Franklin or Francis?

[RedDevilsSince1988]

Hello, me and DW will have a DS3 coming in a few weeks time - we’ve decided to go with Frank/Frankie as a nickname but are unsure on which of the long versions to write down on the BC.

We first said Francis as I am a fan of the MMA fighter Francis Ngannou, and it is the name of DW’s grandad who sadly passed last year. However, we are doubting it might be a bit too “wet” to use so we are considering Franklin also, something that seems to sound much stronger and masculine IMO. So which do we go for? One that directly names after these two things, or one that offers a slight variation on it? Will go with George for the middle name, surname is Smith. Older brothers are Alexander and Vincent. Thanks

Francis. I think Franklin seems a bit wet! (Mind you, I have a Francis and I nickname him Franny, so what do I know! He is only 1 though! )

Francis is a fab name. Frank not so much.

Franklin sounds like an elderly American politician. Or Franklin Graham [shudder].

@Twizbe it would be Frankie when he is younger, and then Frank when he is more grown up.

@LetItGoHome I’m not so sure. I think it would be nice to have a longer version for him to use when he is older, or just something more formal.

@August20 turtle books?

Either Francis or just Frank on the birth certificate.

[quote RedDevilsSince1988]@Twizbe it would be Frankie when he is younger, and then Frank when he is more grown up.[/quote]
Wouldn’t you just let his nickname evolve naturally? What if he doesn’t like Frankie or Frank? Would you just call him those names anyway?

Frankie does tend to be more common as a nickname for the girls’ name Francesca.

[quote RedDevilsSince1988]@LetItGoHome I’m not so sure. I think it would be nice to have a longer version for him to use when he is older, or just something more formal.[/quote]
Fair enough. But you have got to actually like the longer version as it will be his name.

Frank is a long established name in its own right. To my ears and where i live Frankie is a girls name. Francis is also very feminine.

You u may be able to influence his nicknames when little but once at school it will be out of your hands and names will evolve more organically.

At the end of the day its your baby. So go with what you want.

@RedDevilsSince1988

Maybe not popular in the UK

Francis

But it's not a nickname. The child will be known as Frankie and probably increasingly Frank as he gets older. There will be an official name on a birth certificate that is never used in everyday life but is a formal option in adult life. The child may be nicknamed Doofus at school and Frannybellybuttonbum by his parents but his name will be Frank.

I have two children with names like this. They have one name on their birth certificate that is only used on their passport etc and they are known by a classic diminutive of their name. In addition they have acquired various nicknames over the years from their family and friends.

it would be Frankie when he is younger, and then Frank when he is more grown up.

So why not call him Frank ?

I know a Francis, definitely not feminine in any way. And also a massive united fan! We call him Fran or Francis, but he got Frankie at school.

Frank makes me think of Frank Butcher so personally could never go with that on the BC without mental images of him appearing on Pat Butcher's doorstep in the nud.

I want George Francis for a boy so I obviously condone your name combo!

Well, he will, according to the OP, be called Frank. But he will have a different name on his birth certificate. This is exactly the same as the millions of Daves and Mikes and Sues and Toms and Lizs out there. Most of them have a different name on their birth certificate. I guess some people just like to put a name on the birth certificate that is not a diminutive. Maybe it's tradition or a sense of formality. I know lots of Jims who are are James on their birth certificate and Bobs who are Roberts. Some of them use their longer name in their professional life.

@CasuallyMasculine all I’m saying is that’s what we intend to do. Of course if he doesn’t like it then I’m not going to keep doing it.

@LetItGoHome if I didn’t like either name, then why would I make a thread about it lmao.

@Pippilangstrumpfie it’s just nice to have a more “formal” name on the BC for a more professional type environment, like at a place of work, incase he would like to use that instead.

Well. I find Frank pretty formal sounding.

Frankie, Franklin etc sound like diminutives.

Franklin. It’s the nicer name imo and it goes better with the surname. Francis Smith is catchy, because of the ‘..s s..’

Wow this is so split!

Personally I like Francis.

I also don’t think it’s at all odd to not want to put a nickname on the BC. Most people I know have a longer BC name but go by a nickname.

Francis, but I'm biased as I have one.

@Pippilangstrumpfie I’m not sure what makes you think Franklin is a diminutive. Frankie yes but not Franklin.

@Ughmaybenot that’s a good point.

Agree Francis is wet. Franklin is lovely along with frank/frankie. I’m guessing you want a longer name on the birth certificate like his brothers? We have a Vinnie, but he isn’t Vincent. I wanted Vincenzo but his dad wouldn’t let me ha.

Frankie was our next name if we have another boy, but unfortunately we both know someone called frankie with our surname and he’s a horrendous human being, so it will be forever tainted now. I’m slightly gutted!

@icouldwriteabook yeah we do want a longer name. Alexander is often Alex for short, Vincent is often Vince for short, so we want something that follows this theme IYKWIS.