Alexander

[charmanderflame]

DH and I both like Alexander as a first name.

It's versatile and there are lots of ways it can be shortened. However, my husband prefers a different shortening to me - he likes Xander, I like Lexi, and I suspect my family will prefer just Alex because they are quite traditional.

Should we just call him Alexander until he can decide himself?

Or is this name just too fraught if we can't agree? (We do have another option but just not quite as keen!)

It's a great name. I can't imagine he'd thank you for calling him Lexi though!

I have a toddler Alexander he is always Alex or Ally-Bally or Alek-sandwich (to his big brother) for now, but I like that he can choose his own nickname if he likes when he's older.

Bizarrely, despite it being in I think the top 20 names, I've very rarely met another little Alexander or any of its nicknames. DS1 has a much less common name and yet we know two others.

I remember a midwife beaming when I told her his name and she said "ahh, you can rely on an Alex".

Defintiely go for it, it's a great name.

I think Lexi or Lex sound so much better than Alex (boring) Xander (trendy), I don’t care about someone thinking it sounds girly either.

Lex is OK. Alexander in full is a great name.

I have a gazillion nicknames for my kids. They're not confused at all. One of them is a Mathias and gets called Matty, Matt, Matyushka, Matushka, Mattu. He answers to them all though he prefers Matty.

It's fine for your DH and you to have different nicknames for him. My kids use a different word for me depending on what language they're speaking, and their names also get pronounced differently depending on what language is spoken, and it's all fine.

Forgot to add, love the name Alexander.

Love that name. I would have chosen it for DS but DH not as keen. Don’t get hung up on nicknames, we chose a name for our DS partly on basis that we liked the nickname. He wasn’t keen though and still uses his full name

My son is an Alexander, goes by Alex. Although we called him Alex more than Alexander when he was a toddler and He has just continued. My sister is the only one that sometimes calls him Al.

It's not uncommon for different family members/friends to use different nicknames. It's fine.

Where are you living? Lexi would be assumed girl by most I think, if you're in Britain. Alex is classically unisex, Xander male, Lexi female. Lex is more masculine. Obviously it's up to you, but Lexi could be problematic for him.

The teenage Alex that I know is called Alan by his mates 🤣

Alexander is a fine name

I have an Alexander, his name at home is not even related to his name it's his nickname from a trait of his.

His college mates call him by his surname.

I can't even remember the last time I called him Alex!

It's a fab name but nickname, pet names and shortening will vary over his life.

Surely the beauty of such a name would be you can all use the shortening you prefer?? I don’t like any of them personally, Alex, Xander or Lexi…. Or Sandy…. I like Al the most tbh!! But I really don’t like Lexi for a boy.

Wait until he's born and you see his personality. No to Lexi but anything else might appear right when you meet him. He will be one of many with that name so he won't be alone with an Alexander derived nickname either. Therefore when at school friends might find another name.

There’s also Alec and Sandy as nicknames.

I agree that everyone will think that Lexi is a girl (if you are in the UK).

I don’t like it but Alex is nice. Lexi is a girls name.

A brilliant name. Although I'm biased as our youngest is called Alexander.

If we called him Lexi or Xander he'd not be happy and his 6'1" and built like a brick outhouse, so Alex it is 😁

Same here, he is Alex or Al now. Used to be Ali.

It’s a fantastic name and you can call him any of the short versions interchangeably until one emerges.

Or maybe he will end up always being Alexander and that’s great too.

Alexander is the best name, not that I’m biased in any way!

Mine is usually Alexander at home - or another, totally unrelated nickname. He is called Lex or Lexy by one side of the family, and Alex on the other (different languages). I suspect it will naturally shorten to Alex when he goes to school - people often call him Alex automatically even if he introduces himself by his full name.

There are so many boys and girls called Alex that I find the name a little dull, overused and unmemorable. There are far nicer and more memorable names out there

Great name Alexander. However the only Lexi's I know are female.

Yes, I haven't come across any male Lexis. Lex is nice though.

Nothing wrong with Alex or the full name, Alexander.

Alexander is a great name. Alex, Sandy, Xander, Alec or "Wee Eck" if you are in Scotland.

Lexi is usually a nickname for Alexandra