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

[CeilingCat]

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??

There?s this concept called ?constructive criticism?. We use it in the art world. You can express your true thoughts in this manner and not get railroaded for being rude. And no, it doesn?t require a particular class level or whether you?re from the north or south in the UK.

Alas, this thread has turned for the worse.

My father was Henry and the only one that called him that was his mom. Everyone called him Hank. I think that if you don?t shorten the name or play around with, it should stay the same? so hopefully Henry won?t become Harry. Weird that it is a short form seeing as how it is the same amount of letters and syllables.

My friend?s name is Heaven Leigh? no shit. Hippy parents.

YorkshireLass - Honest and polite are not mutually exclusive, you know. Like I said before, your attitude has discredited your argument in my eyes. And the comment in your last post about laughing behind people's backs does you no favours. Sounds like you're 'brave' enough to be honest to people so long as you're hidden behind a screen. Pretty cowardly IMO

ROFL at your explanation of Yorkshire ways. I might be living down south at the moment, but I'm probably more 'Northern' than you, and as the saying goes, 'some of my best friends are from Yorkshire'. They are the kindest, funniest people. I guess there's an exception to every rule.

I would be very surprised if 'Geronimo' as an expression meant anything to anyone under the age of 30. So I doubt it's going to be a problem to your DS, CC, unless he's got a particularly sadistic teacher.

Also children don't come with any preconceptions about what are 'acceptable' names and what aren't. They are just names to them unless their petty, small-minded parents start sniggering of course ...

The name might not mean anything to anyone under 30 here in UK but in North America, it still does. In Mexico, it wouldn?t be unusual to have the Jesus, but anywhere else?

I meant ? name Jesus?. You might have Jesus, but not the discussion here.

This is my opinion: I don't like Geronimo. DS 8 and his peers would snigger if that was a boys name in their school, little boys shout geronimo too. For what it's worth Nimo is too Disneyesque and Ronnie too thuggie, (always makes me think of Ronnie Kray) I'd personally nickname to Mo or change the lot.

However, I'm a formally known as too. Changing it now will always show on

1. his birth certificate
2. his marriage certificate
3. on his future children's birth certificates

On the bright side, it will be a fab question in his future work fundraiser quiz as a question.

"Who was given the birth name Geronimo for the first two years of their life"

K20 - lol at the fundraiser question

at Ronnie being too thuggy. He's more Ronnie Barker than Ronnie Kray

Sadly Mr Barker will be long forgotten by the time your lad grows up but Mr Kray will always be a notorious London gangland figure

We all make mistakes, IMO DS has a lovely name but I now know it is a name more often given to pesky flying things or dogs

I like him in Porridge (along with the sexy Richard Beckingsale) best

K20 - googlefight says that Ronnie Barker wins LOL

blimey, is this still going on?
i'm the one who said there is a baby geronimo at dc's school.
am afraid it is universally (amongst my friends and acquaintances) thought to be bonkers / cruel / silly.
sorry. but tis true, and you did ask.

Funny how this discussion has veered from the topic of changing Albus? name to discussing the choice of name Geronimo. Gotta love tangents.

Absolutely change it, he will not know any different really, it will just be a little story to tell when he's older.

The only hesitation I would have would be if you were to suddenly start calling him something different.

As you're not and if it would make you happier I would say go for it.

My DS1 has a name which I love, but which is not common in this country and I feel a bit sorry for him that he always has to spell it out for people. If I had my time again I would have chosen a different name, even though I still love it!

CC there is another way of looking at this you love the name but does your ds have the personality to live with the name i.e. is he fairly happy mixing with other children already ( difficult i know to establish for one so young) but what i'm getting at is do you think he'll be able to carry his name off ( stand strong and proud, aqnd take whatever jests get thrown his way or will he just want to curl up in a ball with all the attention)

If the latter then change if not then go for it you choose it .. FWIW dd1 (2.5) is usiversally known as Milly but if asked her "real" name says emily-alys (not hypenated on her certs but it's how she sees it! When she gets to school she will still be Milly ( I will just make sure that official docs are in her Real Name)

No, I'm really not keen on Gerry. The abbreviation is Ronnie (it doesn't sound at all thuggish to me!). Sadly it means that I won't be able to call my imaginary DS2 Reginald (Damn Mrs Kray for getting there before me).

Just some advice if you do the 'Known as' route.

Make sure that if you choose to call him Biff, Chip or Kipper, ot whatever, but keeping his legal name as Geronimo you make this 110% clear on any forms that you send to school.

I have seen schools not realise that 'Geronimo' or whatever, isn't used, and call the child by that name, sometimes causing great distress and upset to the child. So make sure on the forms you make you wishes so clear that the school can't cock it up.

Just wanted to say Geronimo does sound strange the first time you hear it but like most things people will get used to it.If you love it so will your son.

I called my first dd Jericho and she is now old enough to have encountered any teasing she might have been going to. She has moved schools 3 times and moved countries (from Scotland to England)and has never had a problem. She loves it and corrects people who try to shorten it. She is known as Jeri by my in-laws who don't like her name and always has the choice to change to her middle (ordinary)name if she wishes.

However am seriously thinking of changing youngest dd name as it was not common in Scotland but is so common down here that it is ridiculous.

Hello CeilingCat. Have you and your dh come to any decision yet re your ds's name?