anyone see this entertaining letter int he sunday times ?

[codswallop]

Our son is due to start primary school in September. He is known as PJ by everyone and has been since birth. When registering his name we were advised against calling him PJ on the birth certificate and called him Philip James Raymond Preston after both his father and grandfather. We always intended to call him PJ and have done ever since. At the recent open evening for reception class we saw that our child?s name was wrong on the admissions list. They had called him James Preston. I pointed out the mistake and said his name was PJ. The teacher advised me he had to be called by the name on his birth certificate. The head teacher eventually agreed for him to be called PJ. Does a school have to call a child by the name on his or her birth certificate?

Hannah Thompson, Wollaston

chris woodheads response

"The parent chooses the name; the school should, however suspect it might be, use it. "

he he crap name!Poor kid

A mate of mine once taugh a poor kid called Truly-Scrumptious. Mother wrote into school and complained that the teachers were just calling her 'Truly'. True story!

PJ is quite a common name in Ireland, doesn't seem strange to me at all.

Bet he is called "phil" when he is 10!

I dont see why the school didnt havehim down asn Phil really, rather than james

lol wonder if they were Byker Grove fans !!

Actually if he is known as PJ the school should just accept it. Don't think using initials is that uncommon.

On DS's nursery application, there was a box for "the name your child is known by" I asume that use that one - otherwise the poor kid won't know who they're talking to! My DS2 certainly responds better to his petname than his "proper" name.

I remember one particularly annoying boy who was called Barry-John but refused to answer to anything other than BJ. By the time he got to his teens the abbreviation "BJ" had a whole new meaning. He now goes by the name of Barry.....

We had an Eleanor who was known as Bella. Not quite sure how that came about but thats what we called her as soon as we realised. (Her parents put it in brackets on the form).

We had to put child's proper name and the name they are known by on school form. Neither of mine are regularly called by their full name. Dd, now 7, will answer to either but ds, 18m, doesn't recognise his "proper" name. I know people will wonder why we gave them a full name if we never intended using them, but when they're older they can choose one of many shortened forms of their name or the full one if they want.

lol at chris woodhead's reply. short and mean.
One of my kids at french club is known as Poppy but her real name is completely different (which is why I coudn't find her on the register which had her real name down...)

Schools here ask which name your child wishes to be known by, which seems to cover all eventualities!

A friend of mine is always know by her second name which caused a few problems when she was in hospital having a baby recently. Staff were looking for someone called X while Y totally ignored their frantic search, for ages.

When I was in having DS1 my MIL kept phoning up asking for me under DH's name - and getting a bit anxious when they kept telling her there was no-one of that name in the hospital!

I have always been known by my middle name, but I have found that hospitals are UTTERLY unable to cope with that concept. Have been hospitalised alot over the last 18 moths, and now answer to every varient of my name.

I think it shows a lack of respect tho' that they can't accept how you wish to be addressed, especially when told repeatedly (and very patiently).

DS has a long christian name, which is commonly shortened for a lot of people. But as he isn't 5 yet, I still want him to understand his proper name. On his first visit to pre-school nursery, the nursery teacher addressed him using the shortened form, and seemed a little bit put-out when I said "Actually, we always call him .... (the proper form), I'd prefer it if you and your staff do too."

Surely your name is the name you go by? Why should anyone have to put up with this sort of messing about? I have a friend who is actually Elizabeth Jane but I have never heard anyone (including herself) call her anything but Jane... seems fair enough. Hmb that CANNOT be a true story, surely??? rofl.

well yes
dh 's first ( ie birth)surname is never used or his 2nd middle name
NO need to change it by deed poll at all

I just think Pj is a crap name

( IMO)

Both my nana and my uncle are known by their middle names, not their first names - which I never understand really.

At school as a class teacher I am aloways given a register withthe child's full 'proper' name on it. During my first lesson I use the name on the register but ask during that first registration time what name they prefer to be known by (within reason obviously).

dont gett he middle name thing - how does that happen?
My granny was Frances mary always called mary,, If anyone called me jane I would fall over

But ont eh borth announcements you see poeple referred to as

Fern " wobblyjugs" Britton
( oe they will call her wobbly jugs

well why not just calll her that then not Fern?

dont get it

I really resent the fact that people call my daughter penelope when it isnt her name!!

I know if anyone called me Jane I would fall over too

is she a penny then?

My dh is known by his middle name due to stupid family tradition bollox. It's very annoying sometimes.

My nanny's nephew is called PJ.

what his first nema ehten?

DH's grandad is called named John James, but has always been known as Jack???????