What is your opinion?

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-09-2003
What is your opinion?
19
Sun, 10-17-2004 - 9:53am
Just out of interest...

What is your opinion on nicknames?

For example, do you like names which have lots of nickname potential or do you feel that you should name a child what you will call them?

For e.g. do you like the names Elizabeth and Alexandra with lots of nns (Elly, Liz, Lizzy, Beth, Lily, etc and Alex, Lexi, Sandy, Ally, etc), or do you think you should just name the child Liz, Lily, Beth, Lexi, Elly if that's what you will call them?

I am just curious to know what you all think?

:) Elaine

Pages

Avatar for alsatia23
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Sun, 10-17-2004 - 10:54am

I like nn's.







Photobucket
Avatar for amykrisb
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-30-2003
Sun, 10-17-2004 - 6:33pm
For my own future kids, I'm not attached to nn's, but if one fits, I may use it.

I wouldn't name my child Lexi alone, though. Because it's known as a nn and not a stand-alone name, I'd like to give my child the opportunity to use the full name if she wishes. Therefore, if I liked Lexi, I'd name my child Alexandra.

However, I have known lots of Abbys who were not Abigails. Therefore, if I liked Abby, I wouldn't feel so compelled to use Abigail.

Good luck!

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-29-2003
Sun, 10-17-2004 - 11:01pm
I definitely like nicknames. I tend to like names that can be shortened to nicknames. I think it makes a name more versatile. If a name has a nickname, it can sounds sophisticated or down-to-earth, formal for professional use or casual for friends and family, appropriate for a child or grown-up enough for an adult...

Also, I think nicknames can help a child "own" his or her name and make it more suited to his or her personality. So if you name your daughter an ultra-feminine, frilly name, but she turns out to be a tomboy, the name can still be something your daughter likes (so your Daniella becomes Dani, for example). Children with names out of which a variety of nns can be created can also experiment with their name. Maybe an Andrew who was Andy all through grade school suddenly sees himself as more of a Drew in middle school. I just personally love the possibilities! (though I have known plenty of "my name is Elizabeth, call me Elizabeth" types, too, which is fine and works for them -- to each their own!)

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-17-2003
Mon, 10-18-2004 - 2:21am
I don't care too much for nicknames that stray from the orginal name. My step children (boy and girl) have beautiful names and they both go by a nickname that's (in my opinion) AWFUL! I have a son named Tyler and it wasn't so popular (or so I thought) when we named him that and he's now 11 and chosen to be called Ty because there's always another Tyler in his class.
Avatar for daisymae19
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Mon, 10-18-2004 - 10:12am
1. kids are going to get nn's if they want one, whether you give them a name w/nn potential or not. You can control what you call your child, but not what they call themself or what someone else calls them.

2. While Ellie (for example) may be a great family and casual name, it can cause the child problems in later life w/being taken seriously...a girl named Ellie or a boy named Billy will have to work harder to *prove* themselves then one name Elizabeth or William (for example when sending in resume's for jobs)

3. As some who has a formal name, that I rarely use, I will tell you that there are times that I am very very very glad I have the formal name. For instance when I am having problems w/a business etc, it helps to be able to call and give my *formal* name or to sign my *formal* name to a letter, instead of my nn because it makes me look more professional and serious then if I only had my nn as my formal name..

4. A name with several nn's gives the child options..just because you love the name Ellie for Elizabeth (for example)..she may not...but she will have others that she can chose from..and so isn't as likely to completely hate her name..(mom of a Jacalyn who changed from Jacki to Calyn in 7th grade)...

Edited 10/18/2004 10:13 am ET ET by daisymae19


Edited 10/18/2004 10:15 am ET ET by daisymae19

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-18-2004
Mon, 10-18-2004 - 8:07pm
I love nicknames. I work in a daycare with infants and I give everyone of them a nickname. Its fun, its just like calling someone honey or sweetie.
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-19-2003
Mon, 10-18-2004 - 8:37pm
I think you should name your child the name you want them to be called- so if you like Ally instead of Allison, name her Ally. I'm not into the formal first names if you're not planning on actually calling the child by that name.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-15-2003
Mon, 10-18-2004 - 10:51pm
I personally think it's nice to have a formal name (Kathleen) even though my parents called me Kathy from birth.

I also think it's a little bit naive to give a child a name with a common nickname (like Jonathan - Jon) and expect them to go by the long name forever. You know people will call them by the nickname and when they get older, it's really up to them what they will be called. DH and I passed on some names for our dd because we weren't big on the nn.

We actually picked a name for dd (Emily) without a typical nn, but I call her Em or Ems. I love the cute and slightly unusual nn...it gives her personality all her own. That's especially nice since she has a *very* common name.

So I don't mind nns at all...but still love some of the beautiful longer formal names.

Photobucket 

<
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-04-2003
Tue, 10-19-2004 - 9:35am
I like nicknames and use them quite often but I am also a firm believer in having a full formal name for when they get older. There's nothing sadder in my book than a 40 year old Mike "not short for Michael". A full name sounds more professional and it's nice to be able to (possibly) change your nickname as you get older (Elizabeth, Beth, Liz, Eliza...).
Avatar for editht
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Tue, 10-19-2004 - 2:50pm
I much prefer to officially name them the longer more traditional name but use a nick name on a daily basis. This will allow them to decide when they are adults what name or nick name they want to use. My DD is named DeOrian, Dori for short. Dori is cute at 5, but when she's 16 or 20 she may like the extra mystery and allure of the name DeOrian! I had a friend in HS who was named Elizabeth and called Beth. She wanted to break out of her shell and become more sophisticated, so I suggested she change her nick name to Liz. Much older and smarter, and more popular in feeling than Beth. Beth was sweet and innocent... a sterotype she was trying to get away from. So give your child flexibility to change things when they get older without really having to change things... ya know!?

Edie

Pages