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Original poster

Correct spelling for Wilfie/Wilfy

39 replies

Mangotango123 · 23/05/2021 16:09

If we have a son, we are naming him Wilfred but nn will be Wilf and/or Wilfy.

I’ve seen a lot of people do this and they seem to spell it Wilfie, but then other people have spelt it the other way - Wilfy.
Does anyone know what would be the correct way to spell it, or does it not matter/have a correct way?
Many thanks

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SoupDragon · 23/05/2021 16:13

I don't think there is a correct way as such but the only one that looks vaguely right is Wilfy.

daisypond · 23/05/2021 16:15

Generally male names would be -y and females -ie, but there are lots of exceptions. Tommy, Davey, Andy vs Cassie, Lottie, Hattie.
But Charlie, Bertie are generally male.

MamaWeasel · 23/05/2021 16:17

It's not an established nickname, so you can spell it how you like

RandomMess · 23/05/2021 16:35

Stick to Wilf.

Wilfy is far too like Willy, asking for him to be teased when older!

LubaLuca · 23/05/2021 16:40

Wilfy looks better, but I think Wilf is perfectly fine and doesn't need to be made cuter'. Wilfy sounds silly to me, too much like willy or whiffy.

WinniePig · 23/05/2021 16:40

I’ve got a Wilfred and sometimes shorten his name to Wilfie - I spell it with an “ie” - but most people call him Wilf.

seven7sisters · 23/05/2021 16:45

Sorry to say this; Wilfy is cute for a baby, but please think about teenage Wilfred...poor sod with a name like that

WinniePig · 23/05/2021 17:14

Yep, pretty sure he’ll not be called Wilfie when he’s a teenager. Wilf, however, is a great name.

Prem7979 · 23/05/2021 17:30

I don't think your child will thank you op.

As someone with a shit name please think about it.

ChocOrange1 · 23/05/2021 17:34

Use Wilf as an actual nickname.

Wilfy can be something you call him from day to day- I call my kids Squidgy, BB, Ellie-Wellie etc. I don't have to spell those because they're just informal nicknames which I would never need to write down or spell out to someone.

CommunistLegoBloc · 23/05/2021 17:50

Please don't call your child Wilfie 😳

Original poster
Mangotango123 · 23/05/2021 18:53

Haha some of these messages made me chuckle.
I knew there would be comments saying to avoid the name, he is going to be named Wilfred thats decided between husband and I - our child, our choice. He absolutely will be known as Wilf day to day (Wilfred is only really for official purposes - passport/registration etc). Wilfy was just going to be a name we call him at home and I guess some other family members/friends would cotton on/be privy to it, and therefore may reference it in some written form - so I just really wanted to know ‘ie’ or ‘y’ for that.

Don’t worry everyone I’m not going to send him out into the world or publicly name him Wilfy, especially as some have pointed out as he gets older. It will be Wilf :)

I appreciate it’s not everyone’s cup of tea as a name even as Wilf, but it’s what we’ve chosen and that’s that. We all have different tastes.

Xx

OP posts:
RandomMess · 23/05/2021 18:56

BTW I think Wilf is awesome!

UnaLength · 23/05/2021 19:00

We have a William whose nickname has always been Wilfy, spelt that way. 6 other Williams in Year R so agreed he'd be known by that name and always spelt that way.

UnaLength · 23/05/2021 19:02

Oh and our Wilfy is now 13 so goes by Will or Wills usually but I still call him Wilf or Wilfy occasionally and he still answers to it. Smile

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 23/05/2021 22:12

Wilfie reminds me of the more well known Wolfie (also sometimes used as a nn for Wilfred I think as well as Wolfgang) - so I'd be tempted to use that spelling.

Newmum110 · 24/05/2021 16:23

I think Wilfy definitely looks better

Tal45 · 24/05/2021 16:29

I really like Wilf - but if that's what you're going to call him day to day why wouldn't you put that on the BC instead of saddling him with the awful Wilfred?

Original poster
Mangotango123 · 24/05/2021 16:52

@Tal45 well ... that’s what I had always intended to do as I didn’t really want Wilfred in case the ‘Fred’ part of it got used, as I’ve always liked Wilf - but everyone I mentioned it to said “you can’t just call him that, it’s not a name per se, for official purposes you are going to have to use the proper name’ so I thought maybe I was wrong and they were right 🙈

OP posts:
RandomMess · 24/05/2021 17:31

Just go for Wilf!!

Hufflepuffsunite · 24/05/2021 17:44

I would spell it Wilfie but either is fine. Also it's a perfectly fine name! I like it!

Flymetothestars · 24/05/2021 21:33

@seven7sisters lol I'm finding it really funny you think a teenage Wilfred would be so horrifying. Have you looked at the official popularity charts recently? I think you're going to be horrified at loads of the names in the top 100 .....and in 13 years time- these kids will be teenagers!!

Wilfred is one of my favourite names by the way. I'd use Wilf as the nickname. Great choice @Mangotango123

User27aw · 24/05/2021 21:37

I think Wilfie is best .
Wilfy looks like Whiffy

katy1213 · 24/05/2021 21:48

Poor child - but if you make up stupid names, I guess you can spell them any way you like.

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeep · 24/05/2021 21:50

Wilf is better than Wilfred
Since wilfy will only be a nickname when he's little you won't really need to spell it will you?

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