Shortened names. How do you get on with them?

[Eleta]

There are some names that have obvious short forms, Samuel-Sam, Thomas-Tom etc where I'm sure at school your child on paper would be known by full name but be called by short form. But how about names that have more than one short form? And if you choose the less obvious one? Eg: Robert-Bob, William-Billy etc.

I love Ted/Teddy and so am thinking of calling dc3 Edward. I like the name Edward, just not for a small child but I am concerned that he woud go to school and be called Ed/Eddy which I hate. Can you ask schools to call your child Ted or would they use Edward?

Would I be making life harder for him? Would he be forever saying "My names Edward, but I'm called Ted"

I see what you mean - but I also like it when my ds is called Little Pat(even though I don' much like Pat as an abbreviation) - because it acknowledges the bit of him that belongs to his Irish family, and particularly that he belongs to the Grandad he was named after. I don't think it's hostile because I've never said I don't want them to do it. I think if I felt strongly that they shouldn't and they still did - now THAT would be hostile!

I don't think you can dictate what people call your child. "A loved one has many names" after all and anyone who is fond of them may well come up with their own little name. Plus when he's a teengaer his mates will probably call him things you simply can't imagine.

And when they are teenagers that's fine, if that's what they want. I'm talking about people who call a child by a name that is different to the one that the parents have said they want to use. Would you mind if someone called you something different to your usual name, if you had said you didn't want them to?

If you always call him Ted or Teddy, and introduce him to other people as Ted or Teddy, then that's what he'll be known as. People will be unlikely to call him Ed or Eddie or Edward because they won't think of that as his name. He might decide he wants to be called Edward, Ed or Eddie later, but then he might decide he wants to be called Jehosaphat later.

Both my boys have names with similar shortenings. We explained to the school what their 'birth certificate' name was and what they were called. At the doctors the boys now say "I'm always called Bill, not William" (to give an example).

I'm with 2.4.

My 6yr old ds is teddy, christened as edward. Whenever I fill in official forms I write his full name and then 'teddy' underlined in brackets after edward.

He is only ever called edward at hospital appts.

All school reports call him teddy and gp does too.

He is old enough now to tell someone if they get his name wrong so I leave it up to him.

He loves his name!

Thats a good idea to write Teddy on forms too.
I will remember that one for when he is older!

Thats funny that he has never heard his name as Edward. Bet he wouldnt even register then if someone called it out to him in the street!

I am amazed at how well children adapt to different names myself.
I was wondering how my 2 year old would manage to understand that our Teddy is also called Edward sometimes officially, but he has picked it up really easily!
He says 'Mummy's name is Sarah and Teddy's name is Edward!'
Also occasonally if he is talking to me about Teddy, I think he is saying Daddy as his speech isnt that clear and he says 'NO not Daddy, EDWARD' to clarify. Its brilliant.
He doesnt seem confused that he only has one name himself either lol

Just had this conversation with DD1's new keyworker at nursery, she is Abigail but known as Abbie new keyworker has put her new peg as Abigail and is calling her Abigail so far so I had a word today as we are teaching her to write her name as Abbie.

DD2's name wouldn't be shortened and DD3's could be but I hope it's not.

I think names will always be shortened it's kind of human nature, I think there were two Edwards (Teds) on our recent July babies thread too.

My ds didn't know his christened name until he was about 4yrs and I thought I should warn him that when we wnet to hospital they might call him 'edaward'!

2point4: are you really me? Too many names the same in our families!

My bil specifically chose names that couldn't be shortened. Both names are now lengthned to produce nicknames. Bil just goes with the flow now he has 'come to terms' with it!lol

Just make sure on all official forms you put the preferred name in brackets after and that name will be used.

For those that can't understand why people don't use the name you tell them, I think some people are just ignorant TBH.
My name can be pronounced a number of different ways, but I have introduced myself to people and have them mispronounce it as in
'Hi, I'm **'
'Oh, hi (completely different pronunciation)'
'No, it's **'
'That's what I said'

My DD (4) has a long name, but we only ever use the shortened version. She has her full name on her passport, but if we have to fill in other forms, we put the shortened version in brackets and underlined, so that people know what to call her. She might decide she wants to use her full name at some point, or she might choose an alternative abbreviation, but the choice will be hers!

I don't think we've ever had anyone call her by her full name yet (except for me, when she's done something really bad ).

You give a name to another person. You shouldn't try to control everyone's use of it for the next 21 years.

ahh, there's seeker. i agree with seeker

hm, in my Kids school they ask the Kids what they are used to being called...

Swimming teacher calls ds by his full name and he hasn't corrected her. Most forms have a prefered name for those people who have shortened name or always use their middle name. Dh has to be careful when he gets expenses cheques from work or books a flight that they use his correct initial. Though the bank now will cash one with the incorrect initial.

I work at one school where we have to use full names on school reports even if I never call the child that. Alex becomes Alexander twice a year etc.

Message withdrawn

had same dilemma with edward as liked Ned as shortenening.

cant stand ed/eddie either. Had same with christian and disliking Chris. decided not to go with either as was worried would have this exact problem!

Sorry if this suond think but if you want him to always been called Teddy you fcould put that on his birth certificate! Also ojn official forms you can put anything you like, so for school you can oput him down as Teddy even if he is Edward on his Birth certificate.

My Mum wanted to call me Kate so named me that on my birth certificate

The school register has the full name. I supply teach and use the name the child uses. It takes a bit of time before I know the children because I have to ask the Samuels, Benjamins etc.
You have to be prepared that your DC may not like your shortened form. If I was Edward I would refuse point blank to be known as Teddy, Ted, or Ned as soon as I was old enough to object!!

Both dd's are called by short names, although the older one 4.6yrs insists on be called by her full name at school.

I sometimes forget my 'proper' name when i'm either called by it or need to spell .

My nephew is William, but everyone calls him Billy as that's how he is introduced. Apart from my Nana, but she's a stickler for long names.

ds1, now 34 is called David, if anyone calls him Dave he always says 'id'!

I wouldn't call a child a name if I really didn't like the shorter versions of it.

I'm Suzanne and my brother is David and it drives my mum mad that over the years we've used Sue/Suzy and Dave and she hates those names - why pick something that can be shortened to them then!!!! AArrrgh!