Would u just have a nick name as a first name?

[Emmiedarling]

....Freddie...

Originally going to have Frederick, but in reality I just like Freddie & it goes nicely with my chosen middle name (Richard) (my fathers name)

Thoughts?

My son does not use his full name and gets cross when other people do.
He uses a shortened version of it.
E.g Alex rather than Alexander.

But I suppose you do have the option anyway don't you? If I go by the shortened version of my name (it's on everything except my passport) then couldn't a Freddie choose to call himself Frederick id he really wanted to???

Wordsmith I know Blair is officially an Anthony, my point is that he didn't have to use it to get the job he was after. The idea that if you want to be a high court jude, you couldn't be called Tony is snobbish, outdated and .....wank (to quote Eugene's Axe)

oops, that would be a high court judge

There's no way round it, actually. I am an Alix on my birth cert and not an Alexandra but that didn't stop teachers at school assuming I was.

Of course I would. Freddie is a perfectly sensible name. All the people I know who had nicknames as children but longer names on their birth still use those names as adults both personally and professionally. So yes, lawyer Katie, banker Nicky, accountant Susie, architect Mandy, teacher Gaby. Nobody laughs at them, nobody comments on them having nicknames because they have been known by those names for 40 odd years and those are their names.

Tony Blair's name is Anthony but the point that I was making is that he was known as Tony professionally.

Freddie Mercury wasn't Freddie Mercury's real name. It was something completely different but Freddie still works.

Well, as the good Dr Seuss said (commonly known as Ted by the way) You must do as you please OP because 'Those that matter wont mind and those that mind don't matter'

I think you should use Freddie, it's my opinion that people judge you as a person not by your name!

My name is Roxanne which is very un-mumsnet, but apart from people singing the Police song at me it hasn't done me any lasting damage and I like having a different name! It's usually an ice breaker at interviews too :o

I would use the shortened version. 100%

I am never called my full name, ever - so much so it doesn't even feel like my name. I've always been a 'nickname' and this has annoyed me as all of my documents are "wrong" (in that they show the long, never used, name) and I have to correct people every time I meet a new person (boss, Dr etc)

I called two of my sons very short names (3 letters) so they couldn't be shortened and my third is a nickname, though still short (5 letters).

Frederick is pretentious whereas Freddie is charming.

I think Freddie is a wonderful name. I love it.

I think the teacher thing is exactly why dd1 has a 'nickname' on her birth certificate rather than a 'proper' name. Her name is perfectly reasonable, and I don't want some yr6 teacher deciding to call her by some 'proper' name, (even though she has always been known by her nickname) just because it is on her bc, yes they might decide to anyway, but at least if it isn't on her bc there are more grounds for gently reminding them that they are actually incorrect as that is not her name, her name is actually nickname (if it even bothers her).

If you don't like Fredrick or one of the other names it derrives from then just call him Freddie. It might sound strange to us as a lawyer now, but in 40yrs time when he's helping us redraft our wills it probably will seem normal compared to his collegues Fluffy-Blubel and Hermondo-Zepphiniah.

I like it :)

I'm being induced today (currently ongoing) and we have decided to call baby Herbie not Herbert. I think it's nicer :)

"My dd has a nick name as her full name. I shall break it to her gently that her career options are limited"

She'll NEVER be a high court judge now.

DS2 is going to be Spike. Dr Lord Justice Spike QC.

I think this pretty much sums up my thoughts on the matter, other than to say:
Freddie is an awesome name

I have a shortened name and wish I had the long version.

It's easy to shorten a name but I can't really go around lengthening mine without looking like a twat. I'd give him the long version.

My youngest also have a name we shorten most of the time (she has the long version) everyone at school calls her the nickname most of the time as well.

If he is Fredrick he could be Freddie or Ricky or something else he likes.

Also, when you're cross with him you can call him Fredrick

Not only does Freddie, Olly or Alfie sound nicknamey but I expect these trendy cutesy names will start to sound dated as they fall out of favour as people tire of them, looking for more solid sounding names.

Frederick is a lovely, elegant name - I find it much nicer than Fred or Freddie.

I actually prefer Fred to Freddie (or Frederick).

I realise that is not at all helpful, or indeed what you asked.

I think the recent (British) fashion for 'cute' names (Freddie, Archie, Alfie, Ellie, Evie etc) may well end soon. I think Frederick sounds good, solid and timeless, whereas I don't really like Freddie (or Fred - reminds me of West).

I know a wonderful 70 plus year old gentleman called Freddie. He's handsome and charming and his name suits him very well.

Do it! It's a wonderful name. Frederick is rather boring and Germanic. Freddie is fabulous.

I have a Freddie, who is just a Freddie.
He gets Fred a lot, which I also love.

As has been pointed out, he can call himself what he likes when he's older, and I really don't see that putting Frederick on his birth certificate but never calling him it, would make much difference to his life or chosen career.

But, friends who also have a Freddie did use Frederick.

Horses for courses I guess

I can't stop myself from feeling that using a cutesy nickname is a bit, well, common. Frederick is not a pretentious name, it's just a name. Freddie is its nickname, and if you don't like Frederick then you shouldn't be using Freddie, imo, because they're the same name.

I would. I really do not see the point of having another name than the one you want to call him on the birth certificate.
Freddie is absolutely fine as a name; however what ''bothers" me more about it is the fact that it seems to be increasingly popular.

That whole "what if he's a lawyer" statement doesnt wash with me. I have a long name which I have always had shortened - my own mother has never called me by my full name. When asked about this she says "well i knew you'd be glad of that professional-sounding name if you ever became a doctor or a lawyer". Having now become one of these things and never having used the full name I think she talks rubbish ;)

slappywappydoodah

Finally! Finally someone who actually has one of the coveted Mumsnet BIG THREE occupations (Doctor, Lawyer, High Court Judge), and managed to achieve this having never used their full name - Hallelujah.

Now can we all please stop going on about it, as if it's something that actually matters?