Wilfred

[glittershoes]

We are currently expecting a baby boy in August and both quite like Wilfred. I was wondering if you could all give me your opinions on it and what you would shorten it to.

I like Wilf, don't mind Fred/Freddie or Red but not keen on Will. Is he likely to get Will do you think?

Thank you x

I quite like it and like Wilf as a nickname. Really don't like Will though - too much teasing potential with Willy imo.

I know a Wilfred born a couple of weeks ago. I think it's nice.

If you call him Wilf, then I think it should stick. Agree it's much nicer than Will.

I don't like Wilfred at all, sorry. It is old mannish and not in a good way.

But I do think Wilf is the natural shortening of it and that is what he would be called. I would never think of Will as a shortening for Wilfred (unless he decides himself to go with this in the future).

Very trendy right now.

Thanks all, relieved to hear that Will wouldn't be the automatic shortening. Can I ask squoosh, trendy in a next-big-thing way or trendy in an cool-under-the-radar way? It is not the be all and end all but we would ideally like to avoid having a name that will date or that is popular.

Well I wouldn't say it's going to become the next Jack in terms of ubiquity but it's only in the last few years or so that I've heard about little Wilfred's being born.

It's definitely one of those names that belongs to the under threes or the over eighty threes.

I quite like it in a quirky sort of way. It isn't soft like Cuthbert or trying too hard like Bert.
There is a poster on here, whose name escapes me, who has a son Wilf.

I think it sounds wimpy, sorry.

I like Wilfred.

You should make sure you're comfortable with all possible short forms though. Whilst other people might not automatically call him Will, if he decides he doesn't like being called Wilf (or Fred) he may change it of his own accord. (Apparently I had a rebellious fit at the age of four and insisted my family call me by a different nn... My brother did the same thing when he was a bit older)

Awful old mans name.

I like it, though I prefer the spelling Wilfrid.

I would automatically shorten to Wilf (or maybe Wilfie for a little baby).

Two Wilfs in my sons reception class at school

Not keen. I think it's a weak sounding name, especially Wilf. In 'old-man name revival' terms what about Alfred it's similar. Alf, Fred or Freddy are stronger sounding.

I love Wilfred with Wilf as the short form but Dh said no

Not keen I'm afraid. It's like an old man's name.

Just bear in mind that every lesson he will have at school will start with a WALT (We Are Learning To) and a WILF (What I'm Looking For).

It's the cousin of the Alfie trend.