Am I alone in hating this trend?

[Jossina]

Am I the only person who doesn't like the trend of giving children a nickname as their proper name? For instance Tom instead of Thomas or Billy instead of William, Kate instead of Katharine. Aren't these children going to spend the rest of their lives saying, over and over and over, "No, it's just ___. Not short for anything." ?

I like it as I think some nicknames are lovely and some full names vile, and it's a shame not to be able to use the nickname and to have to go with the hideous first name. Think lovely Connie V hideous Constance, lovely Maggie V hideous Margaret etc

And like PPs said, it's not a recent trend at all.

When doing my family history recently I found Eliza's, Nancy's, Polly's, etc.

Im not keen on this. I always just think it makes more sense to give someone a full name and then they can use the nickname as and when they please. Having a full name you can shorten gives the name versatility.

I wouldn’t hear Kate or Tom (or some of the other examples) and think of them as being short for anything to be honest, they’re perfectly good strong names on their own.

It's not a trend. I'm 50 and both me and my sis have shortened versions, eg jenny rather than Jennifer. We don't get asked what our names are short for. I guess people assume Tom is short for Thomas but would they actually say 'are you called Tom short for Thomas', it's unlikely really isn't it?

Well the child can refer to themselves by the non-existent longer name if they want to when they grow up can’t they. So there’s nothing to stop a woman with Connie on her birth certificate referring to herself as Constance in the same was Constance could only be ever known as Connie.

Non issue op.

It's not a new trend

I work with the elderly and there are plenty of Nelly, Peggy, Frank etc who do not have the full name on their birth certificate

I am a bit on the fence with this as names do evolve over time. There are some names however, that to my ears do sound too cutesy/ nicknamey, eg. Teddy, Tilly, Kitty etc where as others such as Kate sound absolutely fine as a stand alone nane

My name is one that was originally a nickname for another common name (both 2 syllables so no shorter!), the majority of people don't even know that and the majority of people with my name do not have the more formal version on their birth certificate (and nor do I)

I think the cutsey Charlie, Archie, Alfie, Annie, Tommy trends were worse.

Actually no.
The something-may/may/mai was worse!
(i.e. lexi-may)

I know Toms, Katies, Jacks, Harrys, all in their 40s.

I actually find many longer names nicer than their cutesy nicknames. The longer names also often travel much better internationally.

I also prefer to give my children the options of choosing their own nicknames.

I love Ben. Wouldn’t dream of calling my child Benjamin.
Same with Tom or Kate.
I prefer short strong names.
Personal taste innit 🤷🏻‍♀️

DH is often called by the full version of his name, despite having the nickname version on his birth certificate. People don't want to offend him and be too personal by using a nickname apparently!

Both of my adult sons have shortened ‘nickname’ names. The longer versions didn’t suit them as babies and still wouldn’t as adults, plus we have a long surname and their three letter one syllable names sound much better with it.

For instance Tom instead of Thomas

My grandfather was Tom not Thomas...this is not a new trend, it's simple evolution of names. Thomas is a pretty common surname where I'm from so it doesn't work well as a first name, whereas Tom works perfectly fine.

As for diminutives like Jack, Kay, Beth, Archie etc they are all perfectly acceptable as names - they are only nicknames for those with silver spoons rammed up their arses.

Everyone else would see the name and just think "Their name is Jack" rather than "Poor sod, why didn't their parents put John on the birth certificate and just let them call themselves Jack as a nickname?"

I always thought names were for the person who would have that name not the parents. It seems that with nickname names you're taking away so many different options that child/adult would have had concerning what they wish to be called.

My name doesn’t have a nickname or longer name associated with it. Same goes for one of my siblings, my dad and my mil. It’s never occurred to me that our parents didn’t give us ‘options’ about what we called. I’ve certainly never been upset about it.

I went to school with a Tom, numerous Bens, Bobby and Kate in the 80s and 90s so it's not a new thing.

My dh often gets called the long version of his name despite introducing himself as the shorter version. He hates it! My mum - who was posh and middle class ish- always insisted on calling him the long version and it made me cringe every time, he would never ever call himself that.

I have worked with a woman called Katie for years, only found out a few months ago her name is actually Catherine because some paperwork was delivered from HR and I said "who is Catherine, we don't have a Catherine here". Nobody (including her own family) has ever called her that and she hates it. I don't understand why you would call your child a name that you never intended on using just to put a more formal name on the birth certificate.

I’m a Kate and in 43 years I reckon I’ve been asked twice at the most if it’s short for Katherine. My parents liked Kate, not Katherine.

But what if your friend at work had decided she really preferred Catherine and wanted to go by that? I can't see that having the option is hugely problematic? If she wants to stick with Katie (or Kate or Cathy) then that's fine.

I'm surprised everyone struggled so much to make a connection between Catherine and Katie!

Do employers really judge you on what your name is?! I have worried about this all my working career...

I have name ending 'ie (nickname for a virtue name)', it was pretty uncommon when I was born in the early 90s but has lingered around the top 100 for the past decade.

It annoys me when full names are given with no intention of using them tbh!

I have a long name but have only ever been known by the ‘nickname’ which is a perfectly reasonable stand alone name. I’m used to it now, but as a child it used to drive me mad being addressed by my full name and having to correct people. I found my full name old fashioned and at school people would take the piss when I was called it. Though with the trend of older names these days that may not be such an issue.

Some of the long versions of names are pretty awful too which I guess is why some people prefer a shortened version. If I preferred a short version, I’d never use the full name if I didn’t love it as much, as inevitability at school you will be correcting people all the time.

I just don’t see the point in causing confusion for a child over a name that they possibly won’t ever seek to use.

Because nobody has ever called her it so she doesn't associate it with her (she says) Her name is Katie thats what everyone called her from birth. Obviously now it sounds strange nobody made the connection but everything says Katie, her email, her ID card.

I was actually going to say that about my name. I always introduce myself by my full name as I prefer to be called that (Jennifer) nobody ever sticks to it they always shorten it to Jen or Jenny only one aunt calls me Jennifer everyone else shortens it. I gave up asking people to call me Jennifer.

It’s not new, I went to school with two girls called Katie in the 1980s. I also know a girl whose parents have her a “proper” name and a nickname as a middle but always intended to use the middle. So imagine Rebecca Susie but they’ve called her Susie her whole life. She finds it annoying when called Rebecca and wishes they hadn’t bothered!

I get that - we actually de-selected a name because we couldn't decide whether to go for the long version, and shorten it, or give the short version as the official name. DH, who shortens his name, thought the latter, why have a long-form name you never use? I disagreed though, I wanted my children to have 'proper' names and the choice to shorten or not. We ended up with a name you can't really shorten instead!