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Original poster

The trouble with Christabel

31 replies

Disastronaut · 09/09/2017 17:49

DP and I are very fond of the name Christabel, for DD2, due very soon.

It goes really well with DD1's name and it was on our shortlist for her.

The stumbling block, then and now however, is shortening it. She's always going to end up being Chrissie, isn't she? And I really dislike that as a nickname.

Even if we insist on using her full name or using Bel or something, you can't really force people to do as you say, can you, especially as she grows up.

What do you think? Is it such an inevitable nickname that we should just ditch it altogether?

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Sugarpiehoneyeye · 09/09/2017 17:50

No, no, no, Christy !

JohnLapsleyParlabane · 09/09/2017 17:51

I know two (adult) Christobel/le's. Neither of them have ever mentioned having nicknames growing up.

YessicaHaircut · 09/09/2017 17:53

I had a friend growing up called Christabel; she was always known as Bel. Just use that as the shortening and everyone else will follow suit hopefully.

Original poster
Disastronaut · 09/09/2017 17:54

Hmm, Christy is much nicer. And DP actually knows a grown up Christabel himself who uses her full name.

Thanks both. I guess I should think about ChristObel vs -Abel too!

OP posts:
AndNoneForGretchenWieners · 09/09/2017 17:54

Could have Bel as a shortening.

twinjocks · 09/09/2017 17:57

My great-aunt Christabel was known as Auntie Chrissie, OP, sorry to tell you! But on the other hand, one of the many Isobels in my school arrived in Junior Infants with the family nickname Bel, and no-one has ever attempted to call her Izzy or any of the other usual nicknames for Isobel. So I reckon if you start using Bel from the off, it'll stick.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 09/09/2017 17:57

Christy or Christa would be the natural abbreviation. I know a Christa and always think it's really lovely and unknown, truly individual.

I do know a full Christabel, known as that, but it may not happen to be realistic.

annandale · 09/09/2017 17:59

Gorgeous name! I have a name which has at least two shortenings, only one of which I like. People do call me by the other one, but only once.

Original poster
Disastronaut · 09/09/2017 18:01

There's an Auntie Chrissie in our family too! But it's short for Christine.

Now Christa is a NN I could get behind - really pretty

OP posts:
DumbledoresApprentice · 09/09/2017 18:05

I know a teenaged Clarabelle which is in a similar vein. It would be easy to shorten to Clara but I've never heard anyone call her anything other than her full name.

MimiSunshine · 09/09/2017 18:16

My dads cousin is called Christabel (well Kristobel actually) and she's only ever shortened to Bel so I think you're fine

Original poster
Disastronaut · 09/09/2017 18:35

Right, this is making me feel a whole lot better about it - thanks everyone!

OP posts:
bridgetreilly · 09/09/2017 18:39

She'll only be Chrissie if she chooses it. There are plenty of other options with a name like that.

Yourshakraishangingout · 09/09/2017 18:58

We have an alternative shortening for our daughter's name other than the obvious, as we called her that or her full name since birth others have done the same!
If you always call her Belle imo it's unlikely she will identify with being a Chrissie as she grows up

MammieBear · 09/09/2017 19:28

There is no problem in my opinion, it's a Nn at the end of the day and once she's in school they will use whatever they want anyway you can only guide and hope your plan for her name sticks.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 09/09/2017 19:30

If you don't like every nn that can be derived from your chosen name. I'd strongly advise you to think of something else.
Yes she may very became Chrissy, especially to her friends.

Ttbb · 09/09/2017 20:08

That's like says by all Elizabeths end up being called Lizzie. Simply not true.

Theseaweed · 09/09/2017 20:10

I would use the nickname Christa.

MrsHathaway · 09/09/2017 20:17

If my DC2 hadn't been a DS we might have used Christabel but would have used Kitty day to day. That was when I was going off Catherine but still wanted Kitty.

That said, even if you use Bella or Christa, she might rebel (eg starting at secondary school) and use something else. It's her name, after all, not yours.

SeaSeeker · 09/09/2017 20:21

I don't think that Chrissie is the natural shortening of Christabel. I'd assume 'Bel'. However I am very close to a Christabel and have only ever used her full name, as everybody else does too! It's just the kind of name that asks for that

17caterpillars1mouse · 09/09/2017 20:33

I met a Christabel once and she didn't have a nn. She's be about 17 now. I knew her when she was 14. She was a very strange child but had a mother with severe MH issues so it was understandable. She hadnt had a conventional childhood. The name makes me think of her and I feel a little sadness. I remember on first meeting her though I thought what a pretty name

BSJohnson · 09/09/2017 20:38

Tabby would work nicely too!

greendale17 · 09/09/2017 20:41

I know one- she is known as Chris/ Chrissy

Lemondrop99 · 09/09/2017 20:46

The only Christabel I know does go by Chrissy - although I can only assume that's her preference?

Christy and Bel are lovely shortening

MrsHathaway · 09/09/2017 20:50

I was at school with a Chrysothemis. She was, unsurprisingly, known as Chrissie!

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