Isaac or Zachary

[stressedbutluvem]

We have number 4 due in May but dont know if it is girl or boy. We already have Katherine,Thomas and Joseph. Have purposely used names for our existing three which all have a recognised shortened version rather than ending up with made up ones when at school. We are considering "Zak" as the shortened part of a boys name. This has led us to consider Isaac or Zachary and whilst we are clearly not "trendy" name givers and dont wnat them to be one of many in class with the same name we also dont want something which will seem frumpy or lead people to think that we are OTT religious (although we are slightly so a biblical name would not be wrong).I am very conscious of what assumptions people make from a name especially when the child is older and filling in application forms for jobs etc and dont wnat them to stand out in an obscure way .
Could you please therefore offer your views on Isaac and Zachary.

I like Zachary, but if you're shortening it, i think it works best as Zac with a c, rather than a hard K, iyswim. I also like Zaccarius too. And Eziekiel, which i'd shorten to Zeke.

I like both names, and slightly prefer Zachary. However Isaac is less unusual and so "fits" better with your other children's names IMO.

I like them both - but have noticed that Zac is fairly popular already - DS has 2 at his pre-school (of 27 children), so I don't think you'd find he'd be considered frumpy or even particularly unusual.

Nickname for Isaac is Ike, nickname for Zachary is Zac. Or Zak.

We have pondered Isaac in the past but vetoed because of potential confusion over spelling Isaac/Issac and pronunciation eye-sack and eye-suck. It's getting more popular too, there's 4 at preschool & in KS1.

Assuming you can go more outlandish with no 4, what about Isaiah, Josiah or Gideon? Although I do like Zacharias too.

"eye-suck" - never considered that before, do kids really use it to tease?

Personally I prefer Isaac to Zachary, the latter being too 'trendy'. Also don't like the nickname Zac/Zak - think it sounds too harsh and unfinished.

Kids will find anything to tease but I wouldn't want to make it easy It was something that came up when we were discussing it. Some people asked how would we spell it and I've heard the pronounciation question at play group.

Thanks for all your responses so far,lots to think about, definately getting harder for each one.
Any other suggestions then that would fit the need for:a recognised shortened version, not "trendy" but not obscure either, will go with the other three and not "soft". Not that Im hard to please or anything!! Just as a thought, where people are saying Zachary and Isaac are already very popular what part of the country please? we are North West.

I think Isaac is much much nicer!! It's a great name.

Zachary has a trendy feel to me whereas Isaac has that timeless classical feel - a sense of history.

Although biblical, I think Isaac is common enough nowadays not to feel frumpy etc - a little like Jacob - and is certainly less obviously biblical-sounding than Noah which is now everywhere! Hope this makes sense!

I think that Isaac goes better with your other names than Zachary.

I have an Isaac so clearly am a huge fan of that. Never had the 'eye suck' thing but then kids will find a way to mock most names/physical characteristics so frankly even if I'd heard it before it wouldn't have put me off. My Isaac is Ike for short though and I'm quite a stickler on this. If I was Queen (or Pope) then Zac would be short for Zachary, Ike for Isaac whatever the naming books may say. Always puzzles me when I hear an Isaac being called Zac. If it's Zac you like I'd call him Zachary or Zacariah (or even just Zac).

I have an Isaac too so love that name. Nobdy has ever shortend his name to Zac and nor have I had any problems with people spelling or pronouncing it wrong. I would choose Isaac

Quite a few Zacs in Surrey, but haven't come across any Isaacs yet..

I like both but would opt for Zachary. I don't really see Zac as a nn for Isaac as the ones I know are eye-zuk sound. Is it supposed to be eye-zak? Zachary isn't that popular if you look at last years top 100 names. The short name Zac/Zak is more popular if you add up the spellings but nowhere near as high up as jack/Alfie etc so i think you have a good chance of being the only one in the class. None of those names are the sort you would get picked on with I wouldn't have thought. I would go for Zachary and Zac for short, the C at the end softens it abit.

much prefer Isaac.

I have a 6 week old Isaac so obviously love it. Have never thought it would be shortened to Zac though - only thought of Ike as a short version but at the moment he is just Isaac. Have met one other of the same age and we are in Manchester so don't think it is overly popular here. I have come across quite a few Zacharys (Zacs) though so I would say that it is a bit more trendy at the moment.

Isaac is a lovely name. Not keen on Zachery at all.

Zac is not short for Isaac as its a softer sound than Z.

My dc4 is Isaac and am growing to like it. My favourites at the time were Gideon and Elijah though.

dhs Gran said oh and of course he will get called Zac and I swore under my breath alot