Matilda or Tilly

[wearesailingacrossthesea]

Matilda is a lovely name but I really wouldn't want any nickname if I had Matilda as a full name. I dislike long names on birth certificate and calling short version. I think the name on the birth certificate is the name you should use.

So it got me thinking. Tilly is actually a really old fashioned name as a standalone name. Was used right back in the 1880s. Its got me thinking, whether to use Tilly instead of Matilda.

I know some of you will think faddy or nicknamey, however having researched and found it was used in Victorian times shows that it is obviously a substantial name. But will be interesting to see your responses.

Thanks.

You might not like a nickname, but your DC when older might- if you use Matilda she has the choice: if she dislikes Tilly she can correct people but she might love it.

Thank you all for your responses.
It does however come across that the majority of mumsnet do not agree with my way of thinking that the name on the birth certificate should be the name you call your child, so I am never likely to get positive response on here it seems.
I have only ever had a shortened version of a longer name and its never done me wrong.

OP, call your child what you want. You're never going to get a consensus on here and I'm not sure why you are looking for validation of your choice. People, including me, like giving our opinions on here but what we say really doesn't matter. If you want to put Tilly on the birth certificate, just do it.

I get where you’re coming from OP and understand that (though for my DC I’m in the other camp)
So although I would say Matilda on BC, I think if you do that with the expectation that you may find it difficult to enforce that she’s called her full name. At home you can of course call her that, but at school - friends may shorten out of affection. Would you be ok with that? If not, then a “longer” name at all is probably something to stay away from.

I think Tilly is cute and agree re it becoming a standalone name (like I now think of for Kate - I wouldn’t assume Catherine on the BC)

SaltedCaramelEverything Thank you for your lovely response.
Im struggling with the idea that someone may call her something other than Matilda. But I think Matilda is beautiful compared to Tilly.
Im now also considering Violet. As also think Violet is a beautiful name. But would Violet just as easily be shortened? Oh its so difficult.

Violet I beautiful @wearesailingacrossthesea

How about Edith? Or Cora? Or Eliza?

I love Matilda.

I also love Tilly or Matty as a nn.

So I'd say use Tilly if you intend for that to be the name you use - I like the idea of name on BC being the actual name a child is called!

I have a 'full' name on my BC but from the get go my parents called me the common short version of that name. All fine until I got married (which coincided with a new job in a new town and meeting lots of new people) and all of a sudden my name sounded ridiculous with my new surname (I was happy to change my name). So I started using my 'full' name, and have done for 20 yrs now. Parents and 'old' friends still call me by the short version but I'm generally known by the long version which I much prefer. I hate it when people who have never heard me called the short version take it upon themselves to shorten it.
For me, having the option wins out every time.

We have a Tilly. She's a tiny Jack Russell terrier It suits her!

I think you need to gives child a grown up name for them to use in adulthood. I couldn’t imagine Tilly being a Supreme Court judge or a CEO of a Fortune 500. It just sounds a bit silly for anyone over the age of 15.

@mumofboys7 I have known violets to mostly get Lettie/Lottie or Vi. I don’t think that it’s inevitable that the name will be shortened though.

Love Tilly but I wouldn't have it on Birth Certificate.
What's wrong with giving her the choice when older whether she wants to be Matilda or Tilly?
You love both anyway

If you love Matilda, call her Matilda. Lovely name, and you can definitely use it as her everyday name.

However, you can't control other people! I don't think there are really ANY nickname-proof names. Except maybe Claire.

I love Matilda, not keen on Tilly at all. I don’t understand your dislike of nicknames personally, lots of people do this and your child may choose to do this when they get older.

The thing is, if you call her Tilly, how much will it annoy you if people then call her Tills?

People will do that. There is always someone who will find a way to shorten someone's already short name.

Sorry but I do think Violet could quite easily be shortened to Vi (also saw a PP say Lettie too).
I think that’s quite inevitable with 3 syllable names.
A 2 syllable name like Holly is much less likely to be shortened (first example that sprang to mind), because it’s an easy to say name and no obvious shortening. Yes when she’s 13 her friends may call her “Holz” but that will be an obvious nickname and probably only called by friends her age. I think names mean a lot when it’s all you have to make bump feel real... but years down the line you may care less re a nickname from friends if that makes sense. Also as her mother you can call her what you want! My DH and his siblings are always full named at home even still by parents which I think is lovely, even though their names have obvious shortenings (think Ben - Benjamin)

We have a Matilda who is almost 4 and has so far only picked up the nickname Moo. DM tried calling her Tilly for a while but it never took off. If you like the full name, use it and stand strong

Another vote for Matilda on birth cert - DS is known by nickname, but has the full name on his birth certificate so he has the option of using that if he'd like more gravitas. His nickname would be great if he ended up in the creative industries, but if he were to be a lawyer (admittedly looking unlikely at this stage ) I think he might want to use his full name for that.

Out of interest, what did you go with? We like the name Tilly as a given name.

ZOMBIE