Ellie and Ollie?

[ShyOwl]

DD is an Elizabeth but everyone calls her Ellie. Currently expecting a boy and the only name we agree on is Oliver. But we can't decide if it sounds silly?
Even if we didn't shorten his name to Ollie like we did DD from the beginning it will get shortened eventually to Ollie won't it?

Yes it will. Don't do it

Yes it will. Don't do it

Yes, and the 2 sound too twee.

I had a friend who had two girls called Molly and Ellie... never seemed odd?

It's fine

Of course it sounds silly.

How about Oscar?

I think it’s fine. I’ve come across a Millie and Lilly, a Jonathan and Nathan, and a Lucy and Lacey in my playgroup days, and actually didn’t seem so bad after you get used to it.
I think Elizabeth and Oliver is actually quite different - she might end up preferring her full name or Eliza and I know a few Oliver’s who have never been Ollies. Even if they are Ellie and Ollie, I quite like it. The real problem is if you have a third, you’ll feel duty bound to call it Allison or Alastair.

I know a mother and son combo but I suspect they only noticed once he was named. I would not do it for siblings!

If you always call him Oliver then it may not. It will be when he is older and decides for himself that he wants to be an Ollie that it may happen.

Millie and Lily, Jonathan and Nathan, and Molly and Ellie aren’t really comparable because they have such distinct consonant sounds at the beginning. Ollie and Ellie will be indistinguishable when shouted across a playground / up the stairs etc.

I think it sounds nice, if when they are older they are not keen they can revert to using their full names.

I like it! I love Ellie and I love Ollie too, think they're perfect names x

How old is your DD? Young enough to change the short form to something else? Ellie isn’t an obvious short form for Elizabeth and there are millions of others. Then you could have Oliver and Ollie.

Not all Olivers become Ollies.

Too twee fpr me, sorry.

I have taught a LOT of Olivers over the last fifteen years and am yet to meet one who hadn’t become Ollie / Oli / Olly by secondary school. I’m sure that Olivers who remain Oliver exist but I’ve never met one.

No way! Ollie and Ellie is ridiculous, sorry.

Thanks all, mixed responses.. I can't shake the feeling it'll sound silly but I love the name!
Doesn't help my nephew is also an ie ending!

DD is 2.5, but she very much suits Ellie, we fell in love with that first and then extended it to Elizabeth.
I do call it her occasionally and she knows her big name is Elizabeth, but if I call her Elizabeth she tells me she's not Elizabeth she's Ellie, quite firmly!

I had a similar situation myself in that my parents used my short name, loved my long name but felt it was too long for such a tiny baby (I was a premie) but then I went to school and asked to be my long name!
so I know there's no predicting how it will go

We also like Edward but have the same dilemma with Ellie and Eddie clearly have a theme!

DHs other suggestion was Nathan (Nate) but I'm not sure on it?

I think Ellie and Ollie sounds quite silly tbh. And I'm yet to meet a teenage/adult Oliver who hasn't become Ollie eventually. I know a fair few families who have children with matching/similar sounding names but I've always found it quite odd. I know a family with a Holly and a Hayley... they're basically the same name 🙈

Edward shortens to Ted or Teddy, not just Eddie. So you could have Ellie and Ted, Teddy, etc. That’s fine.

Ellie and Ollie is silly.

Do you like Nathaniel any better than Nathan?

@ThroughThickAndThin01 actually just waiting for DH to see what his thoughts are, I've just been thinking I would rather Nathaniel to Nathan, there's something about Nathan I don't love

@daisypond Edward/Ted is definitely worth considering, we both have grandparents whose name was shortened to Ed to feel like Edward is a nice nod to them

Edward and Nathaniel both lovely with great nn potential! Nathaniel will be less common .

Nathaniel sounds evil apparently I think we are going to struggle!