Change baby’s ‘nickname’ name to its longer form

[SunshineInMyPockett]

I have a 5 month old DS with a name that would be considered a ‘nickname’ name. He’s officially registered as this name but part of me keeps wondering if we should have given him the traditional longer form as his ‘official’ name to give him more options when he’s older.

I guess his name would be considered as a bit ‘cutesy’ by some - fine for a baby but possibly not for a grown man. I don’t really see it like that and think by the time he is grown there will be a long list of Reggies, Montys, Alfies, etc so it will be the norm.

I also don’t particularly like the traditional name that we would give him (I don’t hate it but it’s not something I would choose!) I won’t give the name as I’m not after opinions on the actual name but it would be similar to having a ‘Teddy’ but having ‘Edward’ on the birth certificate.

Should I have the courage of my convictions and keep the name we chose for him and love, or should I give him options for when he’s older?!

My youngest son (9) has gone by a completely different unrelated name from birth. School, doctors etc he is down by this name. He has never been called his birth name, and most people don't even know. The name he goes by isn't one I would have chosen but he suits it.

This is really helpful and I’m trying to be of the mindset that [most] people grow into their names. I can’t imagine him as a fully grown man with any name because right now he’s a tiny baby - and let’s face it very few babies actually ‘look’ like their names. He has a very traditional middle name that he can fall back on if he absolutely hates his first name. But hopefully he will grow up surrounded by so much love and security that he will love his name as much as we do.

In my opinion you should change it.
im Lucy. My sisters got ‘sophisticated’ names that have many shortenings and Im stuck with a little girls name. It’s the reason I gave my children are Elizabeth and Vincent on their birth certificates even though we don’t call them that

I chose to use the longer versions of the names on birth certificate and then in daily life I switch between using the full name and the established shortening/nickname.
I like the choice.
The only trouble I find is I often forget which name I've booked things under (playgroups/activities etc). Anything official like doctors has the full name but even school has the shortened one on most documents. It is confusing!

It's his name. I know an adult James but only ever goes by Jimmy, he might as well just be called Jimmy. I also know an adult Charlie, who is Charlie on his birth certificate. I know an Ellie (not Eleanor) and a Ben (not Benjamin) and they all have 'professional' jobs (3 are teachers, 1 is an accountant) and no one cares that they have nicknamey names.

I'm an Elizabeth. I like the name Elizabeth, but no one ever calls me that. All my life I've just introduced myself as Beth and people are always surprised when they find out I'm Elizabeth. Options are nice but I never use them. I do sometimes wish I was just called Beth for simplicity.

I say just keep his name! That's the name you love and chose for him.

My ds has shortened version of his name but neither him or us like the longer version and would never of used it
His name is short but his mates call him a nickname version of his surname anywY ( teenager)

Plenty of traditional names have no flexibility (eg Sarah, Claire) so no need to feel like he needs "choice"

There's also plenty of perfectly suitable names that are derivatives (eg Kate, Meg) that stand totally fine alone.

Leave it.

Why do people say Teddy is stupid as an adult , it will just be Ted , know several older adult Teds
Also in 50 years will be tons of Teddy, alfie etc
Teddy Sheringham no one batted an eyelid,an american president even went by his nickname of Teddy
It really only seems an issue on mumsnet , nickname names etc not in real life

Is it Freddie? If so I’d leave it.

I have a name with a very common short form. I was know by the short form until I was in my early 20s. Before I got married, I decided my short name didn't work with my new surname (which I was very happy to adopt), so when I moved to a new part of the country, I started using the full name. 25 years later, I am firmly a 'full name' not a 'short name'. I am so glad I had the choice. I'm much happier with my proper/full name. Obviously my parents still call me the short version, as do people I knew way back when, but everyone else knows me by my full name.

I'd firmly vote for changing it so he has an easy choice if he wants it. Makes no difference to the day to day right now, but leaves him options in future.

I think you are right, he will grow up amongst a tribe of Alfies, Freddies, Charlies etc, and even if some of those have a longer official name, it will sound like an adult name by then.

if you had a girl I’d be more cautious. I have a shortened name I go by, but I’m glad I have a more serious longer name in my email address and for introductions to clients/ suppliers, as I think it helps me be taken more seriously. I don’t think men have the same problem.

I grew up with the nickname version of my name until my early 20’s, at school I never used the long version of my name, didn’t like it, no one else used it.
in my mid twenties I changed to the long, more formal version. I hate it if people use the nickname form now. I like that I have a more formal name, I want to be taken seriously as I am serious- about my career etc.
my goddaughter also has a nickname type name, no longer version, she is early twenties and very cross with her parents for giving her a ‘kids’ name.
But each to their own, I also know people who also use a shortened version and much prefer it!

I’ve been told DD’s name is a nickname yet it’s been a name in its own right since the 16th century. The more traditional formal name has multiple Nickname options and one is a name I’d never use as it’s the name of my tragically deceased family member who died age 16. We therefore chose not to put Catherine on the birth certificate and Dd is down as the name she’s known as - Kitty. I think it’s best to form your own opinion and stop caring about what other people think.

I know adults with names like Mikey, Freddie, Tommy, Jimmy, Bobby, Alfie, Nicky, Joe etc as their "full" names. I don't think it's a problem really.

He can always change it by deed poll when he’s older if he wants - it’s not difficult (lots of admin, but not hard). A friend of mine was officially Toby but changed to Tobias in his early twenties to give him more clout in his very conservative profession.

I think it’s completely fine to leave it. Personalities determine names and not vice versa. I love Herbie and it’s probably my top contender for a boys name at the moment but I don’t warm to Herbert at all and wouldn’t use it.

I don’t know if that’s your name or similar but I think it’s fine to be a full name. Language changes and evolves over time, lots of names we think of as full names now were originally derivatives of longer biblical names for example.

Personally I wouldn't call my child a nickname name, but each to their own. There are tonnes of them out there, so I certainly don't think they'll feel odd one out. But I do think some nickname names are limiting, and especially on boys it's hard to imagine some of the really cutesy ones on a fully grown man. I think I would try to find a longer name I preferred to maybe the most standard one, for example if Archie I don't like Archibald but would use Archer, for Teddy I prefer Theodore to Edward, or might just go straight Ted on the BC.

Should I have the courage of my convictions and keep the name we chose for him and love, or should I give him options for when he’s older?!

Why would you deny your son the options? I'd definitely give him the original proper version of his nickname.

I have a shortened name I go by, but I’m glad I have a more serious longer name in my email address and for introductions to clients/ suppliers, as I think it helps me be taken more seriously. I don’t think men have the same problem.

I think it definitely looks more professional to be introduced as Edward than, say, Teddie! Or as Oliver instead of Ollie!

Thank you all very much for your input! His name will be staying as it is as I’ve realised he doesn’t need a long ‘traditional’ name to be anything he wants to be in life. All he has to be is himself 💙

I'd firmly vote for changing it so he has an easy choice if he wants it. Makes no difference to the day to day right now, but leaves him options in future.

I agree with this. You can still call him by his 'nickname', but give him the option of a more traditional name for when he's older.

I pondered the same thing when naming my son and decided to give him the full version of his name but we always call him by the nickname version (which is a proper name in its own right anyway, and actually more common than the full version) or other nicknames so he doesn't actually quite believe that his name really is the full version but I like that he has more options in the future (plus the full version gave more nickname options)

I don't get this- if a Charles wants to be known as Charlie he can- so why would a Charlie not be able to be known as Charles if he wants?
The options are still there its not like there is a rule that you can only make your name shorter and younger sounding but you can't make it longer or more formal.

This is a very valid point!

I wouldn't worry tbh. I've worked with loads of senior people in very responsible roles with major global companies (and loads of lawyers as that was mentioned upthread!).

Off the top of my head I can think of an Alfie, a Billy, both an Andy (m) and an Andi (f), an Eddie, a Lou, a Benji... you get the idea. I have no idea whether they had longer version of their names but that was what they were called day to day.

I do wonder if many of the people who say the stuff about 'not being the name of a high court judge' etc have actually worked in these kinds of roles? Everything is getting less and less formal. I can't remember the last time I saw someone in a suit for example, and nobody would bat an eye at a 'shortened' name.