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Original poster

Help me work out how how the hell I can ever shorten DDs name when I don't like any of the 'official' short forms. Please.

78 replies

DeJaVousdoo · 25/10/2008 20:09

DD is called Isabella and although I love the name it's not necessarily one I'd have chosen, had things been different. I can explain if you want, but it's a bit of a long story.

I always just call her by her full name, the length doesn't bother me and fortunately it's nowhere near as common where I am as it is in the UK.

Anyway, DC2 is on the way and will probably end up with a longish name too (for balance). One full time long form I can cope with. Two seems, well, a bit poncey TBH

Neither DP or I like

Isabel
Izzy
Bel
Bella

We disagree on

Isa (pronounced Ee-sa) - 'tis very common here, DP thinks that's fine but I don't.
Ella - I like it, DP doesn't.

She's nearly one and no hint of a nickname has ever been detected. So, help what short of creative shortning could we use?

OP posts:
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KatyMac · 25/10/2008 20:12

Lala

Elle

Zela

ZeZe

Struggling now

BBBeeast · 25/10/2008 20:12

(popcorn?)

LittleMonkeysMummy · 25/10/2008 20:13

how about isla? or is? or la?

BloodshotEyeballsintheScarySky · 25/10/2008 20:13

DN is called Isobel nn Boo...

Intrigued by the long story. Did you put all possible names into a hat and let the dog draw one out?

LittleMonkeysMummy · 25/10/2008 20:13

lala reminds meof the teletubbies

MurderousMarla · 25/10/2008 20:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

maisiestar · 25/10/2008 20:14

I know an Isabella who is Bessy or Bess for short.

BloodshotEyeballsintheScarySky · 25/10/2008 20:15

That's lovely Maisie. I second Bess(y)

RustyBear · 25/10/2008 20:15

Sable?

nooOOOoonki · 25/10/2008 20:18

I love Esa ( my aunt is one)

where do you live?

loler · 25/10/2008 20:20

A nn might appear when dc2 starts talking - isabella will be too long for them to say correctly.

But Bessy is cute - I also 2nd 3rd!

Original poster
DeJaVousdoo · 25/10/2008 20:22

I think I quite like Bess(y)!

Esa - Is that sort of Ess-a?

OP posts:
TinkerBellesMum · 25/10/2008 20:24

It's a form of Elizabeth so how about one of the Elizabeth shortenings instead?

I was opening this one thinking of my daughter who just happens to be Isobel. I don't like the shortenings either (especially Izzie! "No, he's not!") but my neice started off calling her Tinker Belle when we told her the name before Tink was born and it stuck. Nicknames can be personal, they don't have to be from the first name.

Original poster
DeJaVousdoo · 25/10/2008 20:24

Grrr, just realised 'bes' is Dutch for berry. Would that not be sickmakingly twee?

OP posts:
Original poster
DeJaVousdoo · 25/10/2008 20:27

Oh, bugger. My dictionary says 'bes' also means old woman/crone.

This bilingual thing is such a PIA. I'll have find out if the crone thing is still common usage.

OP posts:
Original poster
DeJaVousdoo · 25/10/2008 20:30

I did think of the Elizabeth shortenings, but I feel a bit meh about them really.

I would like a true nickname but it's something that will come in it's own time (or not).

OP posts:
loler · 25/10/2008 20:37

Unless she looks like a crone I guess people would think of berry first (don't think that's at all twee) - try using it for a while in private and see if it feels right!

If a nn does develop it gives her another option when shes older - my ds is known by about 5 names and responds to them all! The most weird being Bucket as dd couldn't say his name when he was born.

changer22 · 25/10/2008 20:42

If you don't want to shorten it, don't!

I used to know a French American family where the children were called Anastasia (pronounced the Russian way, not the Disney way) and her brother was called...

Kevin! It worked somehow as those were their names. They weren't shortened and they didn't match but they suited the children.

AprilMeadow · 25/10/2008 20:49

Dd id called Ella and my nickname for her is Boo

Original poster
DeJaVousdoo · 25/10/2008 21:05

Thanks everyone!

Bess / Bessy is definitely an option, I had to prompt DP before he thought of the crone thing

All and any suggestions still gratefully appreciated!

OP posts:
Original poster
DeJaVousdoo · 25/10/2008 21:08

Eyeballs - the LOng (Dull) Story: We we've got a really very difficult double surname and needed a names that work with that as well as being pronounced the same in Dutch and English. THat was a though enough call TBH, but we also had to include the name of DPs (then dying, now dead) uncle who was effectively his brother. We tried and tried to find a feminine form that carried it's essence and we both liked, but we couldn't so had to stick with the masculine form.

DP and I are both extremely picky about names so with that and the pronunciation thing we seemed to both exercise immediate veto on about 80% of the other ones lists. That was before we even tried combing them with the middle name and surname... It was hellish and I'm really not looking forward to choosing names again.

Isabella D a a n. L e w i s - v a n - d e r - A a was the only combo we could actually agree on. There aren't actually full stops and hyphens in the name, but it was unreadable without!

OP posts:
Original poster
DeJaVousdoo · 25/10/2008 21:46

Awwww. We were just getting somewhere...

OP posts:
littlelamb · 25/10/2008 21:51

I know an Isabella who is called Bells by her family?

MrsGhost · 25/10/2008 21:54

My niece is Isabel, and we call her Dizzy Spell! Or DIzzy for short.

frazzledoldbag34 · 28/10/2008 08:43

My neice is Isabella and she is called Bar. Which I think is cute and unusual.
Bessy is nice too - wouldn't have thought of that.