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Original poster

Changing my 3 year olds name?

45 replies

acrossthegardens · 10/02/2023 16:44

My son is called Theodore but is only ever called Theo and to be honest I've really gone off Theodore, I feel like Theo is perfectly fine in it's own right now.

How much of a hassle is it to change? Will he forever have to tick that he's changed his name on forms as an adult etc, when applying for licenses/passports? Am I giving him a life of admin?

OP posts:
Coffeellama · 10/02/2023 16:45

Probably yes. Really not worth it to just shorten his name legally because you’ve ‘gone off’ it.

Paturday · 10/02/2023 16:47

Just call him theo all the time, introduce him as it, put it down as his school name.

DS goes by a shortening 100% of the time (except medical records) and it is a total non-issue.

alrightnowthen · 10/02/2023 16:51

It's really not worth doing anything official. Just call him Theo and everyone else will too. It won't be a big deal.

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evemillbank · 10/02/2023 16:51

It is a hassle not to change it, that's easy but always having to show proof of the name change and birth cert etc is annoying. It's worth it for me but in your circumstances it wouldn't be worth it for me.

WhoNeedsSleepNotISaidMyBody · 10/02/2023 16:52

It's unnecessary administration that will follow him around his whole life. Schools etc are much better these days with using a child's 'known by' name rather than insisting on only using what's on their birth certificate.

But most of the time you can just intodyce him as Theo anyway, no need to give his 'official' name but say he's called Theo. Football/Ballet/swimming won't care. Just put his name diwn as Theo and all his certificates will be in that.

RingRingRingGoesTheTelephone · 10/02/2023 16:54

My friend gave her children the names leonard, Charles and maximilian, it was intentional so they have the option to use the longer version of their names when they are older. They are called Leo, Charlie and Max, I've never heard them called their full names, ever. I'd leave it as Theodore and just go by his nickname, it really makes no difference and isn't worth the hassle.

Iwantabloodypizza · 10/02/2023 16:55

I have a double barrelled first name.

Not that anyone would ever know as I’ve only ever used the first part, right through school etc.

My two dds are known as shortened names of their official longer versions, again, never an issue.

Just leave it as it is.

Polly291869 · 10/02/2023 16:55

Whilst I agree Theo is a great name in its own right, as your son's formally Theodore (another lovely name, imo!), you may as well stick to that and save the future red tape hassle.

As PP suggest, introduce him as Theo/ have any personalised stuff printed in that name/ use it day-to-day and save the full length form for officialdom.

My nephew's a Maxim, but has only ever been Max to the world at large. No complications so far!

20viona · 10/02/2023 16:56

Utterly pointless

DangerNoodles · 10/02/2023 16:59

Leave it as it is and let him decide when he is older. He may prefer to have the longer version on his CV for example. He may even suit his full name more when he is older, my son uses his full name more now he is 9. It suits him more now he is growing up then it did as a toddler.

2tired2bewitty · 10/02/2023 17:04

If he got married (for example) his marriage certificate would say “Theo Bloggs previous known as Theodore Bloggs”, and, as you say he’d have to mention it every time he did something that required proof of ID - DBS, passport, driving licence etc

JustTurned90 · 10/02/2023 17:04

I had the exact same thought process when my DS was small. He used to really dislike being called his full name and I thought I’d made a huge mistake! Now that he’s 15, he quite likes his name and also chooses to call himself different nicknames and is more finding his own identity.

Theodore is a lovely name.

coconotgrove · 10/02/2023 17:50

Iwantabloodypizza · 10/02/2023 16:55

I have a double barrelled first name.

Not that anyone would ever know as I’ve only ever used the first part, right through school etc.

My two dds are known as shortened names of their official longer versions, again, never an issue.

Just leave it as it is.

I also have a double barrelled first name. I ditched the hyphen and the second part of my first name in the second year of senior school and relatively few people outside of my immediate family know my full name. (My first name has three syllables and have somehow managed to avoid it being shortened/ given a nickname, but that's a whole other topic!)

I concur the OP should just leave it as it is.

Nocutenamesleft · 10/02/2023 17:52

acrossthegardens · 10/02/2023 16:44

My son is called Theodore but is only ever called Theo and to be honest I've really gone off Theodore, I feel like Theo is perfectly fine in it's own right now.

How much of a hassle is it to change? Will he forever have to tick that he's changed his name on forms as an adult etc, when applying for licenses/passports? Am I giving him a life of admin?

No. Not really I changed my name and I only ever have to say when forms say have you ever been known. Which is so rare. I think maybe twice? And it's like passports etc. but that's it really

whosaidtha · 10/02/2023 18:07

It is a hassle. My name was changed and my mum lost the document. Because there is no central record it caused so much trouble when I was trying to get my marriage license. It's also a bit of a pain on forms and dbs checks although that is less frequent maybe once a year.

KangarooKenny · 10/02/2023 18:11

My first and middle name are double barrelled, very 70’s, but no one knows. Not even my DH or my DF. Only my mum ever remembered.

Viviennemary · 10/02/2023 18:14

I would just leave things as they are. Its not worth changing as its basically the same name. If he wants to change it when he is old enough to decide for himself thats fine.

AstroTurd · 10/02/2023 18:15

Definitely leave it as it is. My great aunt was Betty throughout her entire life. It was only after she died in her 90s that I discovered that her 'real' first name was Elizabeth.

MelaniesFlowers · 10/02/2023 18:16

Yes YABU and it’s not worth it.

Ostryga · 10/02/2023 18:20

Maybe he’ll prefer to be Theodore when he’s older. It’s fine just leave it.

LittleBearPad · 10/02/2023 18:22

There’s no point in changing his name.

AffIt · 10/02/2023 18:24

My legal name is double-barrelled and is specific to the country I come from (think 'Sarah-Jane' in another language), but the name I'm known by (at work, socially etc) is the shortened version.

Never been a problem in 35+ years.

Covgal83 · 10/02/2023 18:26

I'm a Georgina. Never ever called it or say it. Hate it. Absolutely fine with it being my name. Never had to ask anyone to not call me it. All use shortened form.

RosaDeInvierno · 10/02/2023 18:37

Patricia Pat / Tricia
Penelope Penny / Nelly
Christopher Chris / Kit
Charles Charlie / Chuck

Many people have a posh (long) name and an every day name

RoseMarigoldViolet · 10/02/2023 18:40

I would just leave it as it is.

We have a child with this situation. They have a longer more formal name on their birth certificate and passport, but pretty much everywhere else they are written down as and known as the short version of the name. This child is almost an adult now and it has been fine with the name.

We intentionally gave them the full name so that they would have the option to use short or long name as an adult.