Eek, retrospective nickname panic: Alasdhair

[caramelgirl]

Okay, Alasdhair (more unusual family spelling than this but changed to avoid accidental outing) is new DS's name. DD (3) is calling him Alice. When discouraged from this it is Allah.
Obvs neither ideal. Awkwardly we're not mad keen on Al or Ali. Initials are AHSH, but one of DD's close friends is Ash, tho' I could be persuaded into Ash.
Any ideas?

I have one too and he has always been Ali to his friends. Brother and sister called him Walwal for most of his childhood. Probably inevitable, but I still totally love the name and it is so him.

I'm sorry but I did LOL at Allah.

Gaelic for Alexander, isn't it? You could use a diminutive of that. I know an Alistair who goes by Lal as well. Or Ally Bally!

I think nicknames just form naturally, your DD will probably give him various nicknames over the years so I'd just lt her get on with it.

You won't be able to control it once he starts school either.

You have your names for him and everyone else will have theirs.

I have an Alice who gets called Allah :o

Otherwise I agree that you can't dictate the nicknames. They'll develop naturally.

I would stick with his proper name - as people say - you have no control, it will just develop.

Sandy or Dare??

I know an Alasdair who is known by everyone as Ali.

We have an alli Babs, shortened to bab. Probably not much help. Nicknames should evolve naturally, but I can see your dilemma.

Thanks v much for responses, I was wondering if I could get away with Alex. v much like Lal too.
And yes, had assumed nicknames would evolve but hadn't expected boy named Sue situation, or even deification! Especially as we are in Tower Hamlets with a sockingly large muslim population- and DD's name slightly awkward for that demographic too.
DH just reminded me that for first few days she'd assumed he was Baby Asda. Hmph, inherited family name proving v tricky!

Tho' do like it more than my original choice which would have been Walter. Presumably Wally- never really got the plan ahead nickname brigade but am starting to see the merits of foresight!

You can't pre-empt nicknames.

That said, all the Alastairs (with a variety of different spellings) are known as Ali.

What about Asta/Aster/ Astar? Shortening using first letter and last syllable

Asda! My old neighbour Benjamin was called Benylin by all the street, eventually, thanks to my youngest.

Ooh Asta, used to know a lovely German Shepherd called that- good suggestion. Will have to emphasise the T tho'!!

All the Alastairs, and Alistairs, and Alisters and Alasdhairs and Al......... I know go by Ali.

Asta is a girls' name, Scandinavian I think, so I wouldn't try and impose that one.

Al?

What about Alec? Isn't Alec traditional a nickname for Alastair? I knew of an Alasdair who went by Dair once as well.

Alec is good, like more than Alex in fact.
Tho' now taken by benylin!!
Thanks all- if I ever score a DC3 I might come and ask advice re nicknames ahead of time! (Xanthe front runner for a girl, Walter or Xavier for a boy- tho' Wally might put me off Walter now!). Tho' tbh moot at moment seeing as am 10weeks pp and still not managed to choose sex over sleep!!!

I think it's a lovely name. He will probably be called ally by his pals, but there are worse nicknames.

I have an Alastair and he goes by Ali baba, Als, Ali pally/Bally or babstix depending on who is addressing him! Agree that you can't predict nicknames. I know some people with some very random ones!

My brother has always been Ali bear. Bear for short. He's 50 this year and still called bear by the family

Ours is tagliatelle

Call him Alasdair (or however you spell it). Why do you need to call him something else?

Rockdak, how weird, another bab. We also use babmeister.

Sandy is common here for Alistair.
My dd is known to all Dodies or Dodes, as Ds couldn't pronounce her name - Rosie.
She is 23 now and still Dodes to us