Can I call my baby girl Teddy/Teddie?

[ems942]

My baby girl is due soon. Had previously thought I'd love to call her Autumn, would have used Teddy for a boy but I love it so much I want to call my little girl Teddy. Am I being ridiculous? I'm not keen on Thea and really not on Theodora.

Its ok as a nickname I guess. But please don't use Teddy as the stand alone name, give her options.

Theas18 Shirley was originally a male name, and Big Daddy was actually a Shirley Junior, named after his father. There are quite a few names that have done a male to female switch.

I'd not call a child Teddy, especially if they were female. At least boys have the option of 'Ted' if they aren't keen on being a bit cutsie, but it leaves no option at all for girls apart from using a middle name.

Thea?

I much prefer Autumn - beautiful name :)

Robbie Williams has a daughter called Teddy but she is a Theodora.

I knew a midwife called Teddy. I'm not sure what it was short for but I guessed Theodora.

Teddy Sherringham's real name Is Edward.

I always say, what do you envisage your child doing as an adult. For example I couldn't imagine a Teddy being a doctor or a lawyer or a teacher, but I could imagine Theodora being called teddy and being those things. I could see Teddy being a artist or actress, or may be stripper.

"Those who matter don't mind, and those who mind don't matter" call her teddy if you want to (I love it) but be prepared if you ask for opinions it will, as this thread as proved, not always go down well

It's the child who matters. Nobody else.

You could call her any name under the sun and call her Teddy as a nickname. Our daughter has a beautiful, formal, Shakespearian name and day to day we call her Beanie ( in no way related to her actual name).

Don't put Teddy on her birth certificate though, seriously.

"There are quite a few names that have done a male to female switch."
But none the other way round. That's my point. If you woudn't do it to a boy, why would you do it to a girl?

Love the suggestion of Callisto! Would be lovely for an older child to be able to look into the sky and see 'her' star/constellation.

Teddy is sweet but babyish. Great as a pet name, not so as a gift to last a whole lifetime, because that's what a name is, really.

I would read the myth before I used Callisto......"But why was she turned into a bear, mummy?"......

You can, but I wouldn't. Would you like to be called Teddy?

I am aware of the myth (and I love the opera). Lots of classical names have 'adult' stories attached to them - but no-one quibbles about Diana, for example, or Daphne, or Helen....

I think that the reason why calling a girl a boys name is relatively normal is to do with valuing the masculine, so it's a trade up as it were. Once boys names become too associated with girls boys don't get called them anymore. Calling a boy a girls name would be considered cruel (like a boy named Sue), femininsing and likely to lead to bullying. Total double standards of course, but a reflection on societal sexism.

"Why not just share the story, Betrand? Rather than be patronising? It would be rather more kind."

Sorry- yes that was a bit smartarsery. I get irrationally cross about people not thinking about the names thye use and the impact they'll have on the person with the name.
She was a nymph who was raped by Zeus, got pregnant, had a son then turned into a bear as a punishment. Her son grew up to be a famous hunter and he killed her. Zeus then put her in the sky as a constellation with her son, the little bear. They were condemned to spend eternity in the sky without water. So all a bit sad.

The Greek gods were all bastards really, weren't they.

A reflection on how capricious life was back then (perhaps a more honest reflection of life than the monotheistic religious stories though).

Just to add to the proper name/ short name debate: my mum chose my name because she liked the popular nickname for it (think Nicola/Nikki sort of thing). As soon as I was old enough to have an opinion, I insisted on being called by the long version of the name and still to this day hate the shortened version.

I'm very glad I had the choice rather than be stuck with a (IMO) cutesy nickname for life.

I didn't mean to sound rude in my reply, Bertrand, and apologise if I was, and I think you are sensible to suggest that anyone using a name might like to consider its origins. However, as we all know, myths - even violent ones - aren't just stories; they reflect the highs and lows of human nature and complex questions about human existence, as well as the society they come from.

Callisto is a nice name in other ways, since it comes from the Greek word for 'beauty'. And one scholar has suggested that the 'bear-hunt in the sky' element of the myth contains elements of a really ancient prehistoric story about the stars. Have no idea whether he is correct, but the possibility sounds fascinating.

MamaL - I'm guessing you're either a Deborah, Amanda or Rebecca?

Perfect example of giving your DC options by using the full name on the birth certificate - I would say that 80% of the Debbies, Mandys & Beckys I grew up with have now reverted to the longer more adult version (n.b. not saying there is anything wrong with the names Debbie, Mandy or Becky btw)