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Baby names

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Original poster

Calling children by their initials

123 replies

SunnyFun · 07/08/2026 19:25

I don't know how common it is, but I know a few children (all boys) that are almost exclusively called by their first and middle initial (JC, JP, JJ, AJ, KD, etc.). I've always thought it was cute and said I'd do that if I ever had a boy. Our daughter's initials are going to be DJ, and I'm now thinking that I'd like to call her that mostly. Just wondering what others think of this idea. Does it work for a girl?

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DaysIllRememberAllMyLife · Yesterday 21:32

Missey85 · Yesterday 10:56

That's just you! I hate to break it to you but most kids will get called by their initials at some point I've been called MJ since I was a kid

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I don't think that's true that most kids will be called by their initials.

I've known numerous children and never known any called CJ etc. Nicknames yes but initials no

Missey85 · Yesterday 10:58

AnAudacityofinlaws · 08/08/2026 22:25

Um, tentatively raises hand 🙋🏼‍♀️ I’m almost universally known by my initials. I have a double-barrelled first name (of the type described as chavvy / gypsy / American on here many times) and shortened to two initials by my parents between themselves early in my childhood. I quite like it tbh and get far fewer comments on it than on my actual name.

Same here I have two first names and no middle name so my parents called me MJ instead 😊

Missey85 · Yesterday 10:56

Oscillating · 07/08/2026 21:41

Its low class /chav etc

That's just you! I hate to break it to you but most kids will get called by their initials at some point I've been called MJ since I was a kid

MyLuckyPeachOtter · 14/08/2026 14:12

I know a few, men and women. It makes sense if you have multiple in the family with the same or similar names.

Strawberrymilkshakez · 14/08/2026 14:09

I’m not a fan, possibly sounds better for boys than girls.

MyPeachBiscuit · 14/08/2026 08:52

It's definitely not just American. It's also common in Ireland to meet men who go by initials like J.P. or P.J. Probably their given names are John Paul and Patrick John. I have also met French men called Jean-Charles and Jean-Brice who go by J.C. and J.B. so it can't be unknown in France either.

I only find it weird if the initials don't stand for anything. E.g. "J.D" as an actual legal name rather than initials for James Daniel or whatever.

Chesticles · 13/08/2026 13:25

I do know a child that is called JoJo (short from Joseph Jonathon Smith) which is quite cute. Presumably he will not be called that at 18 though, as its cute on a toddler, not so much on a hulking teenager

MostlyGhostly · 13/08/2026 10:59

DH has tried this with DSS but it never caught on so only DH and his brother occasionally use his initials, everyone else uses the traditional shortened version of his name. People I know who use initials are extrovert, attention seeker types and I can’t imagine a quiet, self contained person going by DJ, CJ etc for some reason. I think it’s the American thing, I imagine DJ/CJ as a young, brash American kid at a party hosted by Kevin Bridges’ Chad Hogan

newyearnewbudget · 13/08/2026 09:48

DaysIllRememberAllMyLife · 07/08/2026 21:29

Dear Wife 😀

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Dora Winifred if memory serves 😅

Everytimeitrains · 13/08/2026 07:54

OttersOnAPlane · 08/08/2026 08:02

CJ (Claudia Jean) Cregg is an icon.

I know 4 women who go by initials in the UK and are middle to upper middle class. Nicknames just happen.

This.

I had all sorts of ideas for nicknames when pregnant with my boys. Because they were born at 18 month intervals their nicknames are all the slightly older sibling's attempt at their name (weird and wonderful in a couple of cases).

Ime they are pretty organic rather than forced.

Firebird83 · 10/08/2026 15:59

I know women who go by HF and SG

Imherearenti · 09/08/2026 07:21

pimplebum · 08/08/2026 21:57

Anything goes for a nick name but the main thing about nick name is it’s spontaneous and evolves in time and you cant force others to use them

You sort of can ‘force’ it in most situations. If the OP only calls the child DJ and other people don’t know the child’s actual name because they haven’t been told it, what else are they going to call her? They’d really have no choice but to use the nickname that the parents use.

Of course, the child will be able to decide what they want to be called when they’re old enough to say that.

24Dogcuddler · 08/08/2026 23:13

DD went to school with a KeeJay often known as KeeJay the DJ!

I taught a child known as TC and that was what we called him at school.
At parents evening, when he was a bit older, his books had his full name written on the cover. As a result parents flatly refused to even open them to see his work. Even the Head couldn’t persuade them.
Legal name is recorded in the register but a child can be “ known as” a nickname or initials.

Aidezmo · 08/08/2026 23:01

My nephew’s nickname is T.

Tintackedsea · 08/08/2026 22:39

I work with a lady called CJ and I had school friends called KJ and SJ. Maybe this is a J specific thing for girls? 🤷‍♀️

HugoThatway · 08/08/2026 22:33

@AspiringChatBot , those are pen names or stage names, not nicknames.
You could add AS Byatt, KT Tunstall, JF Kennedy, TS Eliot, HG Wells, LP Hartley, DH Lawrence, JD Salinger, WB Yates, JRR Tolkien, JPR Williams, OJ Simpson, MC Escher, AA Milne, ...

AnAudacityofinlaws · 08/08/2026 22:25

Um, tentatively raises hand 🙋🏼‍♀️ I’m almost universally known by my initials. I have a double-barrelled first name (of the type described as chavvy / gypsy / American on here many times) and shortened to two initials by my parents between themselves early in my childhood. I quite like it tbh and get far fewer comments on it than on my actual name.

OhMyGoodieAunts · 08/08/2026 22:15

Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 07/08/2026 19:27

DJ was Arthur the Aardvark’s little sister.

It’s fine. Not my taste, but most people would consider my children have the most boring names in the universe, so…

Arthur was an aardvark?! Thought he was a mouse.

ChocolateCinderToffee · 08/08/2026 22:12

I used to know a little girl whose given names were so awful, that I'll be very surprised if she doesn't insist as an adult that people call her by her initials.

pimplebum · 08/08/2026 21:57

Anything goes for a nick name but the main thing about nick name is it’s spontaneous and evolves in time and you cant force others to use them

NoLifeguardOnDuty · 08/08/2026 21:53

Its not something I've done but my childrens initials don't read well as a stand alone name, although I've just realised my middle child would be BJ so definitely not lol.

I know a boy called RJ, but only recently found out it's spelt Arjay as an amalgamation of his mum and dad's names.

jmh740 · 08/08/2026 21:06

purser25 · 07/08/2026 21:05

You might find the school will call them by their registered name not a pet name.

School will ask what you want her to be called. I work in a school with 2000+ pupils few DJs usually D'something junior

Mandarinclementine · 08/08/2026 16:17

Moveoverdarlin · 08/08/2026 14:38

Yep. Really chavvy.

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Where I am it’s really not.

KnickerlessParsons · 08/08/2026 16:07

My sister went by DJ when she was a child. And I have friend who calls her daughter G (Georgia)

timtamsarebetterthanpenguins · 08/08/2026 15:29

You can't decide a nickname in advance, it's something that happens naturally.

My nicknames from my parents have nothing to do with my actual name, and the (nick)name I go by as an adult isn't the same as the one I used as a kid either.