Maggie vs. Margaret

mkbland

Can Maggie stand on its own? I love the name Margaret with nn Maggie. H likes and will agree to Maggie but not Margaret. He hates it. I just don't know if I'm ok with giving a nn as a formal name. I think it's ok and can stand on its own but not sure. How would Maggie look on a resume, diplomas/degrees, etc? Am I over thinking this? Middle name will be Jane.

Can Maggie stand on its own as a full first name?

Helenahhandbasket

IMO, no, but I am sure you will get a variety of responses.

Margaret Jane is one of my all time favorite name combos.

Mariefg2

My hubby is just John not Johnathan. I am all for stand alone names if that is what you are going to call her, it is your baby you get to name it what you want. Good luck with the name game. 

evaazalea

IMO, no. It sounds a little juvenile and a longer option would b nice to have, do you guys like Magnolia?

Helenahhandbasket

Mariefg2 said:

My hubby is just John not Johnathan. I am all for stand alone names if that is what you are going to call her, it is your baby you get to name it what you want. Good luck with the name game. 

But John is a legit "formal" name.  Sure Jon can be a NN for Jonathan, but it's a name also in it's own right.

 

SmileyJay

Margaret Jane is lovely. Maggie is not a name on it's own in my book, sorry. Your DH should know that Maggie is one of those names that sticks and no one will call her Margaret. I have known many Maggie's and never a Margaret although I am sure they were all short for Margaret.

I also love Maggie as short for Magnolia. Magnolia Jane is lovely too. 

PinkLillyLover

No.  Give her a full name.

NerdyLucy

I know a young teen that's named just Maggie.  It suits her fine [right now], but then again, she's still a kid.

 

Having said that, to me, Maggie is a NN, not a formal name.

 

Having said that, I could be skewed by the fact that I love Margaret (family name) and heavily dislike Maggie.

 

Like other PPS have suggested, have you considered Magnolia or Magdalene?

Ceridwen21

I much prefer leaving the option of a formal name, however I would hardly side-eye a FN Maggie given how many crappy names there are out there now.

Scarlett&Gatsby

I'm with your DH---I think Margaret is dreadful, but I like Maggie. As someone with a NN as a full name (Allie), it's totally NBD. Sometimes people assume my name is Allison and call me that. My life has yet to be ruined by it. I graduated college and held grown-up jobs. People actually involved in hiring don't give a damn if you have a "professional full name." ETA: I do like PP suggestions of Magnolia and Magdalen or Magdalena, though. If having a full name is important to YOU, there might be a good compromise here for you and your DH.

kayjay10

Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of the name Margaret, but I LOVE Maggie.  However, if I wanted to name my DD Maggie, I would use Margaret with nn Maggie.

My maternal grandmother is Margaret Jane.  We're not close, but if we were, DD would have been named after her with nn Maggie.

VineyardMel

Hmmm...I think of it as a NN, but if you both love Maggie and it's the only way I wouldn't side-eye it. While I think of it as a NN I don't think of it as a cutesy juvenile one. To me it's kind of like Lucy, which seems to have broken free of being only a NN (though I still prefer it as one).

strawberrytree

VineyardMel said:

Hmmm...I think of it as a NN, but if you both love Maggie and it's the only way I wouldn't side-eye it. While I think of it as a NN I don't think of it as a cutesy juvenile one. To me it's kind of like Lucy, which seems to have broken free of being only a NN (though I still prefer it as one).

Lucy isn't a nickname, though. It's the English form of Lucia, just like Mary is the English form of Maria. It's a full name on its own. I would compare it more to something like Lizzie/Elizabeth or Katie/Katherine. 

I would go with a full name- Margaret, Magnolia, Magdalena, etc- because Maggie sounds so juvenile to me. Yes, she might happily go by Maggie professionally for her whole life, but it's nice to have the option of a more adult-sounding name. 

Kmommy91

Maggie can stand on it's own just fine.

maize27

My DD is Maggie....just Maggie. To say it is juvenile is rubbish in my opinion. It's far better that Kiley/ Miley or most of the other silly names girls have these days. My husband is a recruiter and also looks at resumes all day and insisted on Maggie. Oh, and her middle name is Kate. So yes, she could have been Margaret Katherine but she's not- she's Maggie Kate and I highly doubt it is going to be a life issue.

mkbland

Thank you all for your responses! I think we'll just have to wait and see. This is one of the very few names we agree on. The other is Lucy so it's funny that got brought up! But I love Maggie more. Unfortunately neither of us likes the other options of Magnolia, Magdalene, etc.

I really appreciate everyone's feedback!

allardr

Mariefg2 said:

My hubby is just John not Johnathan. I am all for stand alone names if that is what you are going to call her, it is your baby you get to name it what you want. Good luck with the name game. 

I love the sound of Margaret with that mn but I think Maggie can totally stand on its own, and if you both like the name Maggie for a daily basis use it seems silly to throw the name out simply  because you cant decide if it's formal enough. If you both like it, use it. It's definitely not childish, a few might think it's a nn, but not side eye it if it is full name.

Max is like this...kids go by it all the time most have a formal name like Maximus though. But do you side-eye a kid with full name Max. I certainly don't.

moonfaerie

I also love Maggie but do not like Margaret at all, but I don't think I'd give Maggie as a full name. I don't think it's bad if you do, but I'd try to find a formal name that you both like. Magdalene, Magda, Magnolia, Magdalena?

divinemsbee

My sister is a Maggie as a full name. It suits her, and it's definitely on the diploma of her Masters in Social Work. That said, I like Margaret, and Maggie isn't actually a name I like (it's an aesthetics thing, not a my sister thing). I agree with PPs that there are other names you could use Maggie as a nn for that maybe your H would like better so that you could have a full name as well.

recline84

I have a Lucie and a Maggie. I never wanted to "settle" on a name I didn't care for just so I I could use a nn. That seemed silly to me. Use the name you love. You certainly don't "have" to give her a formal name just for appearances.

tiffanyohio1228

I think it is fine on it's own. My sister in law has a Maddy, just Maddy not short for Madison. and like someone else said it's better than some of the names people are naming their children these days! I run a "family night" at our local McDonald's and when some kids tell me their names I'm just thinking "Oh my, you poor child. What is wrong with your parents"

plus12012

If you are always going to call them by their nn and introduce them by their nn I think it's fine to just go with that name. What's the point of giving a name that you are never going to use.

BC&LM

No, I like a formal name with Maggie for short.