Wilfred v Wilfrid

[Momdeguerre]

Hi,
Our next DC arrives in a week. Our girls name is Penelope Charlotte Elizabeth and we have decided (finally!!!) on Wilfred/Wilfrid Thomas Sydney for a boy.

I am still struggling to decide between Wilfred or Wilfrid. Both being 'proper' spellings - I can't see it making much difference other than that our preference is for any nickname to be Bill or Wilf rather than Fred/Freddie. I'm not sure it would make a huge difference in practice or if it will just require our dc to constantly correct the spelling of his name in preference to the more common fred ending.

Thoughts?

I would go with Wilfrid if you want to avoid Fred/die as a nn. BTW, I would use the Sidney spelling for a boy. Sydney as a girls' name has been quite popular since the Sydney Olympics. Unless Sydney spelled like that is a family surname as mn.

wilfred

Ooh momdeguerre my DC2 is due in 2 weeks and we've also decided on Wilf (he's been known as that since before he was conceived in fact!) so good choice! It's a brilliant name.

I'm also having the same Wilfred / Wilfrid struggle - personally I like the way it looks with the 'i' in it, more Norse somehow, but I'm also quite happy for him to be called Freddie as a nn if he wants, so feel I should go for it spelt with an 'e'. Hmm. I'm not helping you here at all am I? Sorry, just sharing my own confusion!

In practice I don't think how it's spelled will make much difference to nicknames - my nickname is a contraction of my full name but spelled differently IYSWIM. I do have to spell my name a lot (both full version and nn) but you get used to it so again, I wouldn't worry about 'condemning' your child to a lifetime of spelling his name, worse things happen at sea..!

I think just go with the one you like the look of most. I still can't decide though....!

Math - thank you. We have used family names as middle names so will probably stick with their original spelling.

Snow - good luck! Am sure you are feelingjust as delighted as me that the finish line is in sight!! I really am struggling to decide, not sure I mind how either looks - might try writing them out a few times! Am still undecided, I think you are right about the nn - I was just hoping I might be able to influence it a tad!

I'd go Wilfred, I think. Leaves all options open. 'Frid is a but furrin-sounding to me.

Thanks Mom you too - I can't wait to get this baby Wilf OUT!!!

I prefer Wilfred - it looks better to me for some reason.

I also prefer Wilfred - the other spelling doesn't look right to me. Also would definitely go with Sidney as opposed to Sydney.

Wilfred

He might get called Frida

Wilfred - you might want to avoid the Fred/Freddie nn but he may well want at least to be given an option when he's a teenager or later when he's a grown man

Wilfrid, that is how my Dad spells it.

Thank you - helps to see that both are being used. I think he would probably get called Freddie as a nn at some point regardless since there is little difference between the two in practice. I don't hate it - otherwise I would not be considering the name full stop - just prefer other nn like Wilf. Am certain he will have his own opinion.

Thanks again for the comments.

I have a Wilfred.

No one has ever spelled it Wilfrid, or asked how it is spelled. Therefore it is logical to assume that if he had been Wilfrid I would have spent a lot of time correcting people by now.

I too have a Wilfred and like MaMight, nobody has ever mispelt it. Nor has anyone ever called him Fred/Freddie.

Once you tell people his name is Wilf that's what he will be (although it may get shortened to Wil down the line)

It's a fab name - we get nothing but compliments!

You could go for the German version: Wilfried

• which means 'want peace'