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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

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Original poster

We love this name but dislike the inevitable nickname....

55 replies

Stateofgrace · 15/03/2014 11:15

Madeleine :)

We strongly dislike the ubiquitous nickname 'Maddy'

Last night as a way of getting around this dp suggested 'Magdalene', which could be a way around it? (We think Maggie is lovely).

We understand that her peers will nn her regardless, but I suppose we don't want 'Maddy' as a fait accompli from the get go...

What do you think - either way will she be 'Maddy'?

Any other name suggestions? We are tending to lean toward French, Irish and Italian names (although not a deal breaker) - names that have been suggested thus far include:

Aoife
Lucia
Saoirse
Mathilde
Aoibhe
Isobel
Manon
Cicely
Florence
Beatrice / Beatriz

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Trooperslane · 15/03/2014 11:26

Madeline will always remind me of the McCanns, sorry.

What about Sorcha or Scarlett?

MsJupiter · 15/03/2014 11:37

I like Magdalene. Also Magdala.

ClemencePoesy · 15/03/2014 11:43

What about Magdalena, nickname Lena or magda or Maggie

ClemencePoesy · 15/03/2014 11:43

Or from your other list Manon is stunning.

TheBuskersDog · 15/03/2014 11:46

I never think of Madeleine McCann when I meet a new Maddie/Madeleine.

I have known girls called Madeleine who are never known as Maddie, I suppose it depends if they want to be called it.

jeee · 15/03/2014 11:48

I don't like the standard abbreviations of DC 3 & 4.... DC3 was going to be called by her full name, and DC4 was going to be a slightly less common abbreviation of her name (it's a name with 3 or 4 shortened forms).

Guess what? Both of them are called by the standard abbreviation. And both of them are that abbreviation, IYSWIM.

If you really don't like the standard shortening, I'd go for a different name.

MuffTheMagicDragonButter · 15/03/2014 11:50

I love Madeleine, but avoiding Maddy will be hard.

Magdalene for me isn't as nice, although I do like Maggie.

Is Manon pronounced MAN-on or MAN-un?

mumbaisapphirebluespruce · 15/03/2014 11:51

I think Madaleine is lovely and really don't think the McCann association is of any concern. I know several Madaleines and they all go by their full names. The adult one I know occasionally gets Mads but never Maddy. I also like Magdalene, but prefer Magdalena.

Viviennemary · 15/03/2014 11:54

Not keen on the name. And I'm even less keen on Magdelene. I like Isobel best from your list and also Isabella.

BlackberryandNettle · 15/03/2014 11:56

Magdalene makes me think of Mary Magdalene who was a prostitute but then follower of Jesus - when us the baby due?

RegainingUnconsciousness · 15/03/2014 12:03

Can't you specify the nickname you prefer from the outset? For example, a friends baby was announced something like "we welcome Elizabeth, who will be known as Effy, to our family". And she's Effy to everyone.

Likewise, my DH goes by a name different to his legal first name. Its not a problem.

You could have Madeleine, to be known as Del/Ellie/Len, or is it any nickname you're against?

EmmaSue · 15/03/2014 12:09

Magdalene makes me think of the laundries. :(

Bowlersarm · 15/03/2014 12:11

I don't think the McCann situation matters. There are a lot of madeleines out there. I do think she would be getting Maddie though. I'd go for another name you can have Maggie short for.

Original poster

Stateofgrace · 15/03/2014 12:15

Thanks for the replies so far.

Manon is pronounced 'Mah-non' but you say the final n so slightly that it trails off ever so (like you would pronounce 'non' in French)...I suppose almost like 'Manoh' would be the best way of describing it...

Blackberry - she's not due until July, we can avoid Christian holidays :)

Regaining - this is just it, we love the name in its full form and we would be calling her Madeleine. We don't want to NN her anything apart from something which could evolve organically. (DD1 is still 'Button' )

I suppose NN is really the wrong word, it's 'diminutive' isn't it?

Perhaps we need a re-think.

OP posts:

Mycatistoosexy · 15/03/2014 12:18

I really like Theresa. I'm not having any more kids so I'm on a one woman mission to get this name used by somebody

Anjou · 15/03/2014 12:28

What a lovely short list of names, OP! I know a few young madeleines who are all Maddys, but thats what their parents wish for them to be called. I know a couple of adult Madeleines: one is Madeleine, one is Mads. It wouldn't occur to me to call them Maddy.

I know there is a school of thought that says nn's are inevitable, but I've known several Michaels, James', Jennifer's & Victorias since childhood who have never been referred to as Mikes, Jamie's, Jenny's or Vicky's. I think if you tell people the first time they shorten it "I prefer Madeleine" that will suffice.

Magdalene is beautiful. I know a few, all of which are known as Magda but Maggie is a sweet nn too.

I would keep saying your short list out loud to get used to hearing them and then see what suits her when she arrives. I'm sure it will be perfect.

Oakmaiden · 15/03/2014 12:35

I have foudn that people tend to call your child what you ask them to call him/her.

So my eldest (Alexander) has always been Alex because we always introduce him and refer to him as Alex. Whilst number 2 (Eleanor) has always been Eleanor because that is how we refer to her.

When they get a bit older it becomes more their choice - I guess if Alex particularly wanted to be known as Alexander he would refer to himself in that way, and thus that is what people would call him. I know people have occasionally referred to Eleanor as Ellie, but to be fair SHE stamps on that pretty quickly...

Oakmaiden · 15/03/2014 12:36

Forgot to add - so if you say "This is Madeleine" she is likely to get called Madeleine. If you say "this is Madeleine, known as Leine" then that is what she will get called.

HandragsNGladbags · 15/03/2014 12:38

We had the exact same problem, well I did.

DH didn't like it due to McCann association which I thought was daft, but I really don't like Maddie, I thought people would then assume she was called Madison, which again isn't for me.

So we went with Philippa

TheOriginalSteamingNit · 15/03/2014 12:42

Magdalene won't solve the maddy problem, because it is pronounced the same!

woundbobbin · 15/03/2014 12:47

I really love Madeleine but my surname begins with a Mc so we felt the McCann connection would be to strong we considered Adeline which I think is just as nice and I prefer addie to maddie as a nickname

AlternativeMoniker53 · 15/03/2014 12:52

Magdalene makes me think of the laundries as well

reup · 15/03/2014 12:55

Will you pronounce it linn or line at the end?I always like the latter because of the books. Is that a French pronunciation?

I dont think diminutives are inevitable. I know a James, William, Phillip and Daniel all in their teens who have always been known by their full name.

RobinSparkles · 15/03/2014 13:00

I know a few Madelines and have never thought McCann when they are introduced.

I know one that is always Madeline never Maddie.

I have an Isabel and I always hated Izzy so I nearly didn't go for it, but I couldn't find anything I liked as much. She has always been Isabel but guess what? I now love Izzy but she hates it so is always Isabel.

AnneWentworth · 15/03/2014 13:09

I really don't think it is inevitable at all. If you call her Madeleine she will be Madeleine won't she unless as a more grown up child she choses it.

I know an Annanarie and an Anne-Marie both adults. The former has always used her full name, I have never ever heard anyone shorten it, the latter is known by everyone as Anna which one would assume would have happened with Annamarie.

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