Freddy or Freddie

[shufflebum]

After much deliberation we have decided to name DS2 Freddy. I'm not in love with it but have got to register him tomorrow so will go with DH's choice as I had final say with DS1 (Xander). However my mum has just thrown a spanner in the works sayng that the way we have chosen to spell it with a "y" is the female form and he will get teased at school
If you see Freddy written down do you think of a girl?

Frederick

I would think Freddy was a boy.

I second Frederick on the BC. But that's just me.

I think ie is more usually female and y is male. For example, male nicky and female nikki/e. Both Freddie and Freddy are used for males (I think Freddie is more common though, google it and you get lots of results.)
Also if I saw it written down, I'd think that it was a nickname and that he had another longer name. Frederick or Alfred, for example.

The boys name is Frederick. The girls name is Frederique. I know both male and female Fredericks/Frederiques, nicknamed to Freddie.

I know male Ollies, Alfies, Archies, (rather than Olly, Alfy,Archy), so I don't think there is a rule.

Micky, for example, male.
Ricky, too.
Johnnie or johnny both.

Deffo no rule.

Hmm I'm in two minds about Frederick on a BC, I will never use it as a name as I don't really like it! I appreciate that he might want something more formal when he is older but in that case there is nothing to stop him calling himself Frederick, it's not like anyone is going to check or am I missing a vital point here?!

Sure, in theory he can call himself whatever he wants as an adult .

But seriously, if you don't like Frederick, I would reconsider and find a name you love (full name and nickname) imo.

otherside don't go there, we have had 5 weeks of calling him a different name every few days and we just can't agree. DH loves it and I don't mind it. I wish I loved it but I don't, maybe I will grow to in time.

Ok, I hope it'll grow on you then .

Alfred?

I totally agree with op. Don't like the full name. I didn't let living in the 1950's "its a shortening!its not a proper name!"comments bother me when we named DS.

Call him what you like. He'll make his own choices when he's older anyway, p'raps call himself Anna.

I know Freddys and Freddies btw, all boys.

Or just Fred?

Frederick, with Freddie for short.

The short form is fine. If anything the long form is often more unusual (Alfred, Archibald, Zachary etc) these days. Short forms have been registered often in history if you look at old records. I think only use the long form if you will use it often/at all. I speak from experience with my own long version which I never use except at the doctors etc.

As for the spelling, I much prefer Freddie. I am not sure why-it just looks better in my view.

Freddie. My DS1 is Freddie and has none of this he needs a proper name on his birth certificate nonsense either.

If you don't want the proper name, why not Fred? You can still call him Freddie, but he won't be stuck with a cutesy toddler-name on his business cards when he's a 6'4" rugby-playing Big Strong Man.

Or just Freddie!
he can put whatever he wants on his business cards....Fred or just initial or whatever he wants! :-)

"cutesy toddler name when he's a 6'4" rigby player"

Like Freddie Flintoff? [hhmm]

Proper name, pah.

Freddie/Freddy is a proper name.

mqhgvlajhvcvl isn't.

I don't see why not - I'm sure it could be derived somehow from some first name :o

"mqhgvlajhvcvl isn't"

I would put Fred on the birth certificate and go with Freddy to use whilst he is a child. Frederick is a little stuffy for my liking on the BC, so that's why I would go with Fred - can be used by adult or child, Freddy for a more informal nn. If you put Fred on the BC, you won't even have to choose Freddy or Freddie - you can plump for Freddy to start with but since it is a nn, you can change the spelling whenever you want.

sleepy - its misplaced snobbishness.