Saskia with the nickname Sia?

[SaticoyStreet]

What do people think?

I have always loved the name Saskia but I’m not mad about Sas/Sask/Kia. I really love the name Sia too though and it’s the start and end of the name.

I like Saskia. As they get older you won't have much control over which abbreviation or nickname that sticks though (her and her friends will dictate that) so if you hate nearly all the likely possibilities, maybe steer clear.

@ ISaidDontLickTheBin this is very true! I don’t hate the nicknames. I think I love Saskia enough to deal with the nicknames!

I love the name Saskia with nn Sasha.
How are you saying "Sia"? It's a wee bit like "See ya!" But it's fine.

@SeanChailleach oh I do love Sasha!

Sia is pronounced like See-ah. Like the singer, who I’m also a big fan of!

I know a teenaged Saskia and she goes by Saskia. It's a great underused name 💯

Some people have nicknames that have no relation to their name.

So it is likely she will be called "Saskia" and if she has a nickname it will have no relation to her name.

@luverlybubberly good to know! I love that it’s underused but known, I hope it stays that way as I don’t like very popular names.

I have been thinking that I’ll just insist that people (mainly family) don’t try to shorten it as I think it’s lovely just as it is.

Tbh this idea came from me suggesting Sia to my partner when we were listening to her old albums the other day. He said “oh as a nickname for Saskia?” Which I’d never thought of. But I think any nickname just takes away from the beauty of the name itself.

As parents you can shorten it to anything you like, a nickname however is very different and generally has no relation to their actual name, she might end up being called Bob or something by her friends, you might even give her a nickname which bears no resemblance to Saskia at all.

Only if she’s got thick skin... and an elastic heart

@Saoirsesersha and little black sandals! We’re old time Sia fans (since before she was mega famous!)

I’m aware nicknames can become anything and Sass would be inevitable most likely amongst school friends etc. I was really just asking if Sia was far fetched as an affectionate family nickname.

Thanks for the responses so far!

I do think it's a bit far-fetched. Since it's more of a visual shortening than a natural phonetic shortening, I don't think it will catch on in reality. I always find it a bit confusing when parents announce the birth of "X, but we will be calling them Y" when Y is not a natural shortening of the name. Like, which is it, which should I be using?

That said, no reason not to try it out once she's here and see if it feels right! Saskia doesn't need a nickname anyway, so no big deal if not.

I know two Saskias. One is known as Saskia. The other is addressed by everyone as 'Tosh', which I assume is one of those nicknames whose origins are lost in the mists of time. I think I'd known her for quite a while before knowing her real name was Saskia.

I have a 25 year old Saskia. We call her by her full name.

Her friends tend to abbreviate it to Sass or Sas.

Sas is a slang term for piss in Dutch so we
don’t use it. But non Dutch speakers wouldn’t know/care.

@ CrispAndFrosty Oh I would never dream of announcing her name along with the nickname. It was more for myself and it was just something my partner suggested. I do feel like it is a bit far fetched and forced though the more I think about it.

If we go for it I think I’ll just stick to the full name.

Thanks for your input 😊

@Worriedofkent thank you! I’m sure she would become Sass along the way with friends. I think I can live with that as it’s been one of my favourite names for so long!

By the way, I don’t even know if I’m having a girl yet so this may all be irrelevant 😂 but I appreciate the feedback!

Think we’ll just stick to Saskia and leave it at that 🥰

Saskia is lovely, Sia not so much.

Well my kids nicknames are Android and Monkey Bum.

So no, Sia isn't too far fetched.

I knew a saskia at school, known as Saskia in full. Never ever got a personalised ANYTHING, and got called sasquatch all the time by idiots. She absolutely hated it.

I love Sia on its own.

@Thegreencup 🤣🤣🤣

@Fuuuuuckit I could never get anything personalised either but I think personalised stuff is wasteful so I’m not bothered about that.

And if kids want to tease they’ll find a way no matter what you’re called!

I love the name and nickname. I don’t think it’s far fetched at all

I love less common nn's (some of my own faves are Xan/Xand for Alexander, Han for Nathaniel, Bear for Edward or Theodore, Kitty for Claudia or Tabitha etc) - they often seem to get short shift on Mumsnet, but I think they're fun and that if you use it from Day 1 most people will respect that and refer to her by that name or the full Saskia (and not use Sass/Sask/Sassy instead).

Since you say you don't mind if DD herself later chooses to go by one of those other nn's instead, which is obviously her right and always a possibility - I say you should use it unless she tells you otherwise! (what's the harm? and Saskia, nn Sia is cute imo)