Being called "Debs"

[ValerieCupcake]

We have had a new director appointed. She is I assume named Deborah, but calls herself Debs.

AIBU to feel I would be taken less seriously by using this as my name in a high level professional role? I think it is too "Twee And Cutesy"!

@MurderAtTheBeautyPageant

Big up to Debs this Friday afternoon. Bagging a great job and irritating a human cupcake in the process.

We need to get Debs trending somewhere. #congrats2debs #girlbossdebs

Yabu.
Another example of women putting women down for utterly ridiculous reasons.
Debs as a shortened version of Deborah is no different to Liz as a shortened version of Elizabeth or Kate as a shortened version of Katherine. It's not cutesy or twee.
Stop looking for ways to put other women down op.

Would 'Deb' be acceptable?

I"m Deborah, and go by either Deborah or Deb. NOT Debbie.
Was always Debbie as a kid (hated Deborah) but as I got older decided that Debbie sounded too 'young' and I didn't want to use it any more. I find if I introduce myself as Deborah, people then shorten it anyway or ask 'Do you mind being called being called Debs?' at which point I say 'Deb or Deborah is fine'.

I can't say it's ever held me back professionally really... I tend to start of as Deborah and as I get to know people (and they me) they're the ones who tend to shorten it!

A Deborah here, Deborah or Debbie in a less formal setting. Deb or Debs and I punch you. Personal choice. Dont think it hinders you however, clearly hasn't with her.

We just need to stop reinforcing this view that names can signal that a woman is ‘too young’, ‘unprofessional’, ‘too informal’, ‘too cutesy’ or whatever else. Women are their own worst enemies sometimes!

Just to add I dont pronounce by name as Debra either it is Debo-rah, again though personal choice it is that simple.

@catscatscatseverywhere

Meh. I call my boss Andy. He could be my father and he's very serious businessman.

you don't call him Ands though do you

I kind of see where you are coming from OP - in a senior role I think I'd stick to Deborah - but as lots of pp's have said, it's not held her back if she's in a director role.

@Wandaaa

Deborah doesn't rhyme with Zebra, Jarvis pronounces it perfectly.

So does Marc. And still manages to make it rhyme Zebra.

I wish I'd not looked at this thread. I've got two earworms for the price of one. T Rex and Pulp.

Pretty much the majority of my senior management have shortened names.

This thread is bonkers.

We have a Debs at work and I always feel slightly overfamiliar when I email her.

Other than that I have no issue.

@MurderAtTheBeautyPageant

Big up to Debs this Friday afternoon. Bagging a great job and irritating a human cupcake in the process.

Chortle.

a) Seen posts talking about shortened nicknames like Liz, Bob, Rob etc. It's those with an S on the end - usually applied to a woman - that annoy me intensely. Debs, Nats, Ems. That's my personal annoyance and so what! I wouldn't tell anyone using that short form that it annoyed me. Their choice. But also my choice not to like it.

Not liking something is very different to claiming something is unprofessional. Personal preference is one thing but judgement is unnecessary.

b) On several assertiveness programmes I have been on we have been told not to do this as it makes you look less professional when women strive to be taken seriously. Maggie Thatcher was not known as Mags.

When did you attend these assertiveness programmes? Was Maggie Thatcher still prime minister??!This is really outdated advice.

@Migrainesbythedozen

Deborah is pronounced the same as Debra. It's just different spelling, that's all. Deborah is the Hebrew spelling, but it is said the same as Debra. Debra/Deborah are the exact same name and said exactly the same.

It most certainly is not pronounced the same. My name is Deb-ur-ah. Not Debra.

You used a daily Mail article to back up your argument.

It obviously hasn’t hampered her career progression. You don’t get an opinion, she calls herself whatever the fuck she likes.

You are assuming her name is Deborah. In fact it's Debbywebbydoodah as her parents were both insane at the time of her birth and therefore she has selected 'Debs' so that she can be taken seriously.
Or, she is comfortable enough with her competence to call herself whatever she likes without having to be worried if people's opinion of her name impacts her reputation.

Debs is a great name. And shows she is approachable. What about Pixie McKenna, a doctor (off TV!) I know her real name isn't Pixie, but she likes to be known as Pixie, which is as cutesey as it gets.

Your new director sounds like someone I wouldn't mind working for. Chill out @ValerieCupcake

I really shouldn’t have read this.

Op I think you are winding us all up and are actually involved in a big release of T-Rex singles.

This is funny. I know a Debs who is a Director and has just started a new job. On the off chance it's the same person. Bitch about her at your peril. She's shit hot at her job and one of the reasons I like her so much is that she hangs idiots alive. Good luck op 😊😂

@Muppetlove you win the thread! Brilliant!

Why does it matter to you, clearly hasn't held her back, good on her.

@ODFOx

You are assuming her name is Deborah. In fact it's Debbywebbydoodah as her parents were both insane at the time of her birth and therefore she has selected 'Debs' so that she can be taken seriously. Or, she is comfortable enough with her competence to call herself whatever she likes without having to be worried if people's opinion of her name impacts her reputation.

Debbywebbydoodah!

But you just shortened Margaret to Maggie....

I have a Debs at work! She’s ace and quite high up but our actual boss is Babs, occasionally known as Bee. We also have a Lizzy, Abbie/Abs, Katie, Tommy (male) and a Jilly whose real name is not Jilly but that’s what she is called. I have a friend called Mags who is one of those shit hot head teachers they make documentaries about.