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Original poster

Name dilemma - should I change 20 month old DS's name?

229 replies

CeilingCat · 14/04/2008 09:10

This has been preying on my mind for a while now, so I thought I'd run it past the MN jury.

DS as a very unusual (but not 'unique') name. I really love it, BUT no one else does. We always call him by an abbreviation of his name (the abbreviation is quite commonplace) and I now dread people asking me what it's short for. I'm not a 'wacky' person, and I hate confrontation, and I find it hard to deal with the negative reactions.

So, DH and I have been talking about changing his name, either to his abbreviated name, or to another name which could (at a bit of a stretch) be abbreviated to the same nick name.

Hmmm this is sounding complicated isn't it? I don;t want to give the actual names cos it would out me to any RL mates, but here's an approximate equivalent:

DS birth name 'Albus'
Nick name 'Albie'
Possible name change 'Archibald'

THESE ARE NOT THE ACTUAL NAMES, BUT THEY ARE THE BEST EQUIVALENTS I CAN THINK OF.

DH thinks we should just change his name to his nick name, but I'm just not sure. I don't like the idea of him being 'Albie' as an official name IYSWIM.

DH thinks it would be weird to change his name to 'Archibald' as the abbreviation to 'Albie' is too contrived.

We never actually call him 'Albus' and we would probably rarely call him 'Archibald', but I think 'Archibald' is going to serve him better in the future than either 'Albus' or 'Albie'.

Still with me? Whaddya think??

OP posts:
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TheDullWitch · 14/04/2008 15:38

Especially with a one syllable quite plain 2nd name... Geronimo Jones etc.

PuppyMonkey · 14/04/2008 15:39

Hi, I've read bits of thread but not sure if this has been covered. Just to say, if you do just keep calling him by his nickname, might you need to be prepared for possible future probs, eg. passport, driving licences, where they need the birth certificate? National Insurance numbers etc too??

Original poster
CeilingCat · 14/04/2008 15:41

WT - Solomon is the other name. It's er...got O and N in it

TDW - at your second post. I'm saying no more.

OP posts:
CarGirl · 14/04/2008 15:48

change it to Ronnie Gerome?

My brother and I were both called by our middle names and when I was 8 I changed to being called by my first name, so I now get called by both it's a bit strange in some ways but I only answer to my middle name if it's my family if anyone else did I wouldn't realise they were talking to me! It is messy being called by your middle name btw.

OrangeKnickers · 14/04/2008 15:51

hurrah! I thought I had imagined your thread from ages ago. God my memory is good.

Hummmmm, my ds's name is unusual and is usually given to dogs....and made a granny on the bus the other day LOL'd at me....but I think Ronnie might be a kinder name than the G word. As you say....it's a great name, but the rest of the world isn't up to speed.

I'd go with the nickname, it's retro cool.

dilbertina · 14/04/2008 15:57

I think geronimo is great! I'd leave it, he can always change it to Ronnie later if he really hates it... and you might want to use solomon on a future child........!

YummyDummyMummy · 14/04/2008 16:14

id go with ronnie , i have an archie and hes just archie not archibald.....tho at 6 months hes still totally bald so does get called archi'bald' sometimes lol

mountainbabes · 14/04/2008 16:40

no way. stick with the name you like and originally chose. also, birth certificates are just bits of paper, you can use whatever name you like if you don't want to give the full name. besides you shouldn't worry what people think.

vicsta · 14/04/2008 16:51

Definitely don't change it now I know. Geronimo is fantastic, I love it! Ronnie is also lovely. Why do people have to be so negative, if they ask what its short for & you tell them, can't they just say 'Really? How unusual!' if they can't think of anything nice to say. Its not as if your asking their opinion, is it? Sod 'em!

suwoo · 14/04/2008 16:54

Just curious when you say you're not wacky, what made you choose the G name? I love it by the way, but it was very brave of you

FromGirders · 14/04/2008 17:01

Just a wee aside, to seeker from earlier.
I have a very unusual name, in fact unique (although it's also my mum's middle name).
I love it. It has never caused me any problems, although I do have to tell people how to pronounce it. I've also given my dd as unusual a name as I could find and the only result is that she can tell people how to spell it already (she's just turned three).

FromGirders · 14/04/2008 17:02

ps, think geronimo is quite cool. He can always change it himself later if he prefers. Just register as "Ron" at school or wherever.

jojosmaman · 14/04/2008 17:04

I think its cute and Ronnie is great!

My friends real name is Leslie.. but no-one knew that until we were about 15 as she and her family call her by her middle name (and have done since the day she was born.. why they didnt give her her middle name as first name I don't know). I don't think its caused her any probs to be honest.

mazzystar · 14/04/2008 17:04

oh don't change it, its brill. just call him ronnie

EllieG · 14/04/2008 17:07

Sorry to crash in, but I think Geronimo is cool! He may well really like it as he gets older, is funky and individual and quirky and personally I would leave it. Ronnie is good too x

RahRahRachel · 14/04/2008 17:22

I think Geronimo is so cool!

My sister is has a name-on-her-birth-certificate and a name-she-is-known-by, (something like the Cathleen/Kate situation someone else mentioned) and it has never been an issue. The one she is known by is the name my mum always wanted to give her, but my dad wanted her to have a "proper" name and our Catholic priest would only baptise her with a proper name. She was registered for school with her "nick" name, introduces her self with it, and it is the only name she is ever called - I doubt many people outside the immediate family have any idea it isn't her birth certificate name.

And this isn't a new thing either, many older relatives of mine have official and day-to-day names. My grandmother is really Violet but always known as Anne, and my grandfather was really Eugene but always known as Hugh.

RahRahRachel · 14/04/2008 17:26

Ooh, and I also have a friend with a very formal, posh sounding name (Humphrey for example) and is known as Paul. He doesn't like his first name enough to use it, and people do giggle a bit if he tells them what it is, but unless he tells them no one would know it isn't Paul and he's never felt the need to change it legally.

Original poster
CeilingCat · 14/04/2008 17:29

Orange - yes your memory is impressive!!

Suwoo - I honestly can't remember how we stumbled upon Geronimo in the first place. It was possibly around the time Ronnie Barker died, and I liked the name Ronnie and was thinking of formal/extended variations of it. I liked the fact that it was multi-syllabic (goes well with short surname). I liked the fact that it has bold and heroic associations, and the fact that it's an ancient but rarely heard name.

I'm amazed at number of positive responses on here. I wish it was the same in RL!

OP posts:
loler · 14/04/2008 17:31

I would leave it now too, particularly if you have a common surname. It makes him unique.

I have a very unusual first name and surname and address, spend my whole life spelling! However, very few people apart from the doctor and bank know my full first name.

seeker · 14/04/2008 17:43

Puppymonkey - I'm here to tell you that the pieces of paper have never been the slightest problem (I'm the Cathleen-known-as-Kate person)

FromGirders - you are honestly the first I've ever come across -but maybe I only mix with screwed up people in real life! Desperate to know what your name is now!

For what it's worth, I do think Geronimo is a bit of a burden - I would make the nick name his name if I were you. Don't change it - he may want it later. But I do think it's a name you should have the chance to choose for yourself, rather than have given to you!

mountainbabes · 14/04/2008 17:55

also...i don't use the exact name on my kids birth certificates. or mine for that matter. i've always been known by my middle name and use that everywhere without problem.
geronimo's a great name. if other people don't like it tough. its not their name. ronnie is great aswell. stick to your guns. who wants a name the same as everyone else?

OrangeKnickers · 14/04/2008 17:56

I think seeker is spot on, it's all very well to say it's a great name. But would any of you want to be called it?

Go on, everyone ask their dps - G yes or no?

Mine says no.

Unless you can register him at school as his his nickname but then, what's the point of keeping it if it's never used?

seeker · 14/04/2008 18:01

Having a unique name doesn't make you unique - being you makes you unique! Even if you're called Connor, Callum or Emily (like practically everyone in ds's year) you are stil unique!

pinkyminky · 14/04/2008 18:15

MY DH never uses his first name, just his middle name, and that's abbreviated most of the time.

TheMadHouse · 14/04/2008 18:25

My son goes by a shortened version of his name and the school use that. They registered him as it. They said that it would be easier for him.

We call him his full name, his shortened name and his shortened shortened name too