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Baby names

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

Longer baby names that are unlikely to be shortened?

63 replies

Meelien · Yesterday 04:01

Are there any longer names (5+ letters) that are not commonly shortened? I really dislike the concept of shortenings (mainly as I find them to be pointless), but it feels like my only options are short names like Ava, Mia, Adam, Cleo, Ivy, Noah, Lucy, Eric (just examples) if I want to avoid the inevitable. I just have a love of those long elegant names that are often shortened to something boring.

OP posts:
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SisterMaryImmaculate · Yesterday 21:41

Kindly OP, you’re trying to hold back the tide here. I work with kids and they will find a way to make a nickname. If it’s not the kid’s first name, they’ll do it with their surname or even just somehow make up a nickname based on their character, appearance or even a funny occasion. Most children actually enjoy getting a nickname from their peers as it confirms their acceptance and familiarity within their friendship group.

Firebird83 · Yesterday 21:41

Caroline - the ones I know all go by the full name
Charlotte
Esther
Margot
Frances
Juliet / Juliette
Martha

George
Arthur
Henry
Jasper
Hector
Elliot

Whatisityoucantface · Yesterday 21:44

I know 3 Sophia’s one is a Soph and the other two are called Fia!

But I also know a Caroline, Andrew, Francesca, Charlotte, David, Richard, Nicola, Isabel, Catherine, Amanda, Patrick, Charles, Gillian - literally loads and loads of people who absolutely do not shorten their names! Some listed above are children too! You can’t control if your child (or their friends) chooses too shorten it later. Or choose a bizarre spelling - eg for Isabel - Izzie/ Izzy/Issy/Izi etc… which honestly would put me off too!!

Some great suggestions on here - I think some of the Irish names are tricky to shorten to another ‘name’:
Maeve, Ciara, Niamh, Sean, Ronan, Lorcan, Erin, Orla

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · Today 07:37

One of my sons has a name with a common shortening which I hate (it’s already been mentioned a couple of times on this thread). I am trying to train him to reject that if people ever use it (he’s still very little) but in general people always just use the full name. At home we use the full name or a different shortening, which I wouldn’t mind being used by others. I knew it was inevitable people would try use it and I took that risk but so far other than a few occasions it’s been ok.

LemonFlavour · Today 08:53

It’s a bit rude that some insist on shortening/lengthening other people’s names and almost seem offended or aghast when someone doesn’t want their name to be. Why is that? I personally feel that a lot of names are shortened out of laziness (not wanting to have to say longer names every time). You see this a lot with hyphenated names. People will shorten it to just the name before the hyphen, even if the person whose name it is prefers the full thing.

JumpingPumpkin · Today 09:28

I knew an Anthony and a Stephen, brothers, whose parents didn't like the shortened versions. Worked well until they became Tone and Steve within days of arriving at uni.

Honestly the number of people I know with completely random nicknames that aren't even related to their real name makes trying to control this a waste of time.

SleepingStandingUp · Today 09:34

i think all you can do is instill their full name where you can. you have no control over other people. we have a Constance at school. I checked with Mom. she's a Constance. fine. one of the girls can't say it. she got upset she couldn't say it, C got upset she kept saying it wrong, other girl suggested Connie and C agreed as she can pronounce it. I didn't interfere and will continue to call her Constance.
we have an Elizabeth at school that never gets shortened and a Charlotte. it might as they get older but all you can do is let them choose.

WhatWouldDianeLockhartDo · Today 09:35

Just pick a name you like, people may change it whatever you pick so focus on something you like as it is, introduce them as that and then listen to them moan about the name you picked for them anyway.

SleepingStandingUp · Today 09:38

Meelien · Yesterday 15:46

I like Alexandria, Charles, Christina, Jacqueline, Joseph, Katherine, Lawrence, Madeleine, Michael, Stephen, but I feel that these names are almost always shortened to the point where it is rare to hear the full name. I'm just not keen on the idea of DC always being Charlie, Joe/Joey, Katie/Kate, Larry, Maddie, Mike, etc. I feel like these nicknames are just given to a child once they start attending school, and then they're kind of stuck with it (if that makes sense). I have a name like this and have always hated it being shortened by strangers even when I introduce myself as the full name (so much so that I want to avoid that for my child).

(We don't know the gender yet, so I'm listing examples of both.)

Edited

I know a Katherine who never gets shortened, she'd simply glare and ignore them. went to school with a Christina, always full name. Michael in our school is Def just Michael.
I honestly think it's just about conditioning.

if you only ever call her Alexandria she'll answer to it. just correct and say "actually we don't want it shortened until she's old enough to choose". you'll get an eye roll but people should do it

Mimilamore · Today 17:17

I have an Eliza… family shortened to Slyz and Liza. She now lives in Oz and is referred to as Lizzie ( who is this person!?)2
I have always called her Eliza, can’t control others!
I have an Esther too… she gets called Est and I have a Heather, she goes by Hev… Hannah my only child who, to my knowledge doesn’t get shortened…🤷‍♀️

Mimilamore · Today 17:19

For what it’s worth I have 3 syllable names that was shortened as a child and this is used by family. All adult friends call me by my full name .

SwedishEdith · Today 17:38

Yes, work with a lot of Hannahs and Claires and they're never shortened.
Paul
John

Every name I think of, I can hear a shortened version immediately.

muddyford · Today 18:04

If you never shorten noone else will. My name has never been shortened and I know an Alexandra, Nicola and a boy called Christopher that never have either.

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