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"

As far as I know, you can enter the shortened version on the birth certificate, then there'll never be any question. I know someone who's son is called Sam - not Samuel, just Sam. That's what's on his birth certificate, so that's what everyone calls him. All official documentation is the same.