Everyone calls my baby Joseph 'Joe'

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And even worse, spells it Jo half the time!

I knew nicknames would be used at some point but I imagined in the future and not straight after birth.

Many of the family have never called him Joseph and of course have spread to as many friends and neighbours as they can that he is called Jo.

It is doing my head in! If anyone has a William how would you deal with people calling your baby Bill right from newborn?

Talk about naming regret!

We're probably going with Joseph too (due in 3 wks). I know what you mean but it's one of those names that automatically gets shortened, you'll go mad trying to correct people all the time. I quite like Joe or Joey for babies. Better to just accept it and get used to it.

Names will always get shortened but Joseph is always going to be shortened to Joe by people who don't realise your preference.

I shorten everything so I would be guilty of it sorry

Ps my friend has just had a William he is already will or shockingly ....'little Willy'

Correct everyone whenever they say the name wrong.

I ve know afew adults called Joseph and no one ever shortened it.

Same with Victoria, i know one who everyone calls her the full name not vicky.

Start as you mean to go on.

I have a Joseph too but he has always been joey. It's just one of those names I think, like Robert.

Correct people each and every time, it's the only way. People may think you a little precious but it depends how important it is to you.

Dd has always been called by the full version of her name, even though almost every child I've ever known with the same name uses the shortened version.

I don't like the shortened version so I have just corrected the very few people who have shortened dd's name. I'm very polite and just say "We call her xxxxxxx".

I know that she might choose to shorten it in the future, but that is her choice, and not the choice of others around her.

I think it's really rude to shorten someone's name without asking.

I have a joe and deliberately called him that because I never wanted Joseph to be used. :)

I fact, have gone with shortened versions with both ds1 and ds1 because I preferred the shortening and there's nowhere really for people to go in terms of calling them the longer version.

I would correct people too. I know of a Francesca who is always called her full name, never Frankie or Chessie. Good luck his name will eventually stick with people.

I think it is really rude actually, not to respect the parents name choice.

We have a friend who has a Benjamin and he gets really cross when anyone calls him Ben. It's a bit anal frankly.

You might find when he starts talking he may just choose his own version of what he likes people to call him.

My Dd's 12 year old friend is Joseph - so if you persevere it must be possible!

As above,make a point of saying his name in full. My third son has 2 ways of spelling his name. I deliberately chose the spelling as I think it makes the pronunciation slightly different,which to me is preferable.
I make a point if pronouncing it the way it's spelt,as in my opinion it sounds nicer.

He was going to be a Joseph (it's his middle name) I love it. Such a strong name.

I knew a Joseph that was joe or jay. Early 20s

I know of 2 under 5 that are Joseph and only Joseph though. No nicknames allowed.

Just correct everyone. Once they start school and say Joseph on the register, all his friends will call him Joseph, so try not to worry.

My Phoebe gets Pheebs all the bleeding time but never at home, we call her Bee for short. I don't think she minds though or she'd tell them probably!

Thanks everyone. Those who suggest correcting people, what would you actually say?

Also the baby is not newborn now. He's been called Jo for 10 months and so it might be harder to correct. Have I missed the boat?

My friend with a Joseph has never sorted this out and she gets very upset about. He's 12 now and very much a Joe. I'm sorry OP, you could try but I don't think it'll happen.

It is very easy to shorten a name when all you are doing is chopping of the last syllables Benjamin, Samuel, Joseph, Daniel.

It's why most Williams don't have the problem with Bill unless you chose it, as it is actually changing the name, but they do frequently become Will.

It's actually perfect timing. You can say that as he gets closer to speaking you don't want him to become confused, that you have always called him Joseph and that's his name.

"It's Joseph, actually," with a big smile.

With family, something like, "Oh, I wish you would use Joseph. Now he's closer to talking it must be confusing for him to hear a different name than his parents use." And then make a nuisance of yourself repeating Joseph every time you hear Jo used.

They might think you're being precious, but they'll go along with it if you are persistent.

For close family (who must be the main offenders) can you just say that it's bothering you? That you love the name Joseph and would love if they would use it?

I know a Joseph, he is never called Joe.

Joe is a nice name though. I would relax, but if it bothers you, talk about him a lot, using his proper name, people will hear you say it and get used to it.

I know 2 Josephs. one sometimes gets called Joe the other never, he is always Joseph. I think this is because the mother has persistentky, without exception referred to him as Joseph, wheras the other uses both. if you want him to be Joseph just relentlessly call him this and, as others have said, make sure the school call him it from day 1.

Really interested that boys with the name Joseph have actually fought their corner and insisted they're called Joseph! If that happens I will be quite pleased. After all, it's partly lack of his ability to choose later that bothers me (plus the name Joseph is an entirely different name to Joe).

I think part of the problem is that his Dad is led by the females of his family and because they started it, he followed and calls him Joseph when with me and Joe when with them. I've talked to him about it but he disagrees it's a problem and thinks I'm being precious.

Stick to your guns. I know a Daniel, 2 Thomases and a Robert whose names are never shortened. I even once met a toddler called Maximillian. I commented to his mother that Max had been on our boys short list. She responded very sternly "we never abbreviate!"

Ughhh I hate this. My DDs name was shortened by in laws. If anyone did shorten it I'd say no it's 'name'. Most people ok except in laws who said it was tough and they would call her what they wanted and they are sorry if that upsets me but they will I to it to do this. Hence me being unhappy. MIL shortens my name all the time and knows I don't like it!! She likes to have control! (Another story). Anyway we just said no please don't and every they stopped (probably as everyone else agreed it's up to us until DD grew up. When DD was able to talk and if Inlaws said name she would say her name and emphasis the ending!!!

they will continue to do this

How annoying! I know a five-year-old who's always Joseph, a three-year-old who was Joe from day one at his parents' instigation and a 20 year-old who uses both. So definitely possible to keep the full name, and at 10 months he should be called whatever you want! Very rude of people not to check your preference really - my six week old DS has a commonly shortened name in the same vein as Joseph/Joe (we use the shortening) and the first thing everyone asked when we announced his name was whether we planned to call him the full name or the shortened version. LOL at "we don't abbreviate" for Maximillian though! How old was he?!