Short name or long name?

[PatoPotato]

I'm wondering what people's thoughts here are on choosing a long or short name? I prefer long names because I feel they're more traditional/flexible and have a ring for formality. Short names are very popular at our local nursery so you've got names like Ava, Milo, Penny, and Beau. What are your thoughts? Which do you prefer, long or short?

I don’t think it matters but I don’t generally like names that are short forms of longer names. From your example I don’t like Penny unless it was short for Penelope. But I would regard Penelope and Zoe the same way. There are lots of short names that are equally weighty, like Rose or Mary or John.

I prefer long names as they can be personalised by the child into nicknames.

For first names I like any length. For middle names, 1-syllable names are often overused and it's refreshing to hear of a longer middle name.

Meant to add, my own DC have a mix of long and short names but all are full names, not short for anything else. Their names don’t shorten to anything else either- but we didn’t plan that.

While I find many long names beautiful, DH and I have realised we mostly prefer shorter names (but not names that are traditionally nicknames). This might be partly because of his complicated last name, though.

It depends on the name.
Long names usually get shortened, but can be used in full, but is there any point if you are only ever going to use the short form and it's an accepted name (e.g. Katharine/Kate, Maximilian/Max)
Short names get lengthened or even shortened (Eve/Evie, Choe/Chlo).
Long names tend to be a bit frilly.
I tend to like short or shortish names. DC's names are short.

Short names can still corrupt to names - either longer or shorter, but I know a Zoe and a Rex who have been known as Bo and Reggie all their lives!

I like traditional names but also wanted short names because I don’t like nicknames.
Both of my children have 4 letter names that have already been mentioned in a PP! Very biblical and very classic.
I like a lot of long traditional names, Theodora, Alexandra etc but I didn’t use the names as I didn’t want them to end up being called Dora or Alex.
All personal preference.

But saying that, if I really loved the name Penny, I’d still use Penelope on the BC because it’s more formal and ‘full’

I would with Penny but not if it was something like Anna/Annabel or Kate/Katharine.

What does short mean?

One syllable eg Paul, John, Jane, Mark,

Two syllables eg Leon, Emma, Maya, Felix

Three syllables eg Marina, Damian, Sienna

Four syllables eg Seraphina, Leonardo etc

I care more about the name than its length actually. Some beautiful long names. My name has three syllables and is practically never shortened.

I would say a short name is one syllable or 4 letters or fewer.
Medium would be 5-7 letters, 1 or 2 syllables.
Long 3 or more syllables.

Bit unfair on Anita and Elias but they are 3 syllables, even if the names are of only 5 chars.

I think I've found that I like shorter first names and longer middle names.

Eg Arlo Alexander, Luna Anastasia for example

I like longer names because I like nicknames. 2-4 syllables is good. Less is too short, more is ridiculous.

Someone said "what's the point if you're only ever going to use the short form". The point is, you're going to use different nicknames depending on context.

This is why I love russian names, so flexible. Take, say, Alexander. Formally they're gonna be Alexander. Friends will say Sasha. A lover might say Sashenka or Shura. Same in english -a teacher might say Alexander, friends will say Alex, a mother might say "Al" or "Xander". So many nuances with just a name !

My son's name is only 2 syllables but I love making up nicknames for him, and child 2 will have a 3-syllable name.

There are long names that I like very much, but I would never actually use them for my own children.

My DC have short, neat, fairly classic names that can't be messed around with or shortened. By coincidence they are the same type of names as DH & I have. They have slightly longer middle names, which are names I like in full but don't like the popular diminutives of.

I like medium, 2 syllables.

Short first names with long surnames and vice versa.
For example: John Templeton
Antoinette Smith