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Original poster

Shortening boys names

37 replies

alicet · 10/07/2007 12:12

OK so sorry to post a similar thread to one I posted a month or so ago but please bear with me!

Dh and I really really struggle with boys names and are expecting ds2 in Oct. Ds1 doesn't have a middle name as we found it so tricky last time!!! Trouble is we have very differing ideas about what is a good boys name.

We have FINALLY (after many hours of 'debate') narrowed it down to Patrick (Paddy) and Adam and predictably each prefer one of the 2 choices. Trouble is we're not keen on Ads or Pat as shortened versions. Dh thinks Patrick is more likely to be shortened than Adam which I disagree with, especially as we will call him Paddy. Plus Adam has the same number of syllables so I think its just as likely to be shortened

So my question is this - which (if any) of the 2 names do you think are most likely to be shortened? I'm particulaly intereste to hear from people who have used the same names themselves or who have friends called these...

Thanksing you very much in advance!

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fannyannie · 10/07/2007 12:13

Patrick may also be shortened to "Pat" IME....

McDreamy · 10/07/2007 12:14

I think Patrick is more likely to be shortened. I don't know many Adams but those i do know only get called Adam, never heard anyone calling them Ad's.

We had a similar situation with our DS, DH like Benedict I prefered Benjamin but we realsed he would be called Ben anyway so that's what we went with - Ben, short and simple! It's hard work choosing a name isn't it

Speccy · 10/07/2007 12:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BettySpaghetti · 10/07/2007 12:15

I think Adam is less likely to be shortened, although saying that, I know a Patrick (7) and have never heard his name shortened by school friends.

Original poster

alicet · 10/07/2007 12:15

Ben would be top of our list too (and solve all problems as its the only name other than Sam who is ds1 that we both like). If only our surname didn't strat with T thus making him BenT!!!!!

OP posts:

ejt1764 · 10/07/2007 12:17

Hi alice!

IME, if you shorten the name to Paddy yourself, then that is what he will be called by others ... I teach a Patrick / Paddy - and it has been made clear by his parents that he is known as Paddy rather than Patrick - and everybody calls him that ...

IME Adam tends not to get shortened, but ...

Also IME (again) - shorter names tend to get lengthened ... friends of mine who called their child Amelia, with the intention of her being known as Millie, now know her as Millie-May ... and so does everybody else.

Bear in mind that while Paddy is unlikely to become anything else, Adam may well end up as a lengthened form.

mad4girls · 10/07/2007 12:19

my dp is called adam and ive never shortened it but his ex used to call him add?

i quite fancy adam for our lo but he says no

McDreamy · 10/07/2007 12:19

Well I get around my loosing out on Benjamin (and shortening to Benji while he is small) as our surname begins with G so he gets called Ben G (Benji) making me a happy mummy

Pheebe · 10/07/2007 12:20

I have a friend called adam that we call ady and a friend called patrick that we call rick

I like both but personally I think patrick's more likley to get shortened

Original poster

alicet · 10/07/2007 12:25

Cheers for all your comments. This name thing is such a minefield!

Hi ejt and Pheebe - hope you're having less trouble naming your own lo's! And teachers comments very welcome ejt as you see lots of children with the same names I guess!

OP posts:

McDreamy · 10/07/2007 12:25

Good luck alice

Sarahjct · 10/07/2007 12:28

Adam will be shortened to Ad or Ads.

Be thankful you're not in Ireland where the common abbreviation for Patrick is Patsy. I have an uncle Patsy and even after 35 years I still can't get my head round it

Both lovely names though.

mother2b · 10/07/2007 12:51

the only abbr for patrick i have heard is pads, i think pads is nice, it depends where you live though i suppose, i know a few adams and have never heard their names abbrd

meandmyflyingmachine · 10/07/2007 12:52

Patch.

Although I'm slightly about it...

heresfor2007 · 10/07/2007 13:34

I think alot of name shortening depends on what you, yourselves call you child and what name you tell other people. Also, when your child grows up, what they tell people their name is. My brothers name is Steven. He was always known as Steven and not Steve until about 14 when he decided he liked Steve and his friends then started to call him steve. It took me and my family years to get our heads around calling him Steve, because everyone all knew him as Steven. Most older family friends still call him Steven, and I'm sure if he'd not made the concious descision to change it to Steve, then it would still be steven. He has now got a 7 month baby call Eleanor and I am dying to call her Ellie, but as they call her by her full name that's what everyone uses.
Good Luck in coming to a decision. I'm 24+3 and we are currently trying to work out names, but we like names that can be shortened - so prob in the oposite situation to you.

Hersetta · 10/07/2007 13:38

My FIL and BIL are both Patrick and they both get called Pat. I also know 2 Adam's and have never heard their names abbreviated.

Tinker · 10/07/2007 13:39

Think Patrick is most likely to be shortened but I think Pat is a fine name for a man, very manly, I think.

hatrickjacqueline · 10/07/2007 13:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

meandmyflyingmachine · 10/07/2007 13:42

I think Pat is more common for older people. I've never heard a child called Pat.

leCodgy · 10/07/2007 13:43

Round here Patrick is usually shortened to Paddy or Pat. Adam is alot less likely to be shortened imo.

Tortington · 10/07/2007 13:47

adam will be
addy when aged 13 on a skateboard

bundle · 10/07/2007 13:49

I know an Adam. He gets called Adam

RTKangaMummy · 10/07/2007 14:17

I know 2 Adams

1 gets called Adam and the other is called AD

And 2 Patricks that both get called PAT

Fimbo · 10/07/2007 14:25

My ds is Adam, occasionally shortened by us to Ads or Adsy but more of a pet kind of name. I always call him Adam outside of home and nobody shortens it either. If you ask him his name he will always say Adam.

My grandfather was Patrick but known as Pat, loving Patch though.

doughnuts · 10/07/2007 14:31

I preferred Paddy the first time round ! I have a friend with an Adam,grown up now, and she often calls him Ad.
My ds has a very short name which I sometimes shorten even more,it just happens, though I generally disapprove of shortening people's names,unless they say it's ok... foe example,I have a friend called Deborah and I call her Deb,which she likes, or Deborah - but people who don't know her often call her Debbie which makes me cross - she doesn't like irt if they do that either !
So - gto go back to your question - I vote for Paddy !

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