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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Is your child more known by their nickname than their proper name?

27 replies

duchesse · 18/03/2009 18:09

I have three children who've all had nicknames since birth or shortly thereafter (one has had 4 since she was about 18 months). It had never struck me as odd until just now that it may be fairly unusual for a child to be better known by a nickname than their first name (to the extent that the children's cousin did not know what his cousin's real name was when they were both 9!), and for it to be widely used by friends and family alike. I think my children would kill me if I revealed their nicknames on here, but was just wondering if anybody else's had them...

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EdwardBear · 18/03/2009 18:12

Yes, a nickname as in a short version of his full name - Teddy.
I dont think I've ever referred to him as his full name except when at the Drs etc
A friend did ask me a few months back if his full name is Theodore? but its actually Edward, so I wouldnt be surprised if a lot of people dont know his actual name.

MargaretMountford · 18/03/2009 18:14

yes !! ds has had quite a few since birth - the evolve - probably about 6 or 7 !! (dh and I also have nicknames)

silverfrog · 18/03/2009 18:15

yes, both dd1 & dd2 have nicknames that we use more often than their real names.

dd1 has been through 3 or 4, but has had her current one for at least 2.5 years (she's 4.5). Her nickname is also a name, and I have in the past corrected other people for using her nickname instead of her name, and then realised that I was being daft - she probably didn't evenknow her name at that point.

dd2 has always had the same nickname (she's 2), but we are going to have to stop using hers, as she won't thankus for it , and we do get a few looks when we call her.

I think in our case, the girls' names were just too big for them when they were babies, and so a nickname was easier. dd1 grew into her name at about 3 ish, but we call her both. dd2 will be a good few years yet before she grows into her name (it's just not a little girl's name) so we might have to find her a more suitable nickname...

Original poster

duchesse · 18/03/2009 18:15

Phew, MM- I was thinking we were maybe a little weird. DD2 has 4, mostly based on her physical appearance as a newborn, which is why we are BANNED from using them now (not that it stops us...).

OP posts:

Haribosmummy · 18/03/2009 18:15

2 of my DH's 3 kids (one DSD and DS) are both better known by nicknames than by their formally given name.

Elder DSD is known by her name.

But they are nicknames around their actual names.

MargaretMountford · 18/03/2009 18:19

my mother used to call me Crone - poor me !
I still call my brothers by nicknames

Original poster

duchesse · 18/03/2009 18:22

The nicest of my daughter's is Chicken, due to her drumstick thighs at the age of 1. Got to be worse than Crone, surely?

Oh my god I hope she never sees this. < hides thread >

OP posts:

MargaretMountford · 18/03/2009 18:29

Chicken is sort of cute and possibly fluffy - Crone is some old hag !

EdwardBear · 18/03/2009 19:29

Actually now I think of it, half my family still call me Des now at the grand age of 32.
It stuck as a nickname when I was young and bears no relation whatsoever to my actual name!

Takver · 18/03/2009 19:34

Not that unusual I think - my Dad is still known universally by his nickname at the age of 75 - not sure that anyone but his parents and sister have ever called him by his given name.
My aunt (on my mothers' side) was also always known by a nickname to most of her friends & work colleagues, although not to family.

philopastry · 18/03/2009 19:43

DS2 is always called by the shortened version of his name unless he is getting told off at which times i use his proper name . A shame as i do love the proper name.

pointydog · 18/03/2009 19:49

no, both known by full given name

FAQinglovely · 18/03/2009 19:53

yes - DS3 I think will always be known as TK - I even had "TK" on the Christening invites (along with his proper name) so people knew who it was.

and I recently took him to the docotrs, walked in and they said "name" - and I said "TK" - and they looked at me blankly I then had to think for a few seconds until I could say his proper name

Leannabanana · 19/03/2009 07:05

My Ellie has been knows as Boot for the longest time....she is now nine....even grandparents use it sometimes....the reason behind it was when me and my DH got together he had an Ellie from his previous relationship and so did I so. They became a 'pair of wellies'....then my Ellie became Wellie boot which ended up being just Boot for the last 5 yrs or so....she likes it...

AllThreeWays · 19/03/2009 07:14

My son probably wouldn't answer to his given name...he is 4

dizzydixies · 19/03/2009 10:44

my eldest 2 have shortened versions of their real names and DD3 is called by her middle name

CrackerNut · 19/03/2009 10:51

Dd1's name is Lauren but she almost always gets called Lol or Lolly.

Ds currently gets called monkeybum, which was actually started by me but I have no idea why.

Original poster

duchesse · 19/03/2009 11:11

Leanna that is a sweet story, and a really cute nickname!

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maqrollelgaviero · 19/03/2009 21:55

My ds is 24 months and everyone calls him Shuggy rather than his real name which is Hugh. When a Pre school assistant asked ds1 (3) his little brothers name he said it was Shuggy Buggles and got quite cross when someone else suggested that Hugh was the 'proper' name.

AlexandraPeppernose · 20/03/2009 12:10

My 5 yr old is still known as Slim within the family (he was a fat baby)

At school he is known by the shortened version of his given name. We only use his given namw when telling him off.

My dd is known as her full name (she insists on it)

deste · 21/03/2009 23:44

My DD at 23 still gets called "bubbles" by her school friends. Sophie Bubbles/soapy bubbles.

FSB · 22/03/2009 18:45

i am called exclusively by my nickname (quite a silly little girly name) by all my family, long term friends and DH's family & close friends. my proper name has only ever been used at School and work.

we are planning to give DD (due in summer) a name that is a nickname and put the 'proper' version on her documents in case she wants a serious name when she's older.

MarchNowFebMum · 22/03/2009 19:29

This thread gives me great relief! Although I like the proper name we have chosen for our dd, I think of her ONLY as her nickname (no relation to her name or anything else for that matter) and have wondered how it will affect her in the future, by having two names, so to speak. Sounds like everyone has had mostly positive experiences!

pranma · 23/03/2009 17:21

My Joanna was known as Panda at home but it wasnt used elsewhere

tomanykidstoname · 23/03/2009 17:46

my 4 oldest kids r all known by the first few letters of my name which has never caused a prob until a few weeks ago wen we got called into school because my oldest daghter (11) had refused to answer her new teacher cuz he called her her full name everyone else over the yrs even the dr calls her ky n this teacher called her kyra she was most upset because we only call her that wen shes in trouble and her argument at school was she was being good so he shouldnt call her that hence she won with the teacher but i have started using the other kids full names more now lol

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