Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Baby names

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

accidentally ruined our boys name?

35 replies

Dazedconfused · 06/05/2014 14:26

I don't know yet what we are having but am a bit worried now about our boys name. It is Alexander and I love it but we were discussing nns and I prefer Alex to alec or Sandy and he jokingly said so not wee eck (now some of you may know that fat Eck is a nn for a certain first minister where I live) and now I am worried that we will look ridiculous if we call our baby this since we are due two days after the referendum - I had not associated it at all but now I can't stop.

can you normal people please tell me I am being daft and no one would think of it?? Grin

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Dazedconfused · 06/05/2014 14:29

he being my dh....oops

OP posts:
Bonsoir · 06/05/2014 14:30

Alexander is a very popular name for first born boys.

UriGeller · 06/05/2014 14:30

What? Eck? When has Eck ever been a diminutive of Alexander? Alexander is one of the best boys names going. Diminutive is Alex.

You are being daft, having a wobble and you need to pull yourself together Grin

justmuddlingalong · 06/05/2014 14:31

No one would connect the two. It's a lovely name.

FatalCabbage · 06/05/2014 14:32

I'd be amazed if they did - it's a very popular name with lots of literary and historical associations. I think one would think of five other Alexanders before naming Mr Salmond, honestly.

I have occasional wistful moments that we didn't call DS1 Alexander but it wasn't our favourite then.

Beastofburden · 06/05/2014 14:33

Alex is my DD's name, you could use it either way Grin

Nobody is going to think it's a fan club for the Salmond guy, don't worry about it.

Chrysanthemum5 · 06/05/2014 14:34

Eck is sometimes used as a short form of Alexander in parts of Scotland. However it's more of an old fashioned form of Alexander and I think few people would make the connection

Dazedconfused · 06/05/2014 14:37

we also wouldn't be using Eck but yes quite a lot of people refer to Mr salmond as Eck (usually with fat in front ) and it is a diminutive here.

thank you I love Alex and knew I was being daft

OP posts:
ophiotaurus · 06/05/2014 15:48

No I'm Scottish and I wouldn't have made that association.

MsHighwater · 06/05/2014 15:52

Alexander (and the usual diminutives) is far too popular for people to make that assumption (without being TOO common, iykwim).

Amy106 · 06/05/2014 15:56

Relax. Alexander is a wonderful name. Don't worry about it.

soontobeslendergirl · 06/05/2014 17:35

Totally familiar with the wee/fat Eck thing, But it definitely wouldn't be my first association after being introduced to a new born Alexander. I think it will be absolutely fine - it's not that rare a name that you would jump to that particular person honestly.

You could also have Xander/Zander too.

eurochick · 06/05/2014 17:39

I had no idea what you were going on about from the OP. I see from subsequent post it seems to be a Scottish thing. So it wouldn't have occurred to me.

Dolallytats · 06/05/2014 17:40

I had a lovely Uncle Eck. I do miss him....I won't allow people to shorten my son's name, William, to Bill because of a pervy bloke I used to work with. I still love my DS's name.

Casmama · 06/05/2014 19:39

I'm scottish too and it would never have occurred to me so go for it. You could also have Zander as a nickname if you like it.

DonkeysDontRideBicycles · 06/05/2014 19:47

Unless your darling baby looks like a spacehopper no I don't think you should worry x

heronsfly · 06/05/2014 19:50

My dhs family are Scottish and we have several Alexanders in our extended family and I have never heard of that nickname, its a lovely name. Grin

ZingWatermelon · 06/05/2014 20:07

we had our DD 2 years ago, just before Coronation hype.

she is Elizabeth. not one person associated her name with or questioned if it was in honour of the Queen, despite me worrying that's what people would think!

(because it wasn't. I wanted that name since 2001 when I was pg with DS1)

Alexander is a fine name. go for it

Theonlyoneiknow · 06/05/2014 22:17

I know of the Eck nickname (my DBro was nn Eckie for a while). Alexander is a fab name though with lots of more common nicknames (I love Sandy!). No one would associate it with you know who!!

Dazedconfused · 06/05/2014 22:26

Thanks everyone I knew it was silly but my brain wouldn't disassociate it. Feeling reassured now xxx

OP posts:
Dazedconfused · 06/05/2014 22:27

Thanks everyone I knew it was silly but my brain wouldn't disassociate it. Feeling reassured now xxx

OP posts:
Dazedconfused · 06/05/2014 22:30

Thanks everyone I knew it was silly but my brain wouldn't disassociate it for a while there. Feeling reassured now xxx

OP posts:
Dazedconfused · 06/05/2014 22:32

apparently I needed to say that 3 times...dam phone xxx

OP posts:
ellawithaspecialnose · 06/05/2014 23:27

Yes, Eck is a diminutive of Alexander.

But I don't think anyone thinks "Alexander Salmond" in their heads, do they? In fact I've only just made the association that my friend's LO (only ever Alex) has the same name as the FM, and I'm in Scotland too. So I think you're ok! Smile

FatalCabbage · 06/05/2014 23:34

Is one of Oor Wullie's friends called Wee Eck? Is that where the joke comes from?

Swipe left for the next trending thread