Name shortening dilemma - help!

[delshell]

We are considering calling our baby Elizabeth. DH loves the diminutive Lizzy, which I don't mind, but what worries me is that our surname also begins with L and ends in Y! Are they going to sound a bit comical together??

My instinct is to not decide on a shortening and to let that happen naturally but is that dangerous? One of the things I like about Elizabeth is that there are lots of different options for diminutives but I'm also worried that she will get called different things by different people and that will be confusing! In your experience is that something likely to happen?

Sorry for so many questions! I'm possibly overthinking this!

Just let it happen naturally

I get called three different versions of my name, mostly dependent upon how old I was when the person met me. Age 0-5: full name, aged 5-11: shortened version 1, aged 11+: shortened version 2.

Means my family call me a different name to almost everyone else, but it’s fine. I introduce myself as shorted version 2 mostly.

I think it depends on what your surname is. Lizzy Lowry for example would be ok, Lizzy Linney however would be more of a tongue twister because of the additional i in the last name...

What about writing it Lizzie instead, so that at least on paper it was a bit less same-y?

Or choose another diminutive, Beth, Lilibet for example? Personally my favourite is Libby, but that doesn't really help you!

If you don’t plan to use Elizabeth in full then I’d pick a shortening you like. Her teen friends may well pick something else, but at least you are off to a good start. If you want a y end then I quite like Buffy , there is also obviously Bessie, Elsie, Betsy, Busy

Not Busy - I often type it as Busty - t key next to y

I think you’re overthinking 😊 Lizzy Lakely doesn’t sound silly to me and if your daughter doesn’t like that then she can easily switch her nickname. And I don’t think being called lots of nicknames is too confusing for children. Between darling, poppet, my love, sausage, etc. a Betty in there really won’t make a difference. And when she’s old enough she’ll be able to let people know what she wants to be called.

I think you are overthinking it. You will end up calling her all sorts over the years. And I agree Lizzy Lacey/Laferty/Laney etc doesn’t sound silly. I actually like it quite a lot.

Let it happen naturally, its quite common for family to use full version of a name and a short version elsewhere.
Do you love Elizabeth?

There are loads of shortenings for it including Liz, Lizzy, Beth, Eliza, etc