Changing nickname from Alfie at Freddie at 15 months

[Motherhood12345]

I'm hoping to get people's view on something that has been bugging me since I named my little boy who is now 15 months old.

We named him Alfred on his birth certificate but have always called him Alfie. However, from the first day that I went out with him, I continually met dogs called Alfie in the park - we have a dog so are in the park a lot. Everyone who I meet says that they know a dog called Alfie too. Before naming him, I didn't realize how popular the name is for dogs and for some reason, it has always really bugged me.

We've recently (for the past week) been calling him Freddie at home and he's started responding to that name - as well as Alfie. We've started telling our friends and family about the gradual change and while my mum was initially supportive, she has now informed me that she doesn't think it's a good idea and that one of her friends was "deeply shocked" at the idea. She says that it's confusing for my son and his 3 year old sister. His sister does continue to call him Alfie and says that Fred is from Tabby McTat (a children's story book), although she'll occasionally call him Freddie when, for example, she's saying his name just after we've said it.

Can I please get people's view on this situation? Am I being silly transitioning his nickname to Freddie, or do you think it's okay?

As a 15 month old doesn’t know what’s on their birth certificate and won’t understand that his real name is Alfred, the connection between Alfie and Freddie won’t be clear at all. As PP says, you are changing his name. For me, sharing a name with a dog wouldn’t be a strong enough motivation to do this to a child.

Nicknames change.
Suggest maybe double barreling for a short while even if it sounds daft to you
Alfie-Freddie.

Funnily enough, that's how you change a dog's name! Then you drop the original one when they're used to the new one.

I was going to suggest it would be less confusing for him and (especially) the older sister if you call him Alfred for a few months to keep the Alfie association, then switch to Freddie later.

But when I was at school, the equivalent of this happened (imagine my name is Alfred but I get called Freddie at home):
Yr 1 teacher looks at register, which says Alfred: 'Do you like to be called Alfred or Alf?'
Me (for no logical reason, since I am only 5): 'Alf'
Teacher and all children then call me Alf for the next year, until I decide I don't like it and ask to be called Alfred instead. At no point does it occur to me to ask to be called the actual nickname I get called at home, until I go to 6th form college, when it dawns on me that your 'school name' doesn't have to be the one that's printed on the register.

Bonkers. You think your child will be confused with a dog? I personally know two dogs named Freddie, so???? Just thank goodness you didn’t have a daughter named Bella. I know 4 girls my kids age called Bella (either Annabelle, Isabelle, Bellatrix etc), and most female dogs I know are also named Bella for some reason, yet it’s always been obvious who was human and who was dog🤷‍♀️.

Nicknames change all the time, he might grow up and decide he wants to be known as Alfred, or Alf, or his friends at school might come up with a completely different version.

I know a few people who are known by different version of their name by different groups of friends/family/colleagues - someone I know as Sue is Susie at home and Susanna to other friends, it’s totally normal and happens all the time.

Alfie is an incredibly popular human name. Google says 16th for boys? So I'm not really sure what the issue is. They're are far more children than dogs named Alfie that he is likely to meet. Personally I wouldn't change it if you still like it.

For the record, I have a Winston. The only Winstons we have met have been four legged. He thinks it's hilarious.

Freddy also seems to be in the top 100 for dog names! Just don't call him Fido and you'll be fine.

To be honest if I met a 'Freddie', I'd assume his name is Freddie or is Frederick. I wouldn't necessarily associate Alfred with Freddie. Yes, I can see where you are coming from, you can use both, but Alfie is more of a common nickname for Alfred. Why not call him his is actual name, Alfred? Personally I don't know anyone with a dog called Alfie or Freddie, but working in schools for 13 years, I have met plenty of children called Alfie and Freddie. Never an Alfred though! So perhaps that's less common.

Nicknames evolve over time and sometimes they don’t end up even remotely close to where they started. Our little one will respond to their name and the shortened version of their name but also ‘kiddo’, ‘skiddamarink’ and ‘Little T’. They aren’t confused about their name.

I think the problem you will have is that you can’t control nicknames. You either don’t do nicknames, so he’s always Alfred or you can’t control which nicknames are used. If you start using Freddie, that’s fine but some might still use Alfie because I would say that is the more natural shortened name for Alfred. You also can’t stop someone calling him Alf or if you use Freddie, Fred.

Alfie is a common dogs name but so are lots of names. Especially the male names - Freddie, Ralph, Harry, George, Albie. It is a human name that is used by some pets so it’s not as if you’ve called your son Rover and your daughter Mrs Fluffykins.

My daughter is Molly and that’s a very popular dogs name. She’s 20 now but when she was younger her brother said she was originally an Afghan hound called Molly (she’s always had long blonde hair) but Professor Dumbledore turned her into a human :) I say younger, he still says it now and her nickname at home is Affie.

I only know one dog named Alfie and we know lots of dogs!
Someone in our family, who is now an adult, has quite a long traditional name. She’s always been known by 3 variants. Full name as a baby then most people use the shortened version from the start of her name and her Mum the shortened version from the end.
I’m sure he will make his mind up as he gets a bit older. It might even depend if there are others called Alfie or Freddie in his class. If there are more than one he would be known by his surname too in school more than likely. Good to have options.

I think it's ok for him to have several nicknames. You can call him Freddie and his sister can call him Alfie. When he starts school tell them he is Alfred known as Freddie and they will use that name. When he is older he will make his own mind up
I don't know why your mum's friend thinks it's shocking. It really isn't.

I would start calling your son Alfred. 90% of the time for six months.
The nick names Alfie and Freddy are both fine for Alfred.
Your daughter needs to know his real name solidly so that Alfie and Freddy seem logical. In fact everyone should know that his name is Alfred. Then Freddy will make sense later if you refer to him as that sometimes.

The benefit of Alfie is that the first initial is the same as Alfred, unlike Freddy. Freddy is usually short for Frederick.

It’s fine to change it but there’s so many little boys called Alfie, it’s not like you’ve called him Rover

As the parent of a child who went by half a dozen nicknames and diminutives at that age I think it is probably fine. My one reservation would be if you happen to live on Elm Street, OP?

Having had 4 children, and watched how things transpire. Here is what I would do: Call him "Alfie" at home; keep it as a term of endearment. When he is introduced in public, tell them his name is "Alfred". Classic names are hard to keep anyway. Try try try to keep it. For those who have started calling him "Freddie", leave it. You are obsessing over something that will transpire on its own, and whatever he will eventually enforce. Whatever turns out, it will mean him, and only him.

Thanks so much for everyone's responses. It's made me feel so much better and realise that it isn't such a big deal. I think that I was just going round in circles and a problem shared is always a problem halved. I've realised that ultimately, my son will choose to either be called by his given name of Alfred or a diminutive. For now, I've decided to call him Alfred when I introduce him to people and when I speak to him the majority of the time. Diminutives can then be used as and when people wish. As he begins to speak over the next few months/years, he can choose how he introduces himself. Thanks again.

I think Alfie is much nicer than Freddie. I wouldn't worry about the dog thing.

Ease the transition by calling him Alfred sometimes. Then sometimes use Alfie and sometimes Freddie, before going on to just Freddie. Through his life he’ll probably have people calling him both nicknames, maybe Alf and Fred and well, and he may grow to prefer one more than others himself.

A side point, but it’s important to use Alfred as well as any nickname. It’s really important that kids recognise their actual name as well as a nickname.

All of my (4) kids have had numerous nicknames over the years and they progress and change all the time, their friends all have nicknames for them too all of which are different to the nicknames we use. No issues from anybody ever, and they all answer to pretty much anything!

I know plenty of dogs called Freddie and Alfred reminds me of a butler.

There's always going to be a name that's shared with something/someone you don't want.

What?
Are you on the correct thread?

I think it’s fine - that’s the beauty of a flexible name like Alfred 😊

Freddie and alfie are both short for Alfred so you can use either. Lots of people go by more than one shortening or change it so don’t see the issue, just use what you want.