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Original poster

Girls names - no abbreviations!

64 replies

Winter123 · 03/08/2013 14:13

Any suggestions for girls names that can't be abbreviated?! I really like Isabella but hate the idea of people abbreviating it to Izzie. DH and I have people abbreviate our names all the time and hate it!

At the minute we also like Alice (praying no one calls them Ali) and Imogen.

OP posts:
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BungleGeorgeAndZippy · 03/08/2013 14:27

Imogen can be abbreviated to Immie.

Struggling to think of any names that can't be shortened...Jo?

Clargo55 · 03/08/2013 14:40

Amy
Zoe
Emma
Laura
Isla
Myla
Cara

Bowlersarm · 03/08/2013 14:44

Sophie
Amy
Mia
Freya

Hmmm.....there aren't many i can think of...

My niece Imogen is only ever called Immie. You need to rule that one out.

mrstalbear · 03/08/2013 14:47

Isla
Niamh
Erin
Martha
Elsa

MrsBungle · 03/08/2013 14:47

Orla
Tara
Casey
Anna

Tortoise · 03/08/2013 14:47

My sisters name can't be shortened but then she ended up called by the initial letter, H!

Original poster
Winter123 · 03/08/2013 14:50

Thank for your suggestions... I like Savannah, DH hates it. We both like Faith...

I know a Sophie who is just called 'Soph', to me it just ruins a nice name

Thanks for the heads up on Imogen, would never have thought of Immie as an abbreviation. We both like Faith... Please tell me there are no abbreviations for that!

OP posts:
Bowlersarm · 03/08/2013 14:51

....Faye......

(Only joking, OP, I think that should be safe enough)

Sirzy · 03/08/2013 14:52

People will find a way to shorten any name. DS is Harry picked partly because it couldn't be shortened - some people call him H!

Looking at people's suggestions I can see a lot of ways most could be shortened.

EverybodysGoneSurfing · 03/08/2013 14:52

We have a Zoe and call her Zo Zo which is daft but one of those things! This will happen with all names, I think!

RichManPoorManBeggarmanThief · 03/08/2013 14:52

Stella?

Original poster
Winter123 · 03/08/2013 14:53

Oh Tortoise! A guy i work with is called Adam and some people think 'Ad' is acceptable! It's not even a name that's just a noise!

OP posts:
Bowlersarm · 03/08/2013 14:53

Laura
Lauren
Tess

Inkblinkandmustard · 03/08/2013 14:56

I think it depends on how firm you are about it. I'm Charlotte, and its never been shortened, despite there being lots of options. Dd is Alice, chosen not to be shortened but even I call her Al all the time.

Original poster
Winter123 · 03/08/2013 14:57

bowlersarm that did make me laugh!

sirzy Harry was one of our boy names!

I can see so many ways to abbreviate some names that have been suggested. I realise some people don't mind their names being abbreviated I personally hate it when people do it to me.

OP posts:
Longtallsally · 03/08/2013 14:59

Hmm - be careful. My mum did this, but I resented it growing up as I saw it as a sign of her wanting to control me and who I was. She went for Joy and was furious when my first boyfriend dropped the y and called me Jo. I think that most people will find abbreviations - or extensions - if they want to. It's up to your daughter (and you) to object if you don't like someone abbreviating your name. Just remind them of what you are called, and explain that you really don't like the alternatives!

MrsBungle · 03/08/2013 14:59

Faith is lovely, I can't see how you'd shorten that.

Original poster
Winter123 · 03/08/2013 15:04

longtallsally it certainly isn't me wanting to control DDtobe. If I'm entirely honest (and ever so slightly snobby) it's the lazy abbreviations I hate
Sophie =Soph
Emma= Em
Amy= Aim
Laura=Lau

I wouldn't mind if they chose to abbreviate their name if its what they preferred, it's just something DH and I don't like.

Thanks, MrsBungle Smile

OP posts:
RugBugs · 03/08/2013 15:14

We thought we'd found one in Melissa but no!
DPs family call her lissa and he calls her Mel C.
DD2 is due in 10 days and we've embraced it this time, her name can be shortened to at least two names.

Bowlersarm · 03/08/2013 15:15

OP, I think the problem is that any name with more than one syllable has the potential to be shortened (lazily) to the first syllable only.

Would it be an option to go for a longer name with an abbreviation that you like and could use ie in your example Isabella could be 'Belle' rather than 'izzie'. Are there are any names you like and could consider that route?

millymae · 03/08/2013 15:17

No suggestions from me I'm afraid. Both OH and I have names that could easily be shortened but rarely are because both sets of parents apparently made it clear from the off that there were to be no abbreviations. Nowadays OH doesn't care about the odd occasion his name gets shortened but I definitely do and will always let people know that I prefer to be called my full name. When our dc's were born we tried very hard (unsuccessfully as it's happened) to pick names that couldn't be abbreviated but it seems that even names with 3 or 4 letters can be shortened - think 'E' for Eve and 'Em' for Emma. Imogen is a really pretty name but the two in dd's year at a school are known as Im and Immy. I think what I'm trying to say is that if you really like a name you start as you mean to go on and make it clear that that is what you want her to be called. When she's small you will be her voice and can always correct those who try to shorten it. She can do that herself if she feels strongly about it when she gets older or do as my dc's have done and been happy with the shortened 'name' friends have chosen for them. Alice is lovely by the way and Ali as an abbreviated version really isn't that bad in the general scheme of things.

Original poster
Winter123 · 03/08/2013 15:29

I am very adamant that I won't have my name abbreviated and I get the 'oh, aren't you very precious' look... Angry

We love Alice, Faith and Imogen (although the Immie abbreviation has come to light) and love Ethan and Harry for a boy. I suppose, I will just have to suffer the looks when I say I don't like abbreviations!

I suppose we love the above names that much we will just to have to insist on no abbreviations and have to suffer the judgmental looks! And then if DC want to abbreviate then that's absolutely their choice.

OP posts:
WhispersOfWickedness · 03/08/2013 15:36

Rosa Smile someone tried to call her Rosie once but her 3yo big brother soon corrected them Blush

Clargo55 · 03/08/2013 15:47

Faith is lovely OP.

MortifiedAdams · 03/08/2013 15:48

Aurora