Mother-in-law chose an unacceptable nick name for our son.

busterbeagle

ABColeslaw said:

You just don't know what will stick.  My niece was one day old when I picked her up and said "Oh my you are a stinky little Kaka Bum"  And seriously, people called her kaka bum for the first year, which got shortened to Kucks, and then became Miss Kucky.  I mean.  My sister even somehow did it.  My niece turned 18 months and said "I not a kaka bum!"  and that fixed that.  lol. 

When I was pregnant with Asher I called him Doodle Bug, which got shortened to Doodle and shortened again to dudes.  I didn't start out going "I'm going to call this boy Dudes"  It just happened.  Until my niece who was a year and half at the time decided that Asher Benjamin was actualy Ashy Ben and that is what everyone still calls him to this day. 

One of my close friends nicknamed DD The Petunia when she was born. It stuck and I called her Petunia, Miss Petunia, and eventually Toon or Toon Toon for most of her first 6 months. Now I'm not sure she even knows that it ever was her nickname, but at some point she didn't even respond to Eleanor or Ellie.

mrt

My name is Meghan, I don't like being called Meg, but it happens. I just make sure to always use my full name. If you or your son as he gets older don't want his name shortened, you can influence what most(but not all) people will call him. I would agree that if Cal is totally unacceptable to you, pick a different name. It will happen.

Also, when my mother was pg with my sister, she was thinking of James Donald after both of my grandfathers. My grandmother and aunt started calling the baby "Jimmy Don Bob"... which my mother thought was awful(obviously?). Luckily the baby was a girl.

JennyLynne

ABColeslaw said:

You just don't know what will stick.  My niece was one day old when I picked her up and said "Oh my you are a stinky little Kaka Bum"  And seriously, people called her kaka bum for the first year, which got shortened to Kucks, and then became Miss Kucky.  I mean.  My sister even somehow did it.  My niece turned 18 months and said "I not a kaka bum!"  and that fixed that.  lol. 

When I was pregnant with Asher I called him Doodle Bug, which got shortened to Doodle and shortened again to dudes.  I didn't start out going "I'm going to call this boy Dudes"  It just happened.  Until my niece who was a year and half at the time decided that Asher Benjamin was actualy Ashy Ben and that is what everyone still calls him to this day. 

This sounds like something I would totally do. I have the tendency to give nicknames to about everyone, and they tend to spiral into something else. Right now I'm in the habit of calling my husband "Scoops". I'm not even sure I got there now. Another friend went from Josh/Joshua to Ja-hua to Hua to Hooey to Hula Hoops. Nicknames just kind of happen. 

OP--I'm going to admit it--when I read Callum Dallas, I went "Call Dall". But it doesn't mean it will stick even if your MIL starts it. I get not wanting nicknames though (unfortunately they still just happen). DH is James, never Jim. Strangers still try to call him Jim even after he introduces himself as James. It's weird. 

awc1986

May I be a flame worthy bitch for a second?

I don't like Callum Dallas together. I think they're too samey. I'd pick either Callum or Dallas. It's like calling a girl Maisy Daisy. Too rhymey.

Bring on the hate.

sthomas1222

I will say my favorite name for a boy is Raylan. Hubby said the nickname lots of people would choose would be Ray Ray. I polled a bunch of friends & they all said that that's what they would use ( just straight asked what nickname would you use with him?). So, that got crossed off the list. Still makes me sad but I can't handle that nickname just like I love the name Abigail I will never use it since the nickname for that is Abby & I already have an Addy

asparagus95

MissLadyTay said:

You can try to fight this but Cal is a natural nickname for Callum. If you hate it I think you're going to be kind of unhappy when people use it all the time. People have given my kid tons of nicknames. So far none (thankfully) have stuck. But I can't control other people. I call him by his full name and when he's old enough he can choose.

This. This is the reason I can't name our future daughter Katherine and cell her Kate because I know others might call her Katie, which I can't stand. If you can't tolerate Cal, which I thinkist people will call him, I'd say pick another name.