name/nicknames issue - please help!

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-05-2006
name/nicknames issue - please help!
9
Tue, 06-27-2006 - 8:05pm

I'm looking for some feedback on a name/nickname issue.

Let's say that you have a son named Edward. You've been calling him Edward for two years, your family calls him Edward, his little two year old friends call him Edward.

But lately, you've been thinking he does not "look" like an Edward. He looks like a "Teddy." He definitely looks like a "Teddy" and frankly you can't believe you ever picked Edward as his name. So, you (his mother!) started calling him Teddy around the house. He is responding to it, and it doesn't seem to be a big deal...he is only 2.3 years old, after all.

The issue: how do you go about telling your huge family and all your friends to stop calling him Edward and start calling him Teddy? Would you think this mother was off her rocker or what?

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-15-2003
Tue, 06-27-2006 - 8:10pm

I think the main problem would be Teddy isn't really a nickname for Edward. If it were Eddie, I don't think anyone would have a problem with that transition.


Personally, I would call a kid whatever their parent wanted me to call them. You're the mom and if you want him to be called Teddy, than Teddy it would be!


Jen

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-14-2005
Tue, 06-27-2006 - 8:17pm
I think Teddy is a great nickname for Edward. I'm not sure I would make a big formal announcement. But I would make a point of calling him that in front of family and friends and then explaining that it just seems to fit him and you'd love it if everyone else started calling him that too. It would be sort of hard to force the issue after two years, but eventually people will get into. AND the most important part is that he hasn't started school yet. That's where he's going to meet so many friends and really form his identity. And you still have the ability at this point for him to be Teddy at school starting as early as preschool. I don't think it'll be a problem at all in that regard.


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iVillage Member
Registered: 04-05-2006
Tue, 06-27-2006 - 8:21pm

Thank you, I will pass along your thoughts to my sister, who is having this issue right now. She actually has a daughter, but she didn't want to reveal her daughter's name, so I used Edward/Teddy as my example.

And FYI, Ted/Teddy is actually a common nickname for Edward in New England: Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy's real name is Edward! :)

Avatar for haarlasr
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Tue, 06-27-2006 - 9:08pm

I think it will be difficult to get some family members to change at this point, but the mom can bring it up as she runs into people. "You know, we've started calling him Teddy for short, and we really think it suits him." When he gets older, he can decide which nn he prefers.

FWIW, my younger DD is Julianna, and we call her Annie for short. I do use Julianna quite a bit, too -- maybe 70% Annie, 30% Julianna. And DH even calls her Julie once in a while. She responds to all 3 names with no problem (in addition to the range of cutesy nicknames we use ;-) ), and she's 19 months old.

My older DD (age 3) also has no problem comprehending that she's Megan, Meg, Megan Joy, big sis, munchkin (to her Uncle Jeff), etc. She knows which names are hers, and today she actually objected when someone called her Meggie since we never call her that.

I'm sure that your friend's daughter will end up identifying with one name or the other in time, and she'll be able to correct anyone who doesn't use the name she prefers.

HTH!
Stephanie

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-15-2003
Tue, 06-27-2006 - 9:31pm

I didn't realise there was a Teddy/Edward connection. Not that that maters since it's not the name in question. Good luck to your sister. We have our own name issues with my younger dd. Her name is Margaret and we call her Meg. People call her Megan or Maggie when all I want is for her to be called Meg! I wish I had thought of that before I named her!


Jen

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-10-2006
Tue, 06-27-2006 - 9:33pm
I don't think I would announce that I'm going to start calling him Teddy or ask others to start calling him that. I would just call him that when I was around friends and family and hope that it caught on. When introducing him to new people, I would introduce him as Teddy.
Just my two cents...because I think it would be slightly odd to make an announcement.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-05-2006
Tue, 06-27-2006 - 9:35pm
Your girls are beautiful, by the way!! :) And I love the names Anna and Meg!
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-05-2006
Tue, 06-27-2006 - 9:36pm

As usual, Annie, your advice is perfect. My sister will be most relieved. She has been completely freaking out about this.

Thank you!!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-05-2006
Tue, 06-27-2006 - 9:43pm
Hi Stephanie,
Your response was so helpful! I'm reading these responses to my sister over the phone, and she practically cried at the wonderful fact that you have a daughter Julianna nn Annie. That is eerily close to the "real" situation she is in right now.
So, thank you!!!