To not like nicknames as full names?

[newuser9632794]

Some (secondary school aged) children in my family have nicknames as full names and as they grow older I feel the names suiting them less and less.

Some of the names,

Melly
Stevie
Bobby
Ali
Ricky

AIBU to think that naming children nicknames doesn't age well and that full names on the birth certificates are more fitting?

Completely agree, can't stand it. Both mine have longer formal names.

My other pet hates are dubious spellings
(Jaxon...) and names that were surnames (especially occupational ones) as given names - taylor, porter, chandler etc

If you called your son Teddy now he would be in the same year as Kit, Hunter, Tilly, Freddie, Ronnie, Hattie, Luna, Milo

Well not always. The only Tilly I know has Matilda on her birth certificate, as do the Fredericks. I know two Hatties, both short for Harriet.

We still know lots of little ones with traditional names.

It's actually been made harder in the last 20 or so years to use a different name.

So if "Freddie" wants to make sure he's "Frederick" he needs to do a deed poll.

There as on official forms "Frederick" can just use his formal name and tell people he prefers one of the socially accepted diminutives of "Freddie" or "Fred".

I also don't love it.

A few I've seen recently as legal names..

Ollie (not Oliver)
Theo
Bobby
Andie
Maddie
Til (as in the nickname for Matilda)
Alex (for a boy - not Alexander but called Alex)
Bea (not Beatrice)

That can be said about any name - who says that she would want to be Charlotte forever?

You don't have to get it. Its ok if you woukd prefer to use a different name on the birth certificate. But others don't want to do that. And that's ok too.

@tigger1001 your question is my entire point though. My dd is actually a Charlotte but could be Lottie or Charlie if she wishes one day. So if she 'didn't want to be Charlotte forever' then there's your answer. I just can't understand removing the option.

But that's equally true of a lottie - she could say she wants to be known as Charlotte. Its not any different.

@tigger1001 it's completely different. If Lottie is on the birth certificate then that's it, there is no Charlotte option surely. I struggle to see how there is (unless you go down the deed poll route and change your name entirely). Anyway let's agree to disagree.

But how is it different? I don't get that. It's as much an option as it is for a Charlotte to be known as lottie, or Charlie etc

But maybe that's because I know people who are known as names completely unconnected to what's on their birth certificate. What's on there doesn't determine what you want to be known as, if you want to be known as something different.

How many of us actually know for sure what's on someone's birth certificate? I posted earlier about discovering someone's birth certificate name at their funeral. A family member of my partner it was the topic of conversation after the funeral as even some close family members were unaware of the persons name on their birth certificate.

@DramaAlpaca

FFS, read the post! OP has clearly said Melly etc is on the birth certificate so not short for anything.
Jesus you are hostile. In any case you are the one who has failed to read the post. The OP is referring to nicknames being used as actual official names. They then listed a bunch of these names. Ergo Melly is typically considered a nickname.

I have an Edward that has been known as Teddy, Ted, Tedbot, Tedasaurus Rex, Toots, and probably another half dozen diminutives and nicknames.

I used Edward so there would be scope for him to choose what he felt comfortable with as he grows. He’s a teen now, and prefers Ted at the moment.

That said, I don’t judge people who just use diminutives. It’s one of the perks of parenthood, choosing the name.

I have a standard 80’s name, and my mum was always furious if she caught anybody shortening it or using a nickname. Ironically, I’m most well known by a diminutive that she herself went by as a teen - as it works for quite a few women’s names.

I go by a misspelt diminutive of my BC name. I'm not a barrister or a surgeon granted, but I'm a professional in my industry.

It's neither here nor there.

I don't think it matters , Tommy can go by Tommy, Tom or Thomas if he chooses , even if Thomas isn't on the bc . I don't actually know any adults that go by Thomas

I think William would be fine! I would put it with James, George, Henry which are all classic and don’t seem as dated as Richard and Robert! Just my opinion though :)

My DS is called Charlie, and we preferred that to Charles

(Definitely wouldn't have called him Chuck, though).

OTOH, my DD is Isabella but we mostly call her Izzy. We chose a name that she could shorten in different ways if she preferred eventually: Izzy, Bella, Ella.

I guess everything is different these days though, when it comes to names.

Surely you mean the other way around i.e. Dave is a nickname for David.

No, just because they don't know him

Mellard
Melon
Melania
Merlin

My DS's name is a shortened name for Leonard (or Leonardo.) I like the shortened name but not the long version. Plus I wanted a short name as we have a long 3 worded surname.

My worse name ever is Zander.

Maybe she could just be Charlotte sometimes ....

I'm not really bothered by what people call their kids, to be honest.

My son's name is on your list. If we gave him the more traditional name, it wouldn't have been 'him' at all. He very much suits his 'nickname name'. Also, I've come across many older women/men who've asked his name, asked 'is it short for X' and when we've said it isn't, they've replied that they love that! So maybe traditional names just aren't all that anymore.

Besides, if you think about it, not many people are calling their baby things like Richard and Margaret anymore, so these names will more than likely sound normal and respectable when they're older. I met an adult Teddy a short while ago and he very much suited his name. Didn't feel like he had a cutesy name at all. Official name, too.

But if you put Ted on the birth certificate he could have still used ‘Teddy, Ted, Tedbot, Tedasaurus Rex, Toots, and probably another half dozen diminutives and nicknames.’

’serious’ names vs ‘nicknames’ is putting your own prejudices and preconceived notions on a person. Why can’t a Barbie become prime minister.

Eddie George ( always known as that ) was previous Governor of Bank of England. How cute is that?!

Andy Burnham ( always known as that ) is Mayor of Greater Manchester .

And Monty Don, Bear Grylls, Bunny, Bill Gates, Plum Sykes, Mick Lynch, Bob Iger, Tulip Saddiq, Liz Truss, Dee Dee Myers, Alfie Boe, Ted Heath.

Loots of these had the formal version of their name on their BC . Never needed them.