long names / nick names

[Pink_Tinks]

we have been thinking about names, and were talking about nicknames bla bla bla, and someone my oh works with said
'you shouldnt give a baby a nick name, give them the long version to let them decide if they want it shortened'
so for example, Maddison / Maddie

what's your views on this??

 

[bump_wanted]

my oh will shorten any name my child has no chance of being able to pick its own nick name but i think if you start calling it a nick name then others will call it that too and id rather if its name was gonna get shortened it was to something i liked rather than something i didnt xxx

 

[Pink_Tinks]

but say we called a kid Maddie, n people assumed it was short for Maddison.
or if she actually prefered the longer version to shorter? but it would be weird to call her maddison if her name was actually maddie, but works the other way round?

Im Kimberley but i choose Kym, always have done but the option is still there i suppose, some people prefer the longer names dont they?

I dunno what to doooooooo!!

 

[Pickles77]

I agree that you should give them the longer name. Maddie might be cute for a little girl, but when she starts her professional life, she may want the option for something a bit more "grown-up" you know? My name is Samantha, and that's how I introduce myself, but once you get to know me, they call me Sam. And I quite like Sam, but I see it more as a nickname rather than me actual name. Anyway....

 

[Babybug]

I think if someone has just a shortened name ie sam, kim, jenny people will always assume its a nick name or short for something anyway. I agree that the longer name should be the given name.
My brother is Micheal we always called him mickey but now hes an adult he chooses to go by mick so just because you give a child a nick name doesnt mean they will stick with it they will change it to suit them as an adult.

I am going to call my daughter Elizabeth and plan to call her Ellie for short.

 

[Lilicat]

Formal name with a nickname is a great option however I say that with the warning to make sure you like all the nicknames for the long form you choose, just because you want Alexandra to be Lexi but when she is old enough she may choose Alex.

Really though, it is a good option formal names are just that, formal. They look good on CVs and in job interviews, when looking mature and sensible is a big plus. Lottie might be cute on a little girl but for a grown woman at work Charlotte is far more appropriate.

It also allows a person to keep their nickname within a few people who are close to them if they choose, they can be Katie with family, Kate with friends and Katherine at work.

 

[chele]

I agree
we're considering Tom, but I would name him Thomas, also Joey, but name him Joseph, and then he can choose when he's older and always has an option

 

[letia659]

I would go with the long version also...I have a Jacob who gets called Jake sometimes and this LO is Lucas and will be called Luke some of the time but they will get to decide what to be called once they are grown

 

[MUMOF5]

I want to call this baby Madeleine, but would call her Maddie. Like others have said then when she's older she'd get the choice of what she would like to be called. xx

 

[beccaboo]

it doesnt matter honestley, but if you perfer the nickname you can put the long version on the birth certificate and call him/her the nickname.

this way she/he will be known as the nn, but you dont have to correct people if they call him/her the long version, and he/she can go by the long version if they want to.

 

[DizzyMoo]

For me personally i do agree on the longer name & then the shorter as a nick but thing is my nephew is called " charlie " & just charlie, he isn't charles which my grandma knows but she insists on calling him charles ..

 

[RosieandAlan]

I think it's nice to give your child a longer name so that the option is always there. My full name is Rosanna but i've always been called Rosie and i have never considered it a bad thing. It isn't really something that will effect your child until he/she is older =)

 

[JessiHD]

I must admit I'm a bit of a stickler for the full name. Unfortunately, my favourite boys name is Charlie but I just don't like Charles... upshot is if I have a boy it will be Joshua!