any names we feel really strongly about so it would be adding for the sake of it.

Would really appreciate thoughts as we’ve been set on this name for years but the initials are making me second guess now…

Frederick Xander - short form of Alexander

hahabahbag · 22/03/2026 18:33

Adding a short second middle name is the obvious solution

Swipe left for the next trending thread