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Original poster

Could Teddy be short for Arthur?

52 replies

Topazbutterfly · 18/05/2023 12:54

I know traditionally Teddy is short for Edward or Theodore but we're not as keen on those names. Arthur means Bear and I know a few people who use Bear as a nickname for Arthur, could Teddy as in Teddy bear, also work or not? Thank you

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Wenfy · 18/05/2023 14:15

Bear can be a nickname for Arthur but I’ve never seen Teddy before. If you like Teddy why not just name him that?

Guacandcheese · 18/05/2023 15:33

instantpotnoodle · 18/05/2023 13:50

I call my children a range of names - Sausage, Lamb, Poppet, Pickle, Bear. None of those are their actual names. Nickname your child whatever you want but don’t expect anyone else to get from Arthur to Teddy.

I’d agree with this. My son’s nickname at home is part of his full name - and even that hasn’t been picked up much at nursery/with extended family. So, whilst you could call him Teddy, I think it’s unlikely that other people would go with it.

FayCarew · 18/05/2023 15:34

Thanks @Catspyjamas17 !

Bobbybobbins · 18/05/2023 15:35

Maybe Arthur Edward then could have nickname from the middle name?

Monkeytapper · 18/05/2023 15:44

I know an Eddison.....nickname Ted/Teddy

allthewoes · 18/05/2023 15:46

No.

Kanaloa · 18/05/2023 15:52

I think it’s ridiculously convoluted, and I’d think someone was a bit odd if they started trying to explain ‘this is Arthur but he’s called Teddy - Arthur means Bear you know!’

I mean in that case I like the name Everest, but it’s a bit out there for me, so I’ll name my child Peter and just call him Everest since Peter means rock and there is a Mount Everest. It’s daft. If you like the name Teddy use Teddy or a name that actually has any link to the name Teddy.

SarahSmith2023 · 18/05/2023 15:52

@Topazbutterfly I'd go with Arthur Teddy Surname. It's not unusual to go by your middle name.

Kanaloa · 18/05/2023 15:53

And also, why use Arthur? Why go scrabbling round for any name with any type of tenuous link to try to validate calling him Teddy? You might as well choose any name you like (Jack, Thomas, Henry, Oliver) and just call him Teddy. It makes ad much sense as Arthur.

Baneofmyexistence · 18/05/2023 16:01

I have an Arthur and have never called him Teddy or thought to call him Teddy! We called him Art or Arty for short.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 18/05/2023 16:05

Your child's name will be with him for his whole life. Teddy is not a name that I associate with adult males and I would think there's a good chance he'll decide for himself he doesn't want to be known by it when he's older. I'd call him something for which Teddy is an established pet name - Edward, Edgar, Edwin, Edmund, Edmond, Theodore, Edison.

As a child gets older he will decide for himself what he wants to be called. This happened to us. We gave our son a classic name and we always referred to him by the full length name. He decided when he was 6/7 that he preferred to be known by a short version and suddenly all his friends and teachers were using that. Fair enough!

Phos · 18/05/2023 16:10

You can call your kid what you want as a nickname but this is a stretch so you'd have to force it, which to me isn't really how nicknames should evolve, and having to explain it would be tiresome.

Just don't call him Teddy as an official given name. The fact it's top 50 in the UK right now, the mind boggles.

HappyMe6 · 18/05/2023 16:12

Teddy is not short for Arthur by any means but you can use whichever nickname you choose

threecupsofteaminimum · 18/05/2023 16:15

How about Albert and shorten to Bertie?

PickledScrump · 18/05/2023 19:32

I know of a Tobias who goes by Teddy which seems far more of a stretch.

Londonlady1423 · 18/05/2023 21:09

It's not technically a shortened version of the name Arthur but you can call him any nickname you want

SoftSheen · 18/05/2023 21:11

No, Teddy cannot be short for Arthur.

How about Edmund?

transformandriseup · 18/05/2023 21:15

There are two children in DDs class with the name Teddy which are not nicknames and their actual names.

AtlasSeven · 18/05/2023 21:17

Teddy is not short for Arthur.

You can of course give your child any nickname you like, but this wouldn’t be a nickname that’s connected to the name on the birth certificate.

purplecorkheart · 18/05/2023 21:18

Can Teddy not just be his nickname, it does not need to be a shorten version of Arthur.

Please do not name him Teddy. It is not a name for an adult.

Sparklynewcareer · 20/05/2023 20:35

Sorry Doesent work imo - bit of a tenuous link
Teddie is usually short for Edward

Livingbestlife · 22/05/2023 22:01

If you like the name Teddy name him Teddy. Teddy is a name in its own right
I think it's a lovely name it can always be shortened to Ted
It's very popular because it's a lovely name
I know a Teddy Arthur and I love it xx
Good luck and go with what you love xx

oldnorsesaga · 23/05/2023 10:03

I would use Terry as nickname for Arthur if you don't like Art. (as in Arthur - thur - therr - terry)

that said, I vastly prefer Arthur nicknamed Art because I think of art and crafts

GeraltsBathtub · 23/05/2023 10:07

No, too much of a stretch. And don’t give Teddy as his given name, awful and twee for a fully grown adult.

BTMadmummy · 23/05/2023 10:08

There is zero between Arthur & Teddy. Just call him Teddy.

I worked for a lovely man years ago. Some people called him Ted and others Teddy. His name really suited him. He was a lovely caring gentleman