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Baby names

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Original poster

Another nickname vs formal name discussion

31 replies

flannelfish · 30/09/2009 15:03

Due in few months. Our favourite name is Kitty. Have loved it for ages but do have slight reservation that it is a bit of a nickname (but not fussed about cat connotations!). Don't really see the point in putting a formal name on birth certificate though if it's not going to be used and although I like the name Katherine, it wouldn't be up there with my faves.

Other names we quite like are:
Harriet (but surname begins with R so bit of a mouthful?)
Lois
Elizabeth
Susannah

Any thoughts on concerns above or any other suggestions for names??

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lockets · 30/09/2009 19:52

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jellybeans · 30/09/2009 16:34

I would just go with Kitty. I know 2, one a child and one a retired doctor, both are simply, Kitty. I don't see the point in giving them a name they will never use. I can imagine it is confusing being addressed differently at the doctors etc.

My name has 3 shortenings, I only ever went by one of these and never use the longer one, it seems to formal, even for work etc. My son has a short version of a name, I don't regret it, people hated the long versions and we feared he would get teased for an old fashioned name.

I don't see short names as nn anyway, that is more Shaz and Daz type of names. Most names began as others, few people use names in their original forms, most have been changed ie few people use Benyamin but loads use Ben or Benjamin. If you look in the top 100 names for the last few years, shortened forms are as popular, if not more so, than many of their longer forms, eg loads of just Sams, Alexs etc. Loads of Alfies and very few Alfreds, so by the time our DC are adults there will be loads of people with short names/nn.

PrincessToadstool · 30/09/2009 15:24

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Cortina · 30/09/2009 15:19

Another for Catherine on birth cert but Kitty in daily life.

Or Carine (as in Carine Roitfield, or a 'French' Carine), Kitty for short?

GoldenSnitch · 30/09/2009 15:19

I'm currently trying to convince DH that we should call imminent BabySnitch Catherine with Kitty/Katie as a NN. I think it's beautiful

Kitty is cute for a little girl but IMO it's too baby-ish for a grown up.

MamaG · 30/09/2009 15:04

Oh I like Kitty, but I also like Catherine (spell it correctly please )