Shortened versions of long name on bc

[golfmonkey]

There seems to be a strong concensus that 'full' names are better on the bc (eg William instead of Bill, charlotte instead of charlie).

Are there any names you feel are reasonable as stand alone names despite traditionally being a nickname?

Both my DDs have 'nicknames' for names, and I absolutely love them, but I wonder if they'll suffer in the future because of it.

I've got a short unusual name that I always had to spell out, and wanted short, easy to spell names that were actually names, but technically they are traditional nicknames. Think Kate, tess- along those lines (without outing myself!).

Just interested as to what people think are acceptable versus not acceptable Shortened stand alone names.

Gosh 29 mebs you need a little therapy to help you deal with your angst.

As long as it makes people think, and realise giving a name shouldn't be all about them.

Most people I know with short names get them lengthened or shortened.
Rose - Rosie, Sarah - Sez or Sas, Ann - Annie, Ian - E (WTF), Neil - Nellie, Georgie, Marky, Ste, etc

Hmm, strong emotions 29palms, sounds like you really resent your parents name choice. But actually i dont agree with your assumption that people choose a name purely for themselves. Of course I carefully thought about possible nicknames (yes, for their already nicknamey names), initials, teasing potential before giving my kids a name - what a responsibility and privilege to have! but ultimately why would I choose a name I wouldn't love for myself? Both my husband and I called our dd1 our all time favourite girls name and still think it's lovely. We didn't like any of the potentially longer versions (think beth which could have been Elizabeth, bethan, bethany etc) and perhaps she will hate it in the future, but perhaps she would have hated the long version more! (Fwiw my middle name is Elizabeth and I always wanted it to be beth!).

So interestingly it's also made me think that loads of people used to ask me if my name was short for anything and I just said no - never bothered me or occurred to me that I wanted a longer name. And yes I hated my name as a kid as I was teased, it was unusual and for some reason people can't spell it, but I never resented my parents for it. I knew they loved me and loved my name, even if I didn't. And you can't expect a newborn to have an opinion.

Very interesting though, and perhaps resenting ones name might just be part of a bigger set of issues?

What do you mean, "a bigger set of issues"?

My dd has a shortend name. She's named after her aunt who has the full name but she shortens differently.
The shorted name we have her is just as popular as the full name.
My db still insists on calling her by the full version though. He hates shortened names. He thinks there chavy.

I have a few friends with shortened names. The shorter versions have become that popular they themselves didn't realise it was a shored name.
2 of them are sisters. If they both was use to use full version of there names. They would have the same name

@29Palms isn't there more important stuff to get worked up about than this?

You'd hate me, my son has a diminutive for his "proper" name. Fortunately for us he loves it, and so do most people he meets.

@29Palms don't scroll down too much on this forum, there's a post called "just Dottie?"

My name can't be shortened or nickname used, it is as it is. When I was a child I always wanted a longer name such as Catherine so I had choices - Cat, Caz, Kate, Katie, Kitty. Just gives more options. My children - one has longer name but he has always been shortened to nickname, second has a short name that can't be altered, third we shortened the name but put longer version on BC but it is never used. However gives option in future for DC.

If a child or anyone really dosent want the shorten version and feels deprived of a full name. There's always deed poll.

My kids have full names as registered names and it actually causes headaches for me currently as I have an Edward who only identifies with the diminutive name he has been known by since birth. I'm constantly telling doctors (and the school) that he wants the. To use the name he identifies with rather than his long name - as parents I don't think you can win, I gave the option but so far (and they are on,y young) they would prefer the nick name

Funnyfarmer Sure, you can change your name, but if people persist in calling you by your given name it's futile.

Anyway I am still waiting for OP to explain the "bigger set of issues" she apparently thinks I have. Possibly this is the "more important stuff" that Ginliness thinks I should be getting "worked up about".

Didnt mean any offence, just that it seems like you resent your parents a lot 29palms. A lot of the posts suggested they named you out of self interest rather than your interest. I also grew up not liking my name but have got over it, and don't have those sorts of feelings towards my parents. So I meant issues with parents.

It wasn't personal, just speculation, and more about how my kids might react to their names in the future if indeed they dont like them but apologies if I upset you.

I have a Josie who isn't a Josephine and a Danny..... Who is just a Danny

Personally I think "ee" / "ie" /"y" ending names sound cute but childish, which is fine around family and when a child, but don't give any sort of air of authority. Perhaps in another generation it'll be different, but it's still the case now that it's hard for young woman to be taken seriously in a number of industries and saddling them with a "cute little girl" name doesn't help.

(Usually when someone mentions issues surrounding young woman trying to get into primarily male work places, another MNer will come along and say "didn't stop me, but then I was judged on my 1st from oxford not my name", failing to consider that many woman won't have qualifications vastly above the other male candidates, and the "average" person is more likely to be judged on stuff like this).

My DD has a nickname at home that ends in "ee" sound, but at preschool she's known by her proper name, mainly because there are so many "Millie/Molly/Ellie" girls it gets a bit confusing.

Oh and the "they can change the name later" thing - it is hard once you've started getting qualifications to change your name without it causing issues later on, other than surname.

I do think too many people pick a name for a baby, not a name that will suit an adult wherever life takes them.

I changed my name informally when I was 7 and by deed poll in mid twenties between degrees. It has never been a problem. It was one of my given names but no one in my life now other than immediate family would know any different. All ID in new name. No one at interview has ever commented. I just bring deed poll along with certificates.

We have two with full names and one with 'nickname' it is a mainstream nickname, will be no more unusual than the myriad of names in the playgrounds at the moment. She loves her name but hates all the long versions. It also means that in registers she always is called by her name rather than a name on her bc which she is never known by. If any of them wanted to change their names then they could.

To answer the op, most names, short forms or full names are 'acceptable'!

However, I love having a beautiful 3 syllable name as it has given me lots of nickname options amongst close family and friends, but at work I feel my full name sounds perfect.

I tend to find longer names beautiful and elegant. Personally I'm not a fan of the current trend for cutesy names like Alfie, Evie, Ellie, Teddy. I much prefer Alfred, Evangeline, Eleanor or Theodore and feel the full names give your children more options!

It might also be worth considering that your children might one day live or work abroad. Most cutesy English nicknames don't travel that well imo.

Gruffalo yes I definitely thought of that. Easy to spell and pronounce in multiple languages - we are a multi ethnic family! Tbh my kids names aren't really cutesy (though one does end with 'ee' sound, but then so do Sophie or Amy and they are proper traditional names!) but they are technically nicknames. I definitely have been over thinking things but that is just in my nature, so good to see a wide variety of opinions here.

Jack is an acceptable stand-alone name I think. Hmmm...there's not many I can think of other than that....Sue maybe (Although doubt anyone is naming a child Sue these days!).

I think Polly and Molly, and Milly and Sally would be unlikely to even consider that they might have been Mary, Mary, Millicent/Emily, and Sarah. Harry probably wouldn't think he should have been Harold or Henry. Katie and Kate may not prefer Katherine, but might do.

But Lizzie, Jenny, Tom, Alfie, Evie, Ellie.... I still feel they're incomplete without having the long name option. Even if the long name option for Alfie is Alfred!

Not sure which version or part of her name Milly Molly Mandy should have been most upset with though!

DS1 has never been known as his full name, only ever by the shortened version. I really wish I'd just chosen the short version now. Maybe he'll use his full name later in life, I don't know. He doesn't answer to it when his full name is called at the doctor's etc though.

DS2 is often called by the short version of his name but he also gets the full name from everyone too. He personally prefers the short version, but that's solely because it is easier for him to write a 3 letter name than an 8 letter one (he's 4) 😀.