Effie

[Thinkingoutloudmostly]

Thoughts as a shortening with a more traditional name on BC-let's not be too unkind though please ladies.

It sounds like swearing, like when people say "f"ing and blinding. So,I don't like it.

Effie can be short for Elfreda, which is a lovely Old English name. In Germany the diminutive is Elfie, which I adore. DH always wanted to call our daughter Elf! She's a Rebecca, so there ya go. But yes, Effie can be an 'Elfreda'.

I immediately though "f off" too. Really not a nice nn.

Reminds me of Effie from skins. I don't like any of the full names though, which is unfortunate for me as I probably wouldn't use it on it's own. Don't know why though as plenty of names are short with a similar nick-name sound, but work as standalone names: Amy, Sophie, Lily, Phoebe, Holly, Poppy...

What about Persephone for Effie?

The most try-hard bohemian I know has an Effie and I can't get past that. But i realise thats just my personal experience

First thought was Effie Gray (disastrously married to John Tuskin, more successfully married to John Everett Millais).

I like it. Does it need to be short for anything?

Tuskin? Ruskin!!

Love it!

Poor Effie Gray. Wasn't it rumoured that her pubic hair came as a shock to her husband on their wedding night. And he never recovered from it!

I think Skins invented Effy-as-short-for-Elizabeth so for some reason that annoys me. Persephone, Josephine, Euphemia, Stephanie, even Evelyn all fine.

It makes me think of "effing and blinding"

I have always loved Effie since there was a character called it on Heartbreak High. She was of Greek descent. I don't know what her full name was.

Effemie (Eff-ee-mee) is quite nice.

Heartbreak High, God, I'd forgotten all about that show, I absolutely loved it even though I was far too old for it.

Flof yes, that's right. He'd have been fine with the current generation of pube-free young women!

Longest lurker - yes, I thought of Effie from Heartbreak High too, love the name and the show. She was Nick's little sister if I remember rightly.

Thank you ladies, far more positive than I was thinking. Think we are going to go for Evelyn Rosa (Effie)

My niece is Effie, not short for anything. I love it, it's after our Grandma who is euphemia but everyone calls Ef. Im quite gutted my brother got there first!

If you love it & are only going to ever call her Effie just go for Effie, you don't need to put something else on the bc. It's not a logical nickname for Evelyn to me and if you introduce her as Evelyn you may get people calling her Evie instead and you having to correct them.

I really like it as a shortening for Ethel

My Freya gets Effie, not on purpose just how it went!

Like what you say when you scramble up out of a beanbag. amazing!

I like Effie. I always thought it was short for Euphegenia, but MUCH better options on this thread!!

Thank you all! If it's mumsnet approved (well for the most part!) then we will definitely go for it!

I know an Effie and hers isn't short for anything. I do like it but..."effing and blinding" does come to mind...

I adore Effie. If my bean turns out to be a girl this is what I'm hoping to convince my partner to name her :)

Just seen your comment topsyloulou- I feel like a longer name gives her more options as Effie is quite unusual.
Also to me Effie is a logical shortening when the name is EV-Lyn...Evie/Eve makes more sense to me if you're pronouncing the name EVE-Lyn x