Your thoughts on nick names
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Your thoughts on nick names
| Wed, 07-14-2004 - 4:20pm |
Do you love them or hate them? I know a lot of people choose names that will have cute nn, while others choose names that will ensure their children do not get weird nn.
Personally, I am trying to choose names that won't be shortened to a nn. Girl's names I have chosen so far are:
Adora
Thora
Calla
Dahlia
Although I'm having a harder time with boy's names because I love Weston and Preston, which could become Wes or West and Pres.
What are your thoughts on nn?

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1) I grew up in a "nickname" family (I'm Christine, but was always Chris/Chrissy, my sister Kathleen was Kathy, etc.);
2) I think names that provide for nicknames are more versatile. And they can give kids some say in shaping their individuality. So, if a girl is only Elizabeth to her parents, she may want to be known as "Beth" at school. Or if she was Lizzie all through grammar school, she may want to be the more sophisticated "Liza" when she transitions to high school; and
3) I think that nicknames are inevitable. Even if you personally are adamant that your child not be called by a nickname, you are not going to be there to correct every teacher, every child on the playground, etc. So Matthew inevitably becomes Matt, Christopher becomes Chris, Jessica becomes Jess, etc. So I'd rather choose a name that has a nickname I like, rather than one that I think can't or won't be shortened, but then inevitably is.
For example, Adora, to use one of your choices, could easily become "Dori" or "Addie." So while I think it's fine for you to want to avoid a nickname for your child, just be aware that almost every name has a nickname possibility that could crop up.
Good luck!
There doesn't seem to be any obvious nns for your girl choices (which I love, btw) except Adora. I automatically thought of Dora as a nn. Preston is nice, and I don't see anyone trying out Pres, but Weston will probably have friends call him Wes as he grows up.
There is a book, "Beyond Jennifer and Jason, Madison and Montana" by Rosenkrantz and Redmond-Satran that has a whole selection of baby names for parents who don't want nns. You may want to go to your local Barnes and Noble and check it out.
Good Luck!!
Jorie
I tend to not like the shortened version of names. Especially the shortened version of boy names. So while I might not give my child a nn right off the bat, I think about the potential nns and make sure I like them before putting the name on my short list.
There's my 2cents :)
~ Liz ~
I'm confused by people who choose names based on their nns since they plan on calling them by those nns. Sometimes the full names are so beautiful & I don't understand why they'd want to call them by some nn. I've also seen on these boards where people are struggling to find a nn when the nn isn't even similar to the full name.
Everyone has their own preferences but I prefer to call my children by their given names.
Lillie whose given name is Elizabeth
About using a name without NN. I've posted this before, so I won't go into the whole thing. I have friends who don't "believe" in NNs. They both have always used their full names, Kathleen and Peter. They named their youngest DD "Anna." They would have been shocked if anyone suggested she be called anyhing other than "Anna." Well, during her toddler years she started calling herself "Nanny." She's now a teenager and is called nothing but "Nan" or "Nanny." It was totally unplanned, but that's her name now. The point is that you should NEVER say "never."
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