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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To tell the nursery staff not to use a nickname

89 replies

MoonsMamma · 07/10/2013 19:02

DD (22mo) is Lucy. She has recently started to refer to herself as "Lucy-Lou" when asking for things.
This irks me. I know it is an innocent nickname / affectionate term, but DH and I never use this at home. Today when we picked her up, another child said "bye bye Lucy-Lou-Lou"

Do we let it ride and keep correcting her at home or do we tell the nursery staff to use her proper name?

OP posts:
quoteunquote · 07/10/2013 19:24

My adult friend has been known nearly all her life as Duck, because she is a Lucy, Lucy-Goosey, Duck, she now a head teacher, I also name (duck) dogs after her.

of course you end up with nick names, in my experience, if you protest it ends up sticking.

I also have a friend who is called Budgie, her real name is Trinarey, so Trinarey-canary- Budgie, she been called that since she was tiny.

I myself have a very unusual first name and a long standing nick name

I would just smile, it an affectionate loving way to call a Lucy, she might end up with far worse.

clary · 07/10/2013 19:26

I'm loving Kris Akabusi!!

Do you even know it's nursery staff that have nicknamed her? I would really really let it go. Please don't "correct" her unless you just mean that you call her Lucy, which is fine of course.

My DD who is 12 has a name I love, one reason being that it's not very nicknamey. Lots of her mates have shortened it tho. This leads to some adults mishearing what her name is... errr that's fine actually. It's her name, y'know.

And anyway I frequently refer to her as her toddler nn of Bear Confused

BrokenSunglasses · 07/10/2013 19:30

The other child may have started calling your dd Lucy Lou without hearing it from staff anyway as there's a children's book about a child called Lucy Lou.

Or maybe the staff read the book and it came from there.

I'm sure they aren't doing it to piss you off, and you won't be doing yourself of your dd any favours if you make a fuss over nothing. If this is the only problem you have with your nursery, you're on to a winner!

CailinDana · 07/10/2013 19:30

My sister's nn is Stefi Graf :)

Coupon · 07/10/2013 19:31

I don't think it will make any difference long-term. In a few years time she won't be known as Lucy-Lou.

Original poster
MoonsMamma · 07/10/2013 19:31

It's not so much that they use the nickname - I'm fine with that and I am really pleased that the staff are so affectionate with her. It's the fact that she has never referred to herself as "Lucy" and has gone straight from saying "juice" to "Lucy-Lou juice"

When the little lad said "bye bye Lucy-Lou" today, the staff member said "oooh, he's picked that up from us! We're always calling her Lucy-Lou"

Yep, everyone has a nickname, and I appreciate that they evolve naturally and may end up nothing to do with the given name - Lucy-Lou is fine, it's just that she seems to think that that's her actual name.

OP posts:
MortifiedAdams · 07/10/2013 19:34

My dd gets Meggie, Meglet, Megalicious, Megamuffin, Megatron, Megalish etc. I tried avoiding NNs by giving her a three letter name but alas!

I dont mind - when she can express an opinion she will.

BrokenSunglasses · 07/10/2013 19:35

She's not even two. In sure she will grow up knowing her own name and she is highly unlikely to still believe her name is Lucy Lou Lou by the time she starts school.

CailinDana · 07/10/2013 19:37

So what if she thinks it's her name? Are you worried that she'll still think that when she's 18? My sister was called any name that happened to come into my mother's head at that moment (the cat's name mostly) she doesn't now refer to herself as "puss" (much).

thebody · 07/10/2013 19:38

my dd gave the name she wanted to be called to her new head teacher as she was a kick ass kind of kid and preferred the other name. highly embarrassing.

I was very guilty as a cm in calling mindees by rhyming pet names tagged into their first name. they and parents thought it was funny and cute.

I think you should let it go. if you take it too seriously she will get to know you don't like it and do it on ourpose to push your buttons.

I think the nursery staff will think you are a kill joy if you say anything to be honest.

JamieandtheMagicTorch · 07/10/2013 19:42

I'm sure she knows her name - you call her Lucy. It's just that she likes the sound or likes saying her version.

redlac · 07/10/2013 19:43

Don't worry. My DH calls our DD Mavis constantly and she knows this is not her real name

YourMaNoBraBackOfMyCar · 07/10/2013 19:43

On the bus the other day an old fella asked my dd2 what her name is. She replied with Ezza-Ruby. Its actually Erin. That's the name its evolved to. :o

pigletmania · 07/10/2013 19:44

YABVU she will in time realise her name is Lucy, she is only 22 months old

JamieandtheMagicTorch · 07/10/2013 19:44

redlac

I love Mavis. Mavis should be fashionable!

redlac · 07/10/2013 19:50

It's cool eh Jamie! I call her flossy and he calls her Mavis, her aunties call her grace face, poor child
:)

jamdonut · 07/10/2013 19:50

I'm always a little sad that people get so wound up about names. She will always have the name you gave her, unless she changes it by deed poll,but what other people call her is how they relate to her.

I grew up getting called Lulu. My first name is Julie. These days I get called Ju or Jools. I like it...people who use these are my family,friends or work colleagues.

Pooka · 07/10/2013 19:51

My Lucy has been called

Luce
Lala - by dc3 or about 2 years!
Lucifer
Lucy-lastic
Lou-Lou
Lucy-Lou.

She's never minded - apart from the lucifer one. She's always known that she's really called Lucy.

Hemlet · 07/10/2013 19:52

My nieces are always Meggy Moo and Katie Koo. My boy is simply 'Wagglebaba'. He's actually called Alexander but Wagglebaba or Wags for short is his name now pretty much.

Pooka · 07/10/2013 19:52

Actually, even the lucifer oe doesn't bother her!

Pooka · 07/10/2013 19:53

Oh and Lucy-locks (from the Lucy locket nursery rhyme - my dm's nickname for her).

YourMaNoBraBackOfMyCar · 07/10/2013 19:53

There were twins Maud and Mavis at the doctors last week. When the nurse called out their names a delighted murmur spread through the mainly old folky waiting room. :o

hettienne · 07/10/2013 19:55

You have to let it go. You can't control nicknames.

So what if she thinks her name is Lucy Lou at 22 months? My DS is 3 know and knows the shortened version of his name, his full name and his surname.

GwendolineMaryLacey · 07/10/2013 19:56

Dear God, DD2 is buggered if their name sticks at this age. She's 20 months and known as Alice the Camel at home. You mean she might think that's her actual name when she's 14 and at high school? Oh no!

youbethemummylion · 07/10/2013 19:56

My son shortened his name to nee nee at about 18 months and others started to use it but by 3 he dropped it for his real name and most followed his lead. He gets the occasional nee nee now but he knows thats not his name. I wouldnt worry about it.

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