"Nicknames" as first names

[Confusion101]

I often see on the baby name threads that people don't like a name because they classify it as a "nickname" or shortened version of a longer name. I was just wondering why people don't like this? Most of the names on my list are shortened versions because I don't know why we would write one name on the birth cert when we know we would call the child by another name. Just wondering so I don't regret my decision

This is exactly the dilemma we're having over naming our daughter. Our favourite name is Evie, which I know isn't popular on here but we love it, and as a teacher I have only ever met one so doesn't feel overused to me personally. But I just know my mum will say what's Evie short for because she's very much of the traditional long names school of thought! So we're wondering whether to go for Evelyn on the birth certificate, which we do also like... But we know we'd want to call her Evie so won't it just be annoying constantly having to explain? I have an unusual spelling of my first and surname and it drives me crazy always having to correct people! For what it's worth we're likely to go for a much more traditional middle name (Margaret is the current favourite). Not sure I'm any closer to a decision having read through this thread but you're not alone in this dilemma!

For what it's worth I think Evie Margaret and Evelyn Margaret sound lovely. @Oiwiththepoodlesalreadygg

Was just thinking of Teddy Roosevelt and Teddy Kennedy. Tucker Carlson and his son Buckley. Trip and Track Palin. What was that poster saying about names in the US? @user1477391263

You can tie yourself up in knots about names. It's the last bastion of snobbery on MN.

I am the exact same, we have a very traditional middle name picked. So far I'm still sticking with the shortened name 🙈

Ah thank you! We haven't told anyone in real life what we're thinking so it's nice to hear that!

I prefer a full name generally because I like the rich linguistic and cultural tradition behind names, I think it's a nice thing to carry through generations. I also think that options are good - you might love Katie, but your daughter might prefer Katherine or her birth cert so she can decide from several nns or a full name, or have a full name for work and a short form at home.

What I do think is actively a mistake is cute baby nns as full names - things like Polly and Albie - they have a very specific flavour, so to me it's like saddling your kid with a younique name like Velvet or Rocky. I don't like sappy flower names for girls for the same reason.

But if you don’t like Katie and want to use Katherine, surely you could say the same for any name?
What if your name is Katherine and you hate it and all the shortenings anyway?
You can just opt to call yourself any other name and get it legally changed as an adult if you like. katherine can just become Fred

But if you don’t like Katie and want to use Katherine, surely you could say the same for any name?

Yes, and by giving your child a proper 'long' name, they can choose whether they prefer some people to call them by a short form, eg Katie, Kitty, Kat while still being Katharine say at work.

What if your name is Katherine and you hate it and all the shortenings anyway?

But that's not what this discussion is about. It's about whether or not to give children a 'proper' name instead of a nickname version of that name.

Obviously if a child hates their name so much (very rare imo), then they can change it by deed poll. But that's probably quite a hassle for them.

@Caspianberg you are on my wave length! 😅

But you still have that?

If you legal birth certificate name is Fred, no one is going to tell you that at 25 you can’t introduce yourself as Frederick to new work colleagues if they prefer. You can lengthen name just as easy as shorten. People aren’t going to say ‘ I wonder how an earth he linked Fred to Frederick’, because it can only be linked ‘ Frederick to Fred’

Depends on the name. I approach it on a case by case basis.

If you want to call your child Kate instead of Katherine, go ahead! Kate is one of the most mainstream and inoffensive everywoman names there are. No one's life will be hampered by being called Kate.

And giving Archie the 'option' of Archibald is a bad idea. It's an ugly ass name that no adult man will ever want to own.

A lot of it on MN is just pure snobbery. Shocking I know...

@pinklavenders , I agree.

I can think of some people who hated their given names, or a middle name, and they changed them, either while at school or at 18+

Often the names were fine or very popular, or they were changed to something very popular.

I know some with problematic names (ones that are spelt differently to how you'd expect or that are difficult to pronounce) now go by their other/middle name.

You can lengthen name just as easy as shorten.

I'm not sure... I think it's much easier to be Isabel and sometimes shorten to Izzy than the other way round

But Harry is originally a nickname for Henry.

I'm weirdly snobby about diminutives used on birth certificates. But I don't know why. Must come from my parents who were also snobby. Now I think about it, who cares?

It's because all children of MNs are destined to be High Court judges or have an outside chance of being PM.

And it's really not about giving children choice for lots of people. It's really about being judgey of parents who use diminutives on birth certificates.

Honestly, a birth certificate means arse all anyway. If birth certificate Will wants to be known as William he can just introduce himself as William to all the other High Court judges!😉They're not going to ask to see the paperwork.

Using a diminutive in professional life also hasn't done Andy Burnham, Katie Derham, Beth Rigby any harm. I could go on.

Snobbery pure and simple!

Having said that it did give Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson options😆

I find most diminutives quite cutesy and the kind of name you’d expect to be used by family / close friends and there will be a time that they won’t want that. Like someone already said, I don’t want my mother, my husband and my boss to use the same name for me.

My daughter has a very cutesy nickname and a long name. I find the idea that she could go through life with her cutesy nickname (think something like Tilly) kind of ridiculous. Perhaps if it was a less cutesy name I suppose, but cutesy works on young kids. My DS’s name doesn’t even have a default cute nickname but he has one anyway - it just seems to be what we do, to make children’s names sound cuter and end in “y” or “sy”. I would very much hope he won’t be known as this forever! (Think Ozzie for Oscar, that sort of thing).

The Katherine example upthread is interesting though because it’s unlikely you’d not like ANY of the diminutives for Katherine - you could be Kate, Katy, Kitty, Kath, Kathy, Kay etc. it’s like Elizabeth that way in that there is surely a name for everyone in there. Who would mind being Katherine that much? (I’ve always thought I’d be a Kathy!)

I don’t want my mother, my husband and my boss to use the same name for me.

I don't have a choice in this because my name is a short name (not a shortened name) and it never bothered me or occurred to me that my boss should be calling me something else 😅

Like someone already said, I don’t want my mother, my husband and my boss to use the same name for me.

How bizarre.

How bizarre.

Not really. Totally get that. I enjoy the personalisation of my name that familiarity brings.

Well it's certainly bizarre to me. Especially needing different family members to call you by different names.

How bizarre.

Not really. Work colleagues and customers call me by my proper name, whereas my parents use a diminutive and my husband uses an affectionate personal version. I really like it!

Yes really.

Well it's certainly bizarre to me. Especially needing different family members to call you by different names.

crack on. takes all types.

I love the endearment and familiarity of a nick name. My boss certainly doesn't call me the name my husband does.

Now that WOULD BE bizarre.

But affectionate names don’t have to be derived from your actual name. My name isn’t a diminutive and it’s rather nickname-proof. That’s very common. I actually think a name like Katie is more flexible than my name, as the option to be Kate is obvious, or Kitty/Katherine aren’t a huge stretch either. But when posts come up about my name, no one complains about lack of options, they say it’s lovely and classic.