Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Alexander or just Sasha

33 replies

Nocturnaradish · 31/07/2023 07:26

Older child has longer name for b/c which we use daily along with various shortenings.

Sasha would literally only be Sasha wouldn’t ever want to use a different shorter form. Love the name Sasha/ Sacha so much and would be disappointed that it wouldn’t be “official” anywhere. But

a) it’s traditionally never a standalone name and I’m a traditionalist

b) life is long; trends change and if he wants to ever use the full name or a different diminutive he could.

only other thing to consider is that we always introduce older child in full name and use it. But would only want to introduce him as Sasha and use that so that might feel a bit unbalanced. And I much prefer Sasha to Alexander

tia

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

ZeldaWillTellYourFortune · 31/07/2023 07:27

Give him Alexander.

Turefu · 31/07/2023 07:31

Alexander

Sugarfree23 · 31/07/2023 07:33

I'd give Alexander too.
Trends change, he might prefer Alex or Zander at different points in time

CurlewKate · 31/07/2023 07:33

I would always give him options. So definitely b.

Oh and go Sasha. Otherwise people will say it wrongly.

sunshineandshowers40 · 31/07/2023 07:33

Alexander with Sasha as a nn

Blueuggboots · 31/07/2023 07:36

Sasha is traditionally a girl's name in the UK

GoodVibesHere · 31/07/2023 07:51

I only know a female Sasha.

Roselilly36 · 31/07/2023 07:55

I know a male named Sascha (this sp) he’s really nice and the name suits him well, not a nickname I don’t think. I always think if Sacha Distel, it’s a unisex name. I like the name on its own.

DuchessOfSausage · 31/07/2023 08:09

If your elder child has a longer name and is known by a diminutive, do the same for the younger child.
I know of a male Sascha and I have heard of Sacha Distel, but he was Alexandre I think. There is also Sacha Baron Cohen. I think the different spellings look more masculine.
Sasha will probably be assumed to be a girl. I like Sandy, which is unisex.

shoopshoopdedoo · 31/07/2023 08:12

Alexander nn Sasha. Both lovely names, but I’d personally want to put the formal version on BC.

My brother has always gone by a diminutive of a traditional name - my parents only ever introduced him as this and he didn’t know he had a longer full name until he was about 10. Now, he still uses the diminutive day-to-day, but is glad to have the option of both.

cinnamonfrenchtoast · 31/07/2023 08:13

Alexander - give him more choices as he grows up.

Hellonamechanber202344 · 31/07/2023 08:18

My little boy is Sasha, it’s his middle name but he’s known by literally everyone as Sasha. However his first name is Aleksander, we always wanted the name Sasha , in the country my Hubbie is from (Ukraine) Sasha is a nickname for Aleksander. However we thought it would get complicated with school etc.

So he’s Aleksander Sasha - the only place he ever gets called Aleksander is at the docs which is few and far between.

He’s the only Sasha we know locally - however he has come across a football player with a son called Sasha and a kid on Roblox - he was really excited by this!

Hellonamechanber202344 · 31/07/2023 08:22

(It also gives him the choice to be called Aleksander when he’s older too- or variations of)

Imdrivinginmygetawaycar · 31/07/2023 08:27

Wow I didn't know it was "short for" Alexander. I know a few Alexanders (Alex mainly, but also xander)

I know 2 female Sashas though and think that's just their name.. but never thought to ask if its short for anything.

If I saw Sasha on a register I'd think female but that could be overcome once you knew them - just be aware that many will just think of it as a female name in case that bothers you.

Original poster

Nocturnaradish · 31/07/2023 08:29

Hellonamechanber202344 · 31/07/2023 08:22

(It also gives him the choice to be called Aleksander when he’s older too- or variations of)

Due to our heritage don’t feel I can use Aleksander but it’s a beautiful variation, I also love Sander as a nn :)

OP posts:

DuchessOfSausage · 31/07/2023 08:35

@Imdrivinginmygetawaycar , it can also be short for Alexandra.
Alexandra could be Alex, Alexa, Lexi, Sandy, Sandra, Zandra, Sasha...
Alexander could be Alec, Alex, Alexei, Zander, Xander, Xan, Sandy, Sasha...

Original poster

Nocturnaradish · 31/07/2023 08:36

Hellonamechanber202344 · 31/07/2023 08:18

So he’s Aleksander Sasha - the only place he ever gets called Aleksander is at the docs which is few and far between.

He’s the only Sasha we know locally - however he has come across a football player with a son called Sasha and a kid on Roblox - he was really excited by this!

Does he like having the full name as well as his shorter version?

OP posts:

MissAtomicBomb1 · 31/07/2023 14:17

Assuming you are of Russian/Ukraine heritage or similar then Sasha is a lovely choice. I would put Alexander on the BC though as Sasha is a nn.
If you are from the UK then it's an odd choice for a boy and he'll probably go through life having to explain that no, he's not of Russian heritage etc etc his parents just liked the name.

WetBandits · 31/07/2023 14:22

I’d go for Alexander, nn Sasha (for now at least) so he has several options if he doesn’t like Sasha as he grows up. It’s unisex but leans further towards feminine in the UK. All the Sashas I know are female.

BringOnSummerHolidays · 31/07/2023 14:29

Alexander because Sashas are mostly girls in the UK. You can't give him a name like this. It's like Hillary, Leslie or Robin. Unless he's really brave he'll want to be known as Alex.

GBoucher · 31/07/2023 14:29

DuchessOfSausage · 31/07/2023 08:35

Alexei is not a diminutive of Alexander. It's an entirely separate name with its own diminutive, Alyosha.

Theduchy · 31/07/2023 14:30

I looove Sasha as a nickname for Alexander but I'd absolutely give him the long name. Gives options.

IDontHarte · 31/07/2023 14:32

Alexander but goes by Sacha is what I'd pick :) gorgeous

CurlewKate · 31/07/2023 14:48

@BringOnSummerHolidays "Alexander because Sashas are mostly girls in the UK. You can't give him a name like this."

I do hope you say the same on all the threads saying how wonderful Ellis, Jamie and Noah are for girls....

pizzaHeart · 31/07/2023 15:02

Sasha is a short name for Alexander in Eastern Europe ( both male and female) so I would assume you’ve got relevant heritage.
I can see no problem to have Alexander on a birth certificate and then to introduce him everywhere as Sasha. Any nursery or school would happily use shorter version.

Flip

1 2