Full name or nickname on birthcert?

[Tuschinski]

I've always been of the mind to put a more formal version of a name on a birthcert but have noticed it has become very common now to use nicknames only.
Problem is the 2 front runners for the baby I am expecting are Eppie for a girl and Rudy for a boy and I'm not keen on the long versions.
Would you just use the NNs?

Eppie could be for Elizabeth? Just about!

It doesn't stand up as a proper full name. Wouldn't use Rudy on its own either but I agree the options there are more limited. I kind of like Roddy for Roderick having seen it in above post.

generally i think full names not nicknames

BUT - your names don't have nice long versions so i would go with them?

trying to find a nice name that eppie could possibly be short for seems the wrong way round somehow?

maryqueen - met a v sweet lttle roddy (roderick) the other day - great name

I've always preferred names that are short and sweet in themselves and not shortenable, then any confusion is avoided.

Saying that, children seem to find shortened versions of even three-letter names, so it's not fool-proof!

Interesting question. I was going to use Nathan as a first name (it can be shortened to Nate if he wants), but now am wondering if I should put Nathaniel on the birth certificate instead.

FortunateHamster, I think Nathan is perfectly acceptable as a full name, no need for Nathaniel unless you prefer it of course.

Thanks Tuschinski

I used to know a Stephanie who was called Step for short (she didn't like Steph), so it's not that outlandish to have Eppie as a nickname for it either. Tbh, though, I agree with the poster who said their first thought was the epi-pen. And whilst hopefully such a vile phrase might disappear from use eventually, it might remind some people of the term 'epi fit'. Just a thought.

Eppie also makes me think epilepsy, sorry. Have you thought Eleftheria (or Eleutheria pronounced the same way, stress on the i)? Means freedom in Greek.

Roderick is a fab name. I've known three Rods, and they have all been fab (I'm not sure if they were Roddy's as children though). Elspeth is another good alternative, and Elizabeth has so many associated nns you might get away with it (although I think the lack of a "p" is slightly problematic).

So thinking a little more laterally, what about Delphia/Delphine, Penelope, Septima or Cleopatra?

Oh Nooka, liking Penelope, , that could definitely work.

The epilepsy connection never occurred to me but now that it's mentioned I don't know how it didn't.

Definately use the full name. It will give the child more choice when they get older.

My first thought on reading Eppie was Epi-pen or Epilepsy.

Maybe go for Persephone and Effie?

Eppie short for Elspeth?

Both my DC have long names on their bcs whilst they are alway referred to as the nns we chose for them. However I love their full names and always introduce them as name know as nn (just think they are a bit long for the little people to use all the time at the moment). I always looked to pick a name based on how it looked on a business card and most nns just wouldn't create the right impression for me.

Full names, unless the shortening is a name in itself. I would put Eliza on a certificate not Elizabeth, as I think Eliza is a proper name in itself which is just derived from Elizabeth. I wouldn't put Beth on - it's just an out and out shortening.

So I'd go for Rudy on the certificate as it sounds like a full name, but not Eppie.

I was called Penelope and after just a few days my sister couldn't say my name in full and called me Eppie. My parents had read Silas Marner and therefore the name stuck. I wish I was only called Eppie as it makes it confusing having my formal official name and the name I've always been known as. What did you decide?

Hedwig3 I agree. I also don't see the point of putting a longer name on the BC than you intend to use.

Out of interest, what is Eppie short for anyway? It's not a name I've ever heard before .

I think it's a bit selfish to not use a full name just because you don't intend to use anything other that a nickname. A child's name is not just the parents to use!

than a nickname

Eppie, short for Hepzibah from a classic book called Silas Marner. Eppie is nicer than Hepzibah! A few of my friends have given their babies shortened forms of names as their full names, like Archie and Kate. Can't see the problem with it personally.

I just can't do nn on birth certificates. I really didn't like Samuel (well, I did, but it sounded odd with our last name at first) but I felt like I couldn't just put "Sam" down.

I like Jack, but DH is insisting it would have to be John, which I think is a bit OTT.

I too could never put a nickname on a birth certificate. Your child CAN still use the nicknames but why take away your children's options...?

Definitely full name on birth certificate. Also, on the subject of nn, I have one of those names which has multiple choice diminutives. My family chose one and stuck to it. I hate it and have tried, unsuccessfully, to change it to another recognised diminutive. It works for a while until newer friends meet family members or very old school friends and then I get "oh, that's your real name, why do you call yourself frantic? Also, family insist on using old diminutive on Facebook, where I am under "new" nn and that really confuses other people! It's my name ffs! Stop being so controlling!

Really needed to get that off my chest! Sorry, rant over. As you were!

Use the full name. In ds's last school he was always the nickname, and I was the only one who used his full name. Now, in the new school, he only goes by his full name. So it goes to show it was nice for him to have options.