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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Am I the only one who hates shortenings?

96 replies

Celestia26 · 25/07/2017 18:00

I know this is a strange thing to post but does anyone else hate shortenings or nicknames? It seems to be a popular subject and I'm always seeing threads such as 'I like this nickname but don't like the longer name, what else can I use as a bc name?'. I don't really get this. I feel like you should name your child a name you like, not just one that you can derive a likable nickname from? I personally gave my children names that cannot be shortened, simply because I like the name and that's what I have called them. For example: 'I like Kit, but don't like Christopher, what else can I use?' I don't get it!!! Am I alone? Surely if you like a name, you should use it without needing a 'Sunday best' name. Sometimes these nicknames bear little resemblance to their birth certificate counterpart!

OP posts:

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GreenTulips · 25/07/2017 18:03

Shortening a and nicknames are very different

But I get what you're saying - it happens an awful lot.

My DD has a long name and the shortening happens as DD1 couldn't say the whole thing - we' call her a nickname as she faffs (Fanny faff a lot)

Neither were predetermined

Needsomeflapjacks · 25/07/2017 18:04

All my dc have names that cannot easily be shortened - if at all. .
Only one dd gets a shortened version and we are both quick to put it right!!
Some people don't mind /actively choose alternatives but I like their names as they are!! And so do they!!

Teacakequeen · 25/07/2017 18:06

I have a name that can't be shortened so people lengthen it instead.

Original poster

Celestia26 · 25/07/2017 18:08

Nicknames are different, I agree. Sometimes they have nothing to do with the original name. It's the pre-determined shortening that I don't understand......

OP posts:

Rainybo · 25/07/2017 18:13

Yes, my DF. Even at my grand age he still goes if anyone dares to call me by the shortening of my name. I've been conditioned to hate the shortening too.

However, the lengthening is acceptable to me and I wish they had called me that!

Bumpitup44 · 25/07/2017 18:20

I think it's about giving the child options.

My daughter has a 'shortening' which is pretty unusual and she may feel might not suit a professional environment (a contentious issue on MN) so therefore she also has a longer, more traditional name (that her grandparents call her most of the time actually) so when she is older she can choose for herself which she prefers, or use them both interchangeably if she likes.

toffee1000 · 25/07/2017 18:25

It's because people say "oh no, you can't have Katie/Alfie, you need to have a full name for the birth certificate" i.e. Katherine/Alfred. I've seen it on name threads.

user1459464195 · 25/07/2017 18:43

I have a short name which can also be considered a nickname. My name can't be shortened. So it has been lengthened many, many times instead.

Essentially when picking a name you need to look at how people will amend (shorten or lengthen) the name. Because even if you don't like that version, or your child doesn't, there's still a chance people will try and do it. And the best way is to try and establish an alternate shortening if you don't like the obvious eg Alexander becomes Xan, not Alex. And if you name your child Alex (considered by some to be a shortening already) he will possibly become Al to his friends.

daisypond · 25/07/2017 18:47

I would be a person who says, "You can't have Katie/Alfie, you need a full name." Katie and Alfie are shortenings, so that's why some people don't like them. So they would be called Katherine/Alfred and they are never shortened. I'd prefer that, too. My three DC have names that aren't shortened.They're always called by their full name. Their names don't shorten in any obvious way - even though one of them has three syllables in it.

GreenTulips · 25/07/2017 19:27

The other thing is the general population should use their full names - with only family and friends shortening the names - as a term of endearment

So many now are 'Just' a shortening and there's no distinction between friends and aquaintances

Theymisheardme · 25/07/2017 20:14

I have this stuck in my head...

""Mama's little baby loves shortnin', shortnin',
Mama's little baby loves shortnin' bread,
Mama's little baby loves shortnin', shortnin',
Mama's little baby loves shortnin' bread.

Put on the skillet, slip on the lid,
Mama's gonna make a little shortnin' bread.
That ain't all she's gonna do,
Mama's gonna make a little coffee, too""

Sirzy · 25/07/2017 20:17

Part of the reason I picked ds name was because it couldn't be shortened. My uncle soon started referring to him by a single letter which is apparently a common "shortening" locally which I didn't know!

Loulou2kent · 25/07/2017 20:28

I can't shorten my name & I hated it. My brother & sister could & I thought they just sounded much "cooler" when friends called them by their shortened names. I purposely gave my son a name he could shorten if he wanted to. He now goes by his shortened name because that's how he introduces himself (he's 6). My other son has a name you can't shorten (name of significance at the time of having him) & we all lengthen it! But I still to this day wish I could shorten mine!

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 25/07/2017 20:31

I love shortened names and nicknames. My dc and DH have both. I love that they have options.

Mamabear4180 · 25/07/2017 20:40

I deliberately picked a name which could be shortened to my late sisters shortened name. Her full name is a different name because using my sisters full name felt strange as she died 3 months before my baby was born. I love calling her by her shortened version and I think naming is too personal to have an opinion on tbh. Sounds like a bit of a snobby viewpoint to expect everyone to follow certain rules with names. I'm planning another baby and if I have a boy I'm planning to use a name with isn't classic and pretty modern. This is because the name literally translates to my name and also reads as my (name) son so it makes sense to me! However to any Tom dick and Harry on the street it might be seen as trendy or try hard. I don't care and I'll totally be shortening it too!

Voice0fReason · 25/07/2017 20:41

I deliberately gave my children names that there were a number of variants of so they could choose which one they wanted to choose.
I think variety is good.

sonlypuppyfat · 25/07/2017 20:44

I've got one of those names that people shorten then stick an ie on the fucking end so I've got a name the same length as my original name but now fucking different, and no I don't fucking like it

Upyourdaisy · 25/07/2017 20:46

4 of my DC have names with 2 syllables, the 5th has 3. We use both their full and shortened names. 5th DC was going to be called Connie but I couldn't get over the fact that I'd end up calling her Con, all well and good to say just use the full name but I would have shortened it...

Glumglowworm · 25/07/2017 20:50

My parents deliberately chose names for their children that wouldn't shorten easily. Mine has no natural shortenings, my sisters does but they're affectionate rather than known as (think Em for Emma). They came to that opinion partly because one set of my grandparents obsessively shorten all names. My other set of grandparents refuse to shorten names at all even when their adult children request it (think Chris for Christopher so nothing odd or outrageous!)

Joeybee · 25/07/2017 23:12

You're not the only one. I love three syllable names, but for most of them I dislike the short forms of those names. I also HATE it when people choose a nickname/short form of a name for a birth certificate. For example, my favourite boys name is Nathaniel, but I dislike Nate or Nathan. Also in Australia 'Nate' is not more popular as a given name than 'Nathaniel' WHY?

Goodnightsweetheart1 · 25/07/2017 23:20

Joeybee..

Haha, all my children have the shortened version of their name...even on the birth certificate! I hate it when people ask me if it's short for something. Or without asking just use the long version! Raaaaaa!

AvoidingCallenetics · 25/07/2017 23:28

I can't see the point in carefully choosing a name and then actually calling your child something totally different. People should choose and use the name they love.

squoosh · 25/07/2017 23:58

The other thing is the general population should use their full names - with only family and friends shortening the names - as a term of endearment

So many now are 'Just' a shortening and there's no distinction between friends and aquaintances

How shocking Lady Bracknell. The impertinence of some people.

GreenTulips · 26/07/2017 00:00

Raaaather dear!

Dixiestamp · 26/07/2017 01:22

My mum was told 42 years ago that she couldn't possibly call me Kate and that I had to be called Katherine. She told them where to stick it.

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