ITS OK TO CALL YOUR CHILD THE "SHORT" VERSION OF A NAME - SO BOLLOCKS TO ALL YOU FARKING SNOBS WHO TURN YOUR NOSES UP!

Well deffo not Upper class so.... you calling me rough Podrick???

Ooer, I am now middle class or royalty ...but DS1 is upper or lower class...how does that work

Now, you see, my full name is Rebekah, but pretty much everyone calls me Becky (my mother named me Rebekah because she liked Becky) I actually really like Rebekah, but sadly no-one calls me it (apart from docs and dentist ) and the trouble is that everyone is so used to me being Becky, that they just couldn't call me Rebekah (are you atill with me?)

DS1 is Alex...not Alexander and I do feel that the shortening is a perfectly good name in it's own right...as is Ben, Tom, Kitty. I suppose if I were to like a name which was more a childs name in the shorter form, like Millie or Lottie, then I would use the longer version, I don't know. But saying that, if I loved the shorter version and not the longer, then I would go with that too.

Anyway at the end of the day, it doesn't matter as long as you like your childs name (which of course you always would)

I think your choice on this reflects your outlook on life.

Shortened names are more casual and modern, and long names subsequently shortened are more formal and traditional.

Controversially perhaps I also think these preferences map to class(!)

My hypothesis is

Long names subsequently shortened = middle classes and royalty

Shortened names = upper & lower classes

I agree that it depends on the name. For dc3 for a girl we are going with Lucy and for a boy we like harry or Tom. Now if I go with Harry, that will be his name. I have had people suggest we call him Henry and just use Harry but I feel Harry has been a name in it's own right for quite while (my Grandad is just Harry) and why give your child a name you have no intention of using? But if we choose Tom, then he will be Thomas but mainly called Tom.

A Sainsburys check out lady took me to task telling me that she didn't approve of me having my ds1 and ds2 christened the shortened versions of their names. I said (a bit snootily), "well when they were baptised the priest had no problem whatsoever with their names".

When I looked at her badge she was called Hilda so perhaps had issues of her own...

They're called what you want them to be called - we preferred the shortened versions, end of. The only problem is when you need a longer name for when they're in trouble - I have solved this by extending their names in an Italian styleee for these occasions, a bit like: Cod - Codarina. I have an extremely short name (three letters, not shortened from anything) and my own mother used to call me "InTheseShoes Elizabeth" when I was in trouble.

My full name is Jennie. I have never had any problems with CVs etc. The only problem I have had is with people occasionally assuming that it's Jennifer (blegh, sorry) and calling me that when I've told them my name is Jennie

I agree with MrsMattie (I think) though that it depends on the name ... Lily and Jennie are names in their own right, but some nns (Lottie?) aren't. And it can be nice to have options.

I don't like kids being given the shortened versions of names BUT I do prefer some of the shortened versions to their longer ones. For instance, I like Charlie, I don't like Charles, I don't mind Archie but I wouldn't dream of calling a baby Archibald etc, but this just means that I wouldn't call my child any of the names

I get annoyed when people say Lily is a shortened name. It can be short for Lillian or Elizabeth, but it is also the name of a flower and a name in itself. Not that there is anything wrong with shortened names.

depends on the name, but the meaning of the shortened version should be taken into context as well.
benjamin means 'son of jamin' the short version, ben, means 'son of' . so if you are happy to be calling your child that, then there is nothing wrong with that.
but, its like the name janeen. a beautiful word, but it means unformed foetus. i dont particularly want me dd called unformed foetus.

names are important. parents should choose what they consider good names for their darling children

my ds prefers Charlie

hates being called charles

Oh you have to tell us now!

MamaG - nowt wrong with Archie! It is a good name! My nephew is Archie but not Archibald.

I think it is fine to call your child a shortened name if that is what you want. Don't listen to me though 'cos DS1 has an old farmer's name and DS2 sounds like a fifty-something accountant.

YUK i wouldnt use the longer version of my name if you gave me a million quid

I suppose, if you only have the shortened version, you could always use the full name when you feel like it. Reverse of people calling themselves Charlie when their birth certificate says Charles - don't see why it couldn't work the other way round and a Lizzie couldn't call himself Elizabeth if she felt like it.

Much more straightforward if you do have the long name to start with, though. So I'm firmly in the 'put the long name on the birth certificate so they have the option if they ever want to use it' camp.

i have had NO PROBLEMS with formality and CVs etc

sorry lulubai - bad timing!

my FULL given name is a shortened version of an old fashioned frumpy name

i am so glad my parents didnt give me the full name

My name isn't Archibald

each to their own... with archie though i think it would be very cruel to burden a small child with archibald???

I have a longish name and was always, always known by a shorter nickname as a child, but gradually I started using the longer formal name - especially for CVs, job interviews etc. I am extremely glad that I have the long name as a fallback for more 'formal' occasions although I always think of myself by the short name.

So for that reason I am firmly in the camp of 'Put The Long Name On The Birth Certificate'.

Sorry MamaG. Hope rest of your pregnancy goes well.

My ds gets called Wilfred and Wilf( as well as lots of other things when hes naughty)

The goldfish I had when I was 4 were called A, B, C, D and E.

You can't fault the logic there.

Might go same route with kids. The whole name thing is getting just too fraught, especially on here!

We all use long and short version for dd. I love both versions tbh.