Jack, Alexander, Thomas or William

[Imtryingmybest123]

Which do you like for a first name and why?

I wasn't quite 100 % on Samuel and as I said, I didn't like all Alexander's nn's. Thomas didn't sound quite as good with our surname, plus Thomas (and Tommy) seems more popular here at the moment.

So I went for William in the end (currently often called Will as well as William by us, but I can tolerate Bill/Billy/Liam if he decides that's what he wants). I love the fact it's so popular internationally and I'm looking forward to discussing his namesakes with him when he's older, as no matter what his interests are there seems to have been a prominent historical William in pretty much every field!

I’m not sure if Alexander nn Alex would turn into Al, Ali or Sacha (really dislike all for a boy) I would have thought you could control those nns….hopefully?!

If you don't like those nickname, I'd go for a shorter name that's less likely to get nicknamed eg Jack, Luke

I call ds Alexander and use the full name. Occasionally Alex slips out but actually, I'm not a huge fan of "Alex". Most of my family call him Alex though and I don't mind really, I guessed most would. I also assumed when he's older, he'll let us know which versions he likes and which he doesn't.
He's only 2 right now and refers to himself as baby Alec😅

Also I do think Al and Ali are unlikely NN for Alexander. Most will go for Alex

Alexander De Pfeffel's family call him Al.

@midsomermurderess sure lots of people use lots of “names” for him right now 😆

My BIL is Alexander, called Alex by absolutely everyone apart from his niece who calls him Uncle Ali! But otherwise all the Alexanders I know as adults are Alex, Alec or Sandy (in Scotland) and that's how they introduce themselves. it's not like they say 'hi I'm Alex' and people start calling them Al or Ali or Sandy. The only Al I know is an Allan.

My DS is William. He often gets called Will but he's never been called Willy so I wouldn't worry about that one.

Jack 100%

We are coming up with names at the moment and we like all these names OP. Our favourite is Alexander and William. Both are relatives of my husband but Alexander not as close so we might still go for that. Will just have to manage MIL!
I like Will for a nick name of William, Billy is also very popular at the moment.

Not Jack. Jack is a naughty boy’s name 😆

My DS is William. He often gets called Will but he's never been called Willy so I wouldn't worry about that one.

Unfortunately primary school children do often call Williams Willy - it's such an obvious shortening. But they tend to grow out of that by secondary school

@Geranium1984 thank you so much for saying you like them, :) I definitely don’t think it matters if you have others in the family named the same, I wish I’d named DS1 the name I’d had picked out from birth and not worried that my friend had picked the same name 3 years before- she wouldn’t have minded in the slightest! Go with what you love x

@goingmissing36 ah thanks- this thread has convinced me not to as my DS1 is Jacob so it’s probably too similar actually, love the name though could be a middle name

Thomas was top of our boys list every time.
You can't go wrong with it!

Thomas great as the birth certificate name - it is sensible, historical, biblical, Greek, works in most European languages, St Thomas the Apostle was a canny dude not afraid to speak his mind, St Thomas Aquinas a clever guy who came up with a whole new way of thinking which underpins most of western thought today.

There have been no King Thomas's in history who have been idiots or done bad things.

Have you ever met a Tom who wasn't a nice upstanding straightforward lad?

And Tommy is lovely for a little boy.

@Bumpsadaisie thank you this is so true!

Alexander for me, but only just - I do like Thomas and William as well. Not a big fan of Jack, just as a collection of sounds, although I've met some lovely Jacks.

Alex is my preferred short form of Alexander, and I'm 99% sure it's the only one today's children would spontaneously use.

I worked in schools for a long time and never heard anybody call a William Willy, although I'm prepared to accept it does happen sometimes. I don't think the possibility would put me off using William, which is a very nice name.

Just a touch! saying it's "unusable" is very peak Mumsnet