Help - we cannot name our baby

[Sranso]

Hi mumsnet! All I seem to post about on here is our struggles with naming our baby, but these forums are always good for some sage advice.

We know we're having a girl and DW is now 37wks so we're entering the end game . I'm looking for any advice on how we can break the deadlock - drawing straws or an elaborate voting system for example!

One of the main issues is that a lot of the names we can agree on, we either can't agree on a short or long form. We like Charlotte, but DW doesn't like Lottie and I don't like Charlie. We like Isobel, but DW doesn't like Isy/Izzy and I don't like Bel. We both like Edie, but DW doesn't want to put Edith on birth certificate, but I would want to. You get the picture!

Any advice gratefully received.

Or Paige? (dont think it ever gets shortened to anything else)

I met an Araminta yesterday, thought that was lovely. You could try Elisabeth into Libby, or Isabella into Bella (which is a bit prettier than Bel).

I can understand wanting to give a full name instead of a shortening - I have two under 5 and their classes and nurseries seem to be full of Maisies and Evies and Freddies and Archies (not nicknames as full names are used on pegs and labels)...

My sisters nickname at home was Charles which started when she was 8, me and my brother use to take the Piss out of all our names and Charles was one of them for her, until we called her that over and over and to this day her family nickname is Charles, even though she’s the most girly girl you can find. At school she was only ever know as Charlotte. I know 5 Charlottes and only one went by Charlie, all the rest was just Charlotte.

Friends of ours wrote down their top names and rated them their favourite first down to 10. They then swapped lists (not rating though) and rated the others list.

In the end they went with the lowest scoring name.
You and your wife do this for both the full name and the shortening? Hopefully you might come to an agreement there.

I think you should just go with Edie, given that's the name you both seem to agree on. Lots of names now were originally a nickname and Edie is most definitely a name in it's own right

I taught a child once who was legally a Mark in the registers but went by the name Kevin.

I agree that the casting vote goes to the mother.

Edie looks like a nickname for Edward! I wouldn't assume Edie was a girl.

Why don’t you confine yourself to names that won’t always be shortened?

May
Lara
Zoe
Mary
Ella
Amy
Mia
Rose

Why not go for a name that can't be shortened easily!

I used to look after a little Izabella whose name was shortened to Zoe and a Charlotte who was called Lola.

@tammytoby Eddie is the nickname for Edward, Edie is definitely a girl - it's pronounced 'Ee-dee'

Yeah I don't think I'd have any worries about Edie being confused for Eddie, it would more be about it being a derivative of Edith.

Hi OP, how about Eden Charlotte (Edie). I think it sounds lovely, much nicer than Edith.

OP I think MN could suggest a lots of 'you name this child, I'll name the next one' kinds of things, but I really don't think we'll actually help you find a novel way to come to a compromise about a name. You're going to have to just work it out yourselves. Sorry and good luck!

(We took 17 days to name DS after he was born, poor child, and I was worried about a shortening of his name I dislike, but he's ended up one name at home and a different name at school and there is nothing you can do about what his friends decide to call him...)

Thanks! Not worried about what friends call them, just looking for ways to break the deadlock!

I have a similar problem! I love the name Elsie but would like a longer name on the bc as I see Elsie as a more nicknamey/shortening.

I’m called lucy and I’ve felt the same way about my own name all my life and would love to say I’m a Lucinda or Lucille or something more grown up.

We’ve decided on Elspeth which I love just as much, but will be calling her Elsie until/unless she decides otherwise.

For dd2 we had a spreadsheet with names, possible shortenings (I like full names with derivatives, we have an Alexandra and an Eleanora), pros and cons (e.g. being common, knowing several, etc) and then we each ranked them then aggregated the ranks. That wiped lots off, and the final name ended up being the top choice as middle name, and first name being a variant on the second choice - I found Eleanora late on, Eleanor was number 2!