Ernie or Dougie

[MrsLCW]

We are 28 weeks pregnant with a little boy 😍💙 for months we have loved the name Ernest (he'd be known as Ernie for short). We have James in mind as a middle name so he'd be Ernest James.
However I've found myself wandering away from this name now and wondering if I love it as much as I thought I did.
Hubby loves Douglas James (again Dougie for short - we keep getting drawn to names with -ie at the end!)

Just wondering which people prefer, out of interest more than anything?
Other names we like are Sonny, Charlie, Arthur (Artie) ...

Would love opinions, thanks! X

Ernest and Douglas are both on my list for my current unborn 😊 I’m leaning towards Ernest more than Douglas, but we have a couple of others higher up the list too!

Ernest!

Ernest/Ernie is okay but I really like Douglas/Dougie. Just seems cooler or smarter in some way.

"Ernie drives the fastest milk cart in the west" springs to mind.

Love Ernest and it's more up to date than Douglas but I do like Douglas.

Dougie

Love it

Prefer Ernie to Dougie.

Lonnie
Archie
Alfie
Ronnie
Vinny ((Vincent)
Laurie (Laurence)
Josh (Joshua)
Lou (Lewis)
Georgie (George)

I like Douglas/Doug (but not Dougie) and dislike Ernie very much indeed. Earnest is not the best adjective to be given, and apart from Ernie doesn't have any other diminutive options. It also seems very dated to me, but that might be because I think of either 'The Importance of Being Earnest' or Benny Hill. The only connotation Douglas has for me is that I'd probably expect a Scottish connection of some sort. Both work well with James as a middle name.

Ernest James

Why are you pre choosing potential nicknames? They normally evolve naturally. I like Douglas and Doug but not Dougie. Ernest is nice too.

Shadow1234 or anyone else who can answer!
Is Lonnie a shortened version of something? I like it but haven't come across it before.

Neither. Bloody awful and it’s the poor baby that has to live with these dreadful names you love, not you.

^ this

Sorry OP but both are awful IMO

Ernest James reminds me of the jewellers too, yes I know it's Jones but that's the first thought that springs to mind

We considered Dougie but couldn't get past the CBEEBIES character. I'm really glad we didn't use it because it would have driven me mad!

Love Ernie though.

'sidandbump'. I know of two Lonnies but they both have Lonnie as a 'stand alone' name. (they are both in their 60's). I am not sure if it is a shortened name for something else. Perhaps someone else can enlighten us!

Ernest James just makes me think of the jewellers immediately. Dougie is a lovely name

Very few people are known only by their first names. Prince, Adele, Madonna, Cher etc. Not even Cheryl Cole pulls it off.
Most people don't use their middle names very often.

But you can't enforce "Ernie" (Premium Bonds?)
It could very easily be Ern (Urn?) or Pencil or Bobby or Pingpong - or any of a thousand other totally random nicknames that take on a life of their own.

(I'm afraid I find them both rather twee and try-hard though.)

Neither