If I love Alexander but dislike Alex...

[MrsMichelRouxJr]

So Alexander is about the only boy's name DH and I can agree on at the moment. I also love Henry but DH doesn't... (he is quick to veto all my suggestions but never comes up with any of his own!!).

Anyway, I love Alexander but I'm really not keen on Alex (reminds me of a wet, drippy boy I used to know).

My question is are there other nicknames that I haven't considered? I'm not keen on Xander (sounds weird and a bit forced/try hard to me). The only one I'm close to liking is Ali, but I'm also concerned its a bit girly.

In theory I would be happy to just call him Alexander but I know in reality it is a very long name to be shouting in the playground. Also other people would shorten it and he will get called Alex for sure unless we start using a different nickname for him early on.

Any other names I might like?? DD is Naomi. I just can't find a boys name I like - it can't start with W, N, E or M.

Help!!!

[NewLife4Me]

My friend has Alexander and everyone calls him xander.
I think if the child usually picks what they are comfortable with anyway.

[DansonslaCapucine]

Lexo

[badRoly]

I have a 12yo Ally (Alexander), we picked the spelling from Ally McCoist on Question of Sport as we weren't sure whether to use Ali or Ally.

He really dislikes Alex and virtually no one calls him it now (except mil ). We make a point of stressing he is an Ally and I think most people now assume his full name is Alistair.

[CordeliaFoxx]

My friends DS is Alexander, they only call him that. Once he gets older it's his choice what he wants to be called, he's currently only 5

[switchitoff]

I think you need to go back to the drawing board if you don't like Alex, because it's extremely likely that that's what it'll get shortened to. All the DCs we know who started off as Alexanders are now Alexes, in the same way that all the Samuels are now Sams.

So if you like Alexander and Henry (which to my mind are both regal, strong and a bit posh):

James
Charles
Maximillian
George
Louis
Richard
Robert

[BikeRunSki]

I know an 11 year old Alexander who has managed not to get abbreviated yet. His mother worked hard on this. He's going to secondary school next month, I'll be interested to see how long his full name lasts.

[CarrotVan]

My Alexander is an Alec. My nephew is an Alaistair who is Ally to most but prefers the full name

Our other options for Alec were Magnus and Maximillian

[FlyDragonfly1]

I have a great uncle Alexander who has forever been Sandy. I also know a boy of about 14 named Alexander who is known as Sasha.

I really like Alec as a nickname, strong and a lovely change from the standard Alex.

Names with a similar feel to Alexander:
Anthony, Benjamin, Christopher, Andrew, Alistair, Frederick.

Best of luck!

[Ipushedmygrannyaffabus]

Axel

[LucyBabs]

How does Sasha come from Alexander ?

I love both Alex and Alexander but would have to except my dc wouldn't be called Alexander

[Hellionandfriends]

Al

Sandy

[LostQueen]

I say if you prefer Alexander than that's what you should go for. I'm a secondary school teacher and I teach a boy called Alexander. He insists on being called his full name and its respected. People might think that it's a longer name but that's just tough, it's his name!

[BertrandRussell]

"I know an 11 year old Alexander who has managed not to get abbreviated yet. His mother worked hard on this"

What an extraordinary waste of time and angst. And actually quite presumptuous. It's his name, not hers- what business is it of hers what he's called? You give a child a name, then it is that child's name. No longer anything to do with you at all.

[BikeRunSki]

What an extraordinary waste of time and angst. And actually quite presumptuous. It's his name, not hers- what business is it of hers what he's called? You give a child a name, then it is that child's name. No longer anything to do with you at all.

Because he wants to be called Alexander too. Now he is older, he will correct people would abbreviate his name. Also rather presumptuous for people to abbreviate someone's name, if that person doesn't want to be known as that.

[Sootgremlin]

Just use the full name if you love it. When he is young others will follow suit, and so will he, and when he is old enough to choose for himself, it is really nothing to do with you what his friends call him, or what he introduces himself as, and you'll find you won't mind a different choice as much when it is on a real person whom you love rather than a hypothetical person ifyswim. Whatever nickname he chooses will be associated with him.

And, as his mother, you can always call him his full name if you like; he can be known as different things in different situations. He may end up with a nickname from his surname, or from some other source.

I know a Mark who is Sparky, a Darren who is Dewey, a guy with the surname Crawford known to his friends as Cindy, a James known by everybody as Bill, a Robert called Leonard, a William called Cod...numerous AJs, CJs, JJs... You get the drift! I bet their mothers still call them their full names and ignore the rest

[Wishful80smontage]

I think if you really don't Alex then you should look for something else :( I'm expecting dc2 and really like Charles but really don't like Charlie which is likely to happen at school therefore its off the list.