To think you shouldn’t call your child Alexander if you don’t like the name Alex?

[Suchsharpteeth]

I met my boyfriend who introduced himself to me as Alex. His friends call him Alex, if we go anywhere and book a meal or book a hotel etc he gives the name Alex.

His family call him Zan. When I’m around them if I call him Alex they go crazy. They say he’s never been an Alex and it’s just not his name. I say well that’s what I call him because that’s how he introduced himself and he doesn’t mind that I call him that. His mum gets annoyed when I call him Alex so I have started referring to him as Zan when I am around her just to keep the peace, but sometimes I forget and she goes into a huff saying “it’s just not his name, i hate the name, I should’ve called him xander” is it just me or is it daft to call your child Alexander and not expect people to shorten it to Alex?? And if he’s fine with Alex then it’s not really her business?!

My son is Xander and we chose it, rather than Alexander, because we didn't like the name Alex. I agree with you OP.

There were a lot of babies named Alexander around the mid 90s. Perhaps she regretted her choice of name when she realised?
Still a bit bonkers to try and force a nickname. In my experience children choose very quickly if they want their name shortened and parents should let them choose. As for telling an adult what he can be called, that's ridiculous.

I prefer Zan/Xander it's a cool name.

Beside the point I know.

I’d call him Sandy

Yeah it's ridiculous. My son is Alexander and of course he's Alex for short, if I wanted him to never be called Alex I would have named him something else.

I love that! I have tried to make it stick but no no avail.

Totally agree. I liked Gabriella but didn’t use it as I don’t like Gabby or Ella as nicknames

Round here Alexander is often shortened to Lexy. 👀

I much prefer Zan.

Anyway, Zan needs to man up and explain to his mum that he introduces himself to everyone as Alex, rather than standing by like a limp lettuce and letting his mum give you a hard time.

I thought that was short for Alexandra?

True!

People are calling men Lexy?

Quite possibly, but I know of two men called Lexy so 🤷🏼‍♀️

It’s Ireland though, so maybe normal ‘name’ rules don’t apply 🤣

Zan sounds like some stupid 2024 pronoun. Zan/zin. Alex is nice

I have an Alexander and don’t like the name Alex at all. Though I’ve alway accepted that friends might call him that. I’d never cause a drama about it! He's Alexander to everyone though as he himself doesn’t like Alex either - he did try it, and others, out to see if he liked one of the nicknames.

Just keep calling your boyfriend Alex as he obviously likes it and it’s only his opinion that counts!

Yes, but … Im in Ireland so 🤷🏼‍♀️
I mean we have a champion male jockey called Ruby so … 🤷🏼‍♀️

Alexander/Alexandra= Alex.

It's just life

Mine was Ally when he was little, I might try to make that stick again.

He has told them tbh. But they won’t hear of it. Once we were at a family meal and the food needed to be pre ordered, so when they brought the dishes out they shouted out people’s names. So they shouted “Alex” when his dish came out and his cousin was like “why is he calling you Alex?!” And he said because that’s my name!!
They don’t listen

My son is Alexander and I hate Alex 😆 Difference is, if he's ok with it, it's his choice what he wants to be known as and I wouldn't tell people what to call him (or what not to). DH and I use Alexander. My mum used Alex recently and our son actually told her he didn't like that 😅
Good thing about Alexander is he has lots of variations: Alex, Alec, Sandy, Zander. But at the end of the day, it's his name and he will ultimately choose.

Your fault for dating somebody whose Mum was a massive Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan.

Bet she had a cat called Willow, too.

My son is called Alexander. My late DH, his Dad, would only ever call him Alexander because he loved the name.
I've called him Alexander, Alex, Zander and Zan at various times. But usually I call him Alex because that's what he likes to be called.
We all agree though that we absolutely hate the name Sandy so he never gets called that.

I think your bf has the right to chose whichever version of his name HE likes best and wants to be called. And his family should respect his choice.

I'm with this.

What does he say to his mother ?

We have a male Lexy in our family. I love it. He hasn't lost his balls because he has a typically female nickname.