Am I the only one who hates shortenings?

[Celestia26]

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!

My shortened name is my 'real' name. My parents have never used the name on my birth certificate and I don't recognise it as mine. They gave me the longer name because it was definitively feminine, whereas the name I and they actually use was almost exclusively masculine at the time. They wanted to give me options, but I've never had a problem and wish they'd been braver!

My DB has a name which everyone thinks is a shortening, but isn't. He used to constantly have a sticker with the wrong name on it at playgroups etc. He didn't care, whereas I went mad when my birth certificate name was used.

DD1 has a very long name which we always intended to shorten. I love her shortening, but it's relatively popular and I wanted her to have a name that nobody else she knew would have. It's not a strange name by any means, just not one that is in the top 100. There are alternative longer versions of her shortening (IYSWIM) which are mega popular and I just wanted her to have the chance to be more more unique if she wanted.

DD2 has a very short name and it gets lengthened.

I think it's fun to play about with names a bit .

MelvinThePenguin is your daughters name Evangeline? 😊 (Amazing if I'm right)

I have a fairly "classic" long name which is commonly shortened. I like the short version and have gone by that since I was about 12. My email signature at work has my full name but I will sign off with the shortening.

My name is 8 letters long. It can't be shortened in any way - People have tried to shorten it, but it doesn't work at all.

My sisters name is 7 letters long. There are loads of different ways in which it can be shortened. She always introduces her full name - Sometimes people shorten it BUT there's only one shortened version that she'll accept. She doesn't mind our parents/me shortening it, but extended family (who she has hardly any relationship with) are not allowed. She tells my and her own friends that we can call her (shortened) version if we want. None ever have.

The only thing I dislike is when she tells people to call her by her full name and they deliberately shorten it OR she offers them the shortened version she likes and they choose every other shortened version apart from that one.

Bumpitup44- No. Not even close I'm afraid!

My name is what those on here consider a nickname. Until I came on MN I had no idea people would give their children one name and call them something else. I have never in my life felt that I needed "options" . My name is my name and I have never ever spent a nano second wishing that my parents gave me the longer version of my name because that, erm, isn't my name.

CharleyAnn. I've just read your post. I've had very different experiences with the same name and spelling (and I'm even a bit older than you ).

On the flip side I know a teenage Jake who is Jacob on his birth certificate despite his mother hating the name Jacob with a passion, the father insisted on having that on the birth certificate. After everyone calling him Jake for 16 years he's now decided he prefers Jacob and has adopted that on social media etc. So at least if you put the full name on the birth certificate you're giving your child more choice.

I gave my two boys the shortened version of their names because I loved them over the longer ones (think Sam and Ben).

When I'm cross they get called Sameul and Benjamin*

*Not their real names.

At junior school the teachers called my 3 by their full names - yet secondary they are called the short versions - registers have 'known as' names now - so it's consistent

Their friends all use a short version -

One kid in DD class insists her name is Honey because that's what her mom calls her - her real name is Alisha - mind boggles

I know what you mean. My ds is Theodore but everyone calls him Theo. I loved Theodore but even we hardly use it anymore. He also has a nickname - Teddy Pom-Pom - who, iirc, was a Pomeranian dog from the circa 1990s 'driving school' programme - he belonged to a lady called Mo who couldn't pass her test. I do hope that in future he at least occasionally uses his full name.

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.

Good for you.

But (and here's the shocking bit) it's possible that some people might not think exactly like you. I know!!

What's with all the judgery on here at the moment? How about everyone just picks the names they like for their children and butt out of other people's choices?

I do not like shortenings, ordinarily. I particularly hate shortening to one-syllable, such as Bri, though I do not mind it nearly so much in names like Bill, or Kit, or Mike, or Bob.

Even so I would probably prefer the full name to be used most of the time with a few notable exceptions (Maggie). I particularly do not want my son's name (Alexander) shortened and eve,n more particularly do not want it shortened to Alex. Nor do I like my own name shortened.

Having said which if we are talking Elizabeth or Catherine or Salvatore or Solomon but perfer to use (as with Maggie) the Eliza/Liz, Katy, Sal, Sol form, I still think I would always suggest the child be given the fuller form for formal use (later) or to have a range of options later in life.

Meh, my son goes by a shortening 99% of the time, the 1% being docs/dentist/nursery forms etc.

I don't care if anyone cares, to be honest.

We did discuss just using the short version on BC, he was the short version before he was the long version, but basically ended up using the full name to please his great grandparents and give more options in the future if he ends up disliking his short name.

Ok basically what mamabeak said

"I still think I would always suggest the child be given the fuller form for formal use (later) or to have a range of options later in life."

It's like some people start with a nickname or shortening and go from there rather than choose a name and let the shortening or nickname evolve afterwards. That was my point.

what's wrong with that OP? Just as that causes you to 'scratch your head', the fact that this bugs you makes me scratch mine.

Sorry Jooni, I was under the impression this was (and here's the shocking bit) a DISCUSSION board, my mistake. I have said so many times now that I am interested in other people's reasons for doing this not judging as it's something my family have never done. That clear? Good.

Most people called me by my shortened name growing up, but when I started work I started introducing myself as the full version, so now my colleagues/newer friends (and my OH!) know me as long version, while my family and old school friends know me as short version.

I'm very glad I had the option to choose though, because I prefer the longer version these days.

Well that's your answer isn't it? People's tastes differ.

I see so many of these faux naive "I just don't understand X" "I don't get why people do Y" threads on MN - not just baby names but a whole range of things. Very rarely is it genuinely a complete lack of comprehension as to why someone would do X or Y - generally it's just something that isn't to the OP's personal taste, inevitably discussed with a distinct air of superiority. It's disingenuous and self-indulgent.

Obviously this is not an important example at all, but it's just silly. It's not that you "don't get!!!!!" the simple fact that people like different sorts of names. It's that you feel that your approach is the right/proper/traditional one and anyone choosing differently is just following the latest "craze".

Bendydick, Here's my example....

"I really like the name Lolly, but I can't just have that as a name. It's short for Lolita, but I don't really like Lolita, so I need to find another name that I like a bit more that I can very loosely associate Lolly with, so that I feel I have a legitimate name and shortening, even if I'm not so keen on the longer name. I know, I'll use Alicia, it's got an L in it."

Slight exaggeration, but it makes my point.

Sometimes the shortenings have about 2 letters in common with the longer name. That's what has me scratching my head, not the Dave for David, Ben for Benjamin, Ellie for Elizabeth etc. Those I get.

Also, I think its risky using a longer name just so you can use the shortening you like, as people may shorten it to something completely different, so you should probably like all the versions just in case!

Jooni, I don't feel like my way is the right or traditional way. There are enough people out there who do this, that I know I have to be missing something to feel like it's odd. It's simply not something that is done in my family, absolutely no one shortens their name or has a nickname, and I mean no one.

Not sure how this means I am superior or self indulgent, that's a bit of a leap given that you do not know me at all.

It's a discussion, and this is a discussion board. If you don't like people discussing baby names you are most definitely in the wrong place.

I really don't understand people who go by their middle names instead of their first names either. Apparently there are whole families who do this, and it's a tradition. However I still don't get it! Does that still make me faux naive, just because I don't understand the reasons people have for doing things that to me seem odd?

My daughter is Evelyn but we call her Effie (probably outing myself a bit there but hey ho) it's a legitimate shortening for Evelyn...just not the most common one (Evie,obvs) it won't be to everyone's taste but it works for us as Evelyn is becoming more popular so Effie will be an alternative for her...plus I love it. Evelyn=traditional/professional
Effie=bit different

Bumpitup.. Do you mind people using Evie or Eve instead? I imagine this may happen. Effie is lovely, though not a natural shortening for Evelyn, unless I'm mistaken? I never understood how people got Buffy from Elizabeth, or Dick from Richard, but they are generally accepted.

People don't tend to as that's never been how she's introduced or known. People tend to stick to what we've decided as parents in my experience. As it's pronounced EV-Lyn not Eve-Lyn so to me Evie/Eve would be a totally different name! However if she decided to use them when she's older it wouldn't really bother me...I just won't call her it lol I also know a Buffy christened Elizabeth