traditional names for a girl that can't really be shortened

[tomhan187]

We are expecting a girl in 9weeks, and we really love the name Alice. We like that it's traditional and that it can't really be shortened.

We have a son called Lewis, and I'm just concerned that Alice and Lewis are too similar-sounding. What do you think?

What other traditional names do you like that can't easily be shortened?

Ruth
Claire
Sarah
Lara/Clara
Anna
Jane
Xanthe
Alice can definitely be shortened.

Tbh, I'm not sure you can 100% control what other people may occasionally call your child. My niece is Zoe and my sister has had at least 3 separate people call her Zo-Zo . It's no-one she see's regularly enough for it to become a "thing" and she figures it will stop when DN isn't such a wee little thing so it's not worth stressing over. But she never thought there was a nn for Zoe!
My other sister is Catherine. She was always that until she went to uni and became Cat to her friends. She's still Catherine at home as that's what close family call her. I think that's the only time you can properly control it, unless you drive yourself mad!

What about Alicia?

Martha

Grace
Emma
Sophie
Mary
Sarah
Faye

Gwen can be a name just on its own, just as Finn can be. They don't have to be shortened versions of Gwendoline and Finlay.

What's with this only choosing names where you like shortened versions too? I have a ten-letter, three-syllable first name which never got shortened as a child/teen. This was down to the fact that we don't tend to shorten or change names as a family, and because my Mum was adamant no-one would shorten it, so constantly corrected anyone who tried.

I know a Ruth that gets shortened to Roo, a Daisy that gets shortened to Daiz. Sarah can be Sar or Sally.

Alice = Ali/Al
Helen = Hels
Lucy = Lu/Luce

and yy people may lengthen a short name. I've known Mike = Mikey, Grace = Gracey.

My daughter has a traditional name that can be shortened. We usually call her by the full version, but sometimes the shortened. I loathe my name and only ever answer to the shortened version.

I also don't get the nickname thing and think it's a bit of a MN thing! I have a 9 letter, 3 syllable name that has never been shortened - Catherine. My family don't shorten names and all my siblings have long names that often come up MN as X, nn Y (both parents had names shortened and didn't like it).

It was only as an adult that people (usually new colleagues) would sometimes try to call me Cathy/Kate. I'd just say that no one calls me that so if you want me to answer stick to the full name! Never been a problem.

Still think Alice & Lewis would make me think you loved Lewis Carroll a lot!

How about Iona or Isla (works with Lewis as a Scottish Island name too!).

I totally understand what you are saying OP! DH and I both have the kinds of names which people automatically shorten. (Think Victoria and Jonathan sort of thing). As a result we are called all different things by all different groups of people - Vic, Vicky, Tori, Jon, Jonny, Jonty - and never have a clue how to introduce ourselves!

People often shorten them automatically and it seems rude to say no, it's x.

It is completely different to short names being affectionately abbreviated/lengthened!

We were determined to try to avoid this for our DC.

Fwiw, I love Alice but I do think it's v close to Lewis. What about Anna? Or Phoebe?

Ivy gets shortened believe me!

So does Lois!

Mine is known as Lolly/Loll half the time!

Sophie
Chloe
Anna
Lauren
Freya
Maya
Mia
Lydia
Hannah
Ruth
Rachel
Thea
Orla
Isla
Poppy
Grace
Faye
Kaye
Daisy
Kirsty
Cora
Cara
Carla
Carrie
Zarah
Sarah
Beth
Kirsten

Lydia gets shortened to Lyd and Lyds... Trust me

The thing with liking all variations is that the child themselves may choose one you dislike. If I'd had a Catherine I would have hated it if she'd decided (quite reasonably) to call herself Cat.

Bess
Beth
Maeve
Emma
Kate
Gwen
Lila
Ruth
Anya
Rose

But i doubt anyone would give nn if you didn't use one while she is small - and later on her friends might lengthen/shorten, but you can't really stop that - she might even do it herself to be 'different' etc. If you love a name and it feels right for her, go for it. Alice is beautiful. Good luck