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Original poster

Help! Rebecca or Becky?

72 replies

Rebeccaorbecky90 · 30/09/2023 03:03

Hello! Just hoping for some honest opinions on this.

My official name is Rebecca. Throughout my life I’ve been known as Rebecca, Bex, Becky, all sorts of nicknames! I think Rebecca is just one of those names that lends itself to being nicknamed. I used to be mainly Bex, then Rebecca, then for the last 5-6 years I’ve been mainly called Becky. I now work as a professional (think law, actuarial science, accounting - that type of field) and I’ve always been known as Becky to my colleagues and clients and I prefer Becky to Rebecca. I only get called Rebecca very occasionally now.

but I’m in my early 30s now and I’ve had a few comments from friends/family that Becky is a bit immature and silly and I’ve even heard it being called chavy before and that Rebecca is better. (I don’t agree with names being chavy, for the record, but I’ve seen it referred to as chavy on MN)

so I’m just looking for some very honest opinions please! What do you think of Becky vs Rebecca?

TIA!

OP posts:
SillySausagez · 30/09/2023 03:10

Rebecca and Bex are nice! Becky is nice enough but not my cup of tea.

PivotPivotmakingmargaritas · 30/09/2023 03:13

Your friends and family are rude!! Becky is fine and if it is your name so they are being really rude!

I would say professionally maybe go by Rebecca but then people who know you and colleagues who know you can use Becky

peakedatseven · 30/09/2023 03:33

Rebecca, Becky and Bex are all good! I’d just go with whichever you like best. I’m not convinced there’s any such thing as an unprofessional name unless your name is actually offensive in some way. None of the names you’ve suggested fall into that category.

Mamai90 · 30/09/2023 03:37

I think Rebecca is a lovely name. Not fussed on Becky or Bex but I don't think either is chavy or immature, I wouldn't change my name if that's what I'd always been known as.

Butterfly898 · 30/09/2023 04:00

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with Becky if that’s what you are already known as. I know two very senior professional women who go by Becca, if that helps.

eosmum · 30/09/2023 04:04

My professional DD is Becky. Never been an issue.

Oysterbabe · 30/09/2023 04:07

Becky is fine. I'm a lawyer and everyone shortens my name in a similar way.

FTMbg · 30/09/2023 04:19

I think I'd use Rebecca on work introductions and structured email signatures, where appropriate sign off emails Becky above the full official signature below, then just let everyone call you Becky which they inevitably will.

MuffinCCHeeler · 30/09/2023 04:25

I think it’s because Beyoncé had that lyric about Becky with the good hair so the name has become slang to a certain generation.

I would keep it as Rebecca formally and let people shorten it naturally as they get to know you.

DilemmaDelilah · 30/09/2023 06:30

What about Becca?

JollyJellyCat · 30/09/2023 06:40

I'm in a similar profession. Not Rebecca but i used a nickname for a long time and tried to drop it as I felt it wasn't very grown up

I would advise that it's really really hard to lose a nickname used across a large number of different organisations especially with clients you've worked with for a while. I moved firms and went back to my longer name only to find I was still working with clients and colleagues I'd worked with in my previous job who all abbreviated me! Then everyone in the new firm caught it too!

After a while I gave up and stuck with the abbreviation. I just felt so awkward saying "actually I prefer Rebecca these days" a million times a day. If its not important to you, ignore your family.

And Becky is absolutely fine!

Tamuchly · 30/09/2023 06:49

I have known a whole host of Becky/Rebeccas across a variety of walks of life. I’ve never thought of either name as chavvy. It’s really all about how you ‘wear’ your name ie. are you happy and comfortable either abbreviated or full length? If you feel more confident with one than the other then stick with that but otherwise just let things continue as they are, it’ll find its level if you’re happy to answer to both.

Twdfn123 · 30/09/2023 06:55

My name is Rebecca but everyone I know calls me Becky or Bex. Doesn't bother me and didn't even realise some people find Becky 'chavvy' 🤨

Clarinet1 · 30/09/2023 07:10

I think all options are fine - go with whatever you like or answer to all of them!

Vexxa · 30/09/2023 07:19

I'm a lawyer and Becky would be absolutely fine in my workplace and with clients. Go with what you feel most comfortable with.

KookyAndSpooky · 30/09/2023 07:24

I don't like Bex at all, the three I know are all a bit mental and unprofessional though so my opinion is skewed.

Becky seems perfectly professional to me and all the Beckys I know are just that. I'd use Rebecca on email signatures and business cards though.

BakedTattie · 30/09/2023 07:28

Becca?

IrresponsiblyCertainAboutSexualDimorphism · 30/09/2023 07:28

I know/have known a number of professional Beckys. One is not a Rebecca at all, one solely uses Becky in her email address/signature etc. I don’t think it’s harmed their careers at all.

Bex seems to me to be a bit unserious, but what’s in a name after all?

NeedToChangeName · 30/09/2023 07:29

I think Rebecca is more professional

But if you prefer Becky, that's your choice

QuitChewingMyPlectrum · 30/09/2023 07:38

What about Becca as a compromise?

Notapartyanimal · 30/09/2023 07:49

I work in a law firm and one of the senior lawyers in our office is a Becky, everyone calls her Becky or Bex and it doesn't seem to have done her career any harm! As pp said as long as you're comfortable with it it's fine.

Chasingsquirrels · 30/09/2023 07:51

It is your name, it is perfectly fine.

You don't need a compromise.

Sigmama · 30/09/2023 07:53

Nothing wrong with it in the least, it's 2 syllables, is Johnny a less respectable version of Jonathan?

MuchTooTired · 30/09/2023 07:54

Do you prefer being called Becky or Rebecca? That to me is what’s most important, not what other people’s opinions are.

If you prefer being a Becky then I think your family/friends are being rude, and they shouldn’t be trying to delete your preferred name because they think you should use your full name. There’s thousands of Rebecca/Becky/Becks/Becca’s out there, it’s to my mind part of what makes it a fun sort of name because it can be tweaked a bit for nicknames.

Whattheflipflap · 30/09/2023 07:55

I’d ignore it. In our office we’ve got a lady in fifties who goes by Becki, a mid fourties Bex and I know a 35 y/o Becci

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