Constantine

[SummaLuvin]

Constantine is becoming a favourite boys name of mine. I like it in full, but nn preference would be Stan.

Thoughts?

@imalmostthere

I honestly think it's awful. Firstly I thought it was a girls name, and secondly it sounds like one of those awful pretentious names that no one would actually use In real life. If you like Stan, call him Stan. I don't understand the idea of calling a child a name based on a nickname you like at all.

Appreciate the honesty!! I adore the name Constantine in full, actually prefer it to any nickname - including Stan. But, as someone with a 4 syllable name myself, I am 100% aware that in the UK longer names will get shortened, so having nicknames you like is a necessity, and if there are any obvious nicknames you hate then avoid the name all together.

Why not use it as a middle name? I had a name that I loved but I knew would be mispronounced and spelt incorrectly so I used it as DD’s middle name instead.

It's a no from me. Just makes me think of Muppets Most Wanted. Love that film.

I’d go Constantin over Constantine.

Why not use it as a middle name?

But you never ever use middle names! I don't even have one.

Constantine is a fab name! I like it a lot.

I like it. Tbh I think it's pretty ignorant for anyone to think it's a girls' name given the Roman emperor / Constantinople.
I know one man called Konstantin. He gets called either his full name, or Konsti.

Constantin/e is lovely. I really like it. Anything can be a cause for bullying. Some people think anything other than George, Josh or Jack will attract bullying... Stan doesn't sound like a natural nickname in English to me though, agree with others but that doesn't really matter if you like it.

^Kit isn’t a natural shortening for Christopher.
Harry isn’t a natural shortening for Henry.
Jim isn’t a natural shortening for James^

They're not natural as in obvious but they're long held classic diminutives.

Stan is not a dim of Constantine and never has been, everyone knows is a dim for Stanley.

Personally I really like K/Constantine but I prefer the dims Con or Kostya.

The Constantine I know is nn Tino.

It seems a bit try-hard to me, a bit social climbing (sorry, I'm sure you're not, I'm just being honest). I would presume you are a fan of Constantine the Great and Roman History, but then I'm the girl who signed up here as Laureatus... my mum and brother are Latin teachers, so...

I don't like it! It is too... big? It just seems a bit OTT and I worry it could make your son an object of ridicule if he doesn't suit it which I think very few boys will purely because it sounds so big and mighty and if your son isn't this type of boy it might seem a bit amusing? I wouldn't say this about many names but Constantine seems SO sort of... Large and powerful.

Anyway sorry, I'm not trying to be rude, just honest!

I also think you'd struggle to get people to call him Stan. I mean you could at home but that doesn't mean that's what his friends and classmates will call him. Kids tend to make up their own nicknames regardless of whay the parents say

I don't like it! It is too... big

The men and boys called Konstantin or Constantine all suit the name very well. They're all normal boys/men.

Are these names too big too?

Alexander
Benjamin
Nathaniel

Sorry that should say: the boys and men that I know called Constantine.

People are really funny about nicknames on the baby name board. Not all nicknames make 'sense'. My name is Meriel and I'm called Mel. I know other Meriels that shorten it to the same.
Stan from Constantine makes more sense than that 🤷‍♀️

I would be wary of using it if you don't like Stanley.

If you give him the nickname Stan his friends could well end up lengthening his nickname to Stanley.
The only Constantine I have known called himself Tino.

My son is Konstantin, nickname Konsta (also Tintin though that's rather contrived but he had the Tintin quiff for a while). Never actually call him Konstantin though, it is such a big name, he doesn't even believe its his name because we always just use Konsta. Love the name though.

Love the name Stan, name of a wonderful nurse I knew once.