Do you have a Thomas? Is it inevitable that he will be called Tom or Tommy?

[Mixedupworld]

I adore Thomas. However I really dislike Tom and even worse is Tommy.

Is it unavoidable?

DS1 has three friends called Thomas and they are all called Thomas. No shortenings at all.

Also... his full name would be Thomas Arthur Percy Surname. Middle names are set in stone. Do you automatically make the association that all 3 names are in Thomas The Tank Engine?

I have a 4 year old Thomas. He's never Tom or Tommy, I'm expecting it to be Tom one day though!

My DS also has a friend called Thomas, which is never shortened.

I'd recognise Thomas and Percy from Thomas the Tank Engine but not Arthur.

And I don't make any Thomas the Tank Engine associations!

I have a 6 month old Thomas. I think it is a lovely name but also hope we don't end up with a Tommy!

I would get the tank engine reference but I’m an old school Thomas geek!! Don’t let that put you off. They are good names and it’s rare you hear all names together.

I know a Thomas at secondary who is very firmly a Thomas. I also know a tommy who is a tommy so I think it’s what you call them.

One of my neighbours has a Thomas but they call him Spike because of his hair. Your child could end up with any nickname really.

I don't think Tommy is inevitable , it's quite "cute" and I think you'd have to call him that yourselves for others to do the same. Tom on the otherhand is such a common shortening, that a few people might call him that, unless as he gets older he corrects them to "Thomas" himself (a lot of the secondary school age or older Thomases seem to go by Tom).

My Thomas is 35! He's always been called Tom though, I don't understand the hate 🤷

And don't worry about the middle names - most people won't know them and of the few who do, likely only a few of them will make the connection to "Thomas the Tank Engine" , especially as both Thomas and Arthur are such popular names.

Know a few Thomas's and only one gets called Tommy, most are Thomas, some Tom's, think if you use Thomas, that's what they will be called with the occasional Tom thrown in

Our nephew is Thomas and everyone calls him Tom Tom or Thomas. A friend has an officially Thomas, but introduced as and always called Tommy. But I think if you don't shorten it then others won't.

Gorgeous names OP. My 4 week old DS is an Arthur who was nearly a Percy

We have a 10 year old Thomas in the year 5 class I work in and his name is never shorted.

Also have a friend with a Tommy (Thomas on birth certificate) but he has been a Tommy from day one

I work with a Catherine who is never ever shortened. I have a five letter name, very easy, it gets shortened to two letters by everyone and it DRIVES ME UP THE WALL.

I don' t think you can control it unfortunately.

You may not like Tom or Tommy. He might do though. You can't be saying to him when he's 18. "Don't call yourself Tom." Its his name, op. He can do what he likes with it.

I know Thomases, Toms and a Tombo.

I was at school with a Thomas and I've never heard anyone call him Tom, he just isn't a Tom at all. Most of them always get called Tom.
I really like Thomas, Tom and Tommy.

I know someone who named her DS just Tom, and I expect people assume he's Thomas on his BC.

I knew 2 Thomas's through primary, once they were secondary school it was Tom, unless they were in trouble!

What if he prefers Tom or Tommy?!

My nephew is a Tom, which he prefers, and I can't imagine him choosing Thomas to please his mum.

I have a Thomas. He is mostly Tom, sometimes Thomas and never Tommy. Occasionally Tom Tom. Usually Thomas when not listening to me and not going what I ask. He is 4.

@Mixedupworld

Also... his full name would be Thomas Arthur Percy Surname. Middle names are set in stone. Do you automatically make the association that all 3 names are in Thomas The Tank Engine?

My nephew is Thomas James, after he was announced I remarked to my brother, ‘aww you named him after your favourite engines’

He got Tommy when younger, it’s progressed to Tom now. I don’t think it’s entirely avoidable once they’re out on their own. Friends dictate any nicknames from juniors onward imo.