Raphael, Nathaniel......?

[PipFEH]

We are pretty much decided on Nathaniel for our little boy who is due in 8 weeks, but I keep coming back to Raphael. We love love LOVE the nickname Raffy, but lack confidence when it comes to Raphael (Rafferty is definately not an option) and don't feel that Raffy stands up well enough by itself. We would always call him Raffy, but I fear snickers at the doctor's surgery when obviously his full name would be used. He is likely to go to a 'normal' school, not a 'posh' one.

It also doesn't help that I am struggling with the decision of what to shorten Nathaniel to! So I find myself in the position where I love the nickname of one name, but am not so keen on the long version and love the full version of another, but am not in love with anything it can be shortened to (although I do like both Nat and Nate, neither appeals to me in the same way Raffy does).

Outside contenders are Bruno and Sebastian, although I can't really see us having either of those now.

I am not that bothered about the whole sibset thing, but my older children are called Jude and Scarlett if that helps! Obviously didn't really have the nickname dilemma with either of them, so this is all a bit new to me!

Know a couple of Raphael (one Spanish, my age but goes by his middle name) and one 3 year old who gets called Raefy as a NN. I love that name personally.

I have a Nathaniel. He has been Natty since he was born, and now he's 12 is being called Nat more.

Would Ralph or Rafe be an option?

I know a Nathaniel known to his friends as Nath (pn Nayth) but his mum never shortens it.

Rafe possibly. Unfortunately my hubby STILL associates it with that idiot from The Apprentice years ago! I like it though and like the meaning. I do think if we had Rafe we would use Rafe though! Nath/Nathan is the one thing we really don't want to happen with Nathaniel, which is one of the reasons we feel we should 'elect' a shortening rather than leaving it to fate (nothing wrong with these names of course, but if we wanted Nathan, we would call him Nathan and I feel that Nath is a shortening of Nathan)!

I love Bruno . I like Raphael too (and know a lovely Spanish one) but I'm not keen on Rafe/Rafey/Rafy.

I don't really like Nat or Nat although Nathaniel is lovely. Would you have to shorten?

I prefer Nathaniel.

Poppy - I actually don't really want to shorten Nathaniel, but because it is so long I feel like everyone else will and I'd rather have some control over what he is called (I realise this could mean nothing once he's at school, but I can at least have a go.....) which is why I feel we should choose something to shorten it to. I also think Nathaniel is a bit of a mouthful for my older children, who are only little still (nearly 3 and nearly 2 when he is due). My older son is called Jude and I had to nip 'Judy' in the bud pretty swiftly after he was born, so it is something that worries me........!

Judy . I'd probably shorten Nathaniel to Nat or Nath (Nathe). The beneift of Bruno is you wouldn't have to shorten it .

I like Raphael and prefer it to Nathaniel. Also like Bruno very much. I don't like the Seb bit of Sebastian.

Bruno is gone in all honesty - it was the boys name before we found out what we were having, but I've gone off it a bit since and my hubby now point blank refuses to consider it. I unfortunately stumbled across some clips of the Sacha Baron Cohen film on YouTube (haven't seen it in full) and that now floods my brain every time I think of it! Shame really, as I do think it's awesome - maybe for our future dog? Along with every other vetoed name! We are going to need lots of dogs!

Def Nathaniel and absolutely love Nat, so cool and trendy.

As a mum to a Natanael (the Spanish form of Nathaniel) and a Rafael, you can't go wrong with either.

Ours are known as Nat/Nate and Rafa.

I love Nathaniel but I understand your dilemma.

I love Elizabeth but hate Liz and Lizzy. I like Beth as a shortened version but not sure if it's acceptable as I associate Beth as the shortened form of Bethany, which I don't like (sorry for the hijack!)