Registering birth at 2.30 today - help me decide what goes on the birth certificate!

[underthewestway]

Registering son’s birth this afternoon. He is called after my dad, who was Joseph but always called Joe.

We will probably never refer to son as anything other than Joe so DP thinks we should register him as Joe but I’m not sure. Some sort of traditional part of me thinks we should go with Joseph and keep his options open (not sure what for!). But then again, I do prefer just Joe as his name.

What is the mumsnet verdict?

Joseph

I always put full names on birth cert regardless of nicknames, so they have the choice.

Example I have a son Alexander but he is pretty much always called Alex

Joseph

Joseph

Joseph for sure

Personally I don’t like short versions of names being the registered birth but that’s just my personal opinion

Nice for him to have the option in the future In case he sound prefer to be known as Joseph

Joseph

Full name - he has the option then doesn’t he? I use my ‘real’ name for work and my ‘family’ name for everyone else (also makes it useful to spot where people know me from!).

I personally would go with Joseph! I love looking through family trees and seeing the name connections!

Joseph

Joesph, you can choose to register him at school etc if you wish.

Register him as Joe at school I meant!

100% Joseph

Definitely Joseph so he has the choice. DH is always known as Andy to friends and family, but for some reason he chooses to be Andrew at work.

Joseph on the birth certificate will give him more options when he's an adult, he might prefer Joseph to Joe.

Joseph

I have friends whose first names are shortened versions of names. As adults they feel that in some cases particularly employment it has been a disadvantage.

I always wanted a son called Sam
My first child was a boy an we registered him as Samuel
He’s nearly 12 now, and has been largely known as Sam by DH and I, his friends, teachers etc all his life. His granny calls him Sammy - and she is the only person he “allows” to. When he moved from First school to Middle School (Y5/Y6) he decided he wanted to be Samuel “as it’s more grown up”.

Using Joseph on your son’s BC will give him similar options, although you can always call him Joe.

Joe.

Joseph

It's a lovely name

@RedRumTheHorse

Joseph

I have friends whose first names are shortened versions of names. As adults they feel that in some cases particularly employment it has been a disadvantage.

Actually, this is a good point. I know adults called Zoe and Amy who both day that they’d like longer names. They feel that would give them a bit more authority.

Definitely Joseph for all the reasons above.

Joseph. X

Joseph. I don’t like nicknames used as the given name. Better to give the full name and then use whatever pet name happens naturally.
Also Joseph is a lovely name.

Joseph, especially as 'named Joseph but always called Joe' was your dad's experience also.

Gorgeous name (I am biased, one of my sons has a European version of it, but even so...).

Joseph a lovely name

100% Joseph