Is insisting on using full name that bad

JoyGotDots

In the Alexandria-Elizabeth post below people were lamenting the fact that the mom was insisting that her child be called by her full name.

So what?  It's her name.  Why on earth would it be wrong to have her go by her full name.  My brothers are Michael and Matthew and went by Michael and Matthew until they were in junior high and decided to go by Mike and Matt.  Was my mom pretentious for using full names?  It seems silly.

mkanderson85

DH's family is very anti-nickname.  He is John Charles and his sisters are Anna Claire and Elizabeth.  I see no problem wanting your child to be called by a full name.  I want to be able to use a nickname for our LO, but DH won't at all.  Full name for him!

GulfCoaster

Full names are fine.  But the number of syllables in Alexandria-Elizabeth makes it a real mouthful, and I think that's the main issue.  Nine-syllable names kind of cry out to be shortened, IMO.

rider5344

With dd, I always said if I wanted her name to be Brook, I would have named her that instead.  We have eliminated a few names because we love the full names, but HATE the nicknames.  I don't think there is anything wrong with insisting on the correct given name, however with the example given, it is extremely long!

EastCoastBride

mj.reilly:

2 syllables VS. 9 (aka BIG mouthful) 

This.  Do you really not get the issue?  It's not so much the full name, it's THAT full name. 

starlight8323

I've always insisted that my name is Pamela, NOT Pam.

But Alexandria-Elizabeth is not even easy to say. It doesn't flow!

The end of Alexandria and the beginning of Elizabeth make it come out A-lex-an-dree-liz-a-beth.

Or if you want to make sure it doesn't run together, it comes out Alexandria... Elizabeth. It's almost like 10 syllables, if you count the pause in between.

Dawson56

i personally am not a fan of nicknames... why name a baby a name that you dont intend on calling him/her.  i just dont get it.

bexter

mj.reilly:

It is not really a bad thing, but try making your 3 year old say Alexandria-Elizabeth every . single . time. Not going to happen. It is hard an time consuming. Easier for adults, hard for kids.

Michael and Matthew are a bit different than Alexandria-Elizabeth.

2 syllables VS. 9 (aka BIG mouthful) 

I agree with this. It's fine that the mom wants the child to be called by their proper name, but it is a very long name.

I know a lot of moms who have insisted that their child will not have a nickname (my cousins' kids), but nicknames just seem to be inevitable. I guess it goes both ways: I don't understand the big deal about a child having nicknames (especially when I have about 5 myself), but I could see where a mom might get upset. 

juangela

I'm Angela, not Angie...ever! But, like pps have said, that is a lot different than Alexandria-Elizabeth (the hyphen, also, just makes my skin crawl).

I highly doubt Alexandria-Elizabeth will go by her full name when she gets older.

notkateanymore

mj.reilly:

It is not really a bad thing, but try making your 3 year old say Alexandria-Elizabeth every . single . time. Not going to happen. It is hard an time consuming. Easier for adults, hard for kids.

Michael and Matthew are a bit different than Alexandria-Elizabeth.

2 syllables VS. 9 (aka BIG mouthful) 

This!

Our daughter is Lillie Kate and we couldn't even get her to say that. She named herself Lillie. 

strangebird

I guess I haven't gotten to the post that inspired this one yet, but no, it is not pretentious to insist that a full name be used. For example, I love the name Kimberley, but if I used it, I would never, ever allow anyone to call my daughter Kim.

My sister has had a similar problem her whole life--her name is Brianna. Bri . . . ANNA. Not Bri-ON-a. There is no "o" in her name! We've been correcting people on this practically since the day of her birth, but at least where her family and friends are concerned they now firmly know the difference. No one even attempts to mispronounce it now. Like the PP said, correcting everyone from the very onset is key!

JinglesChic

My feeling is since I carried DS for 9 months and needed my abdomen cut opened, I get to decide what people call him until he can make that decision for himself. So ITA with you.

qtsreign

EastCoastBride:

mj.reilly:

2 syllables VS. 9 (aka BIG mouthful) 

This.  Do you really not get the issue?  It's not so much the full name, it's THAT full name. 

 

Mrs.Deputy

I think it's a little inconsiderate to expect people to say the entire thing every time they call a child's name. What if there's an emergency? You can't even get the kids full name out before it's too late!

preglicious

qtsreign:

EastCoastBride:

mj.reilly:

2 syllables VS. 9 (aka BIG mouthful) 

This.  Do you really not get the issue?  It's not so much the full name, it's THAT full name. 

 

This! Thanks ladies for explaining! No one said its wrong to call by full name. Its just our humble opinion (and now I pray) that you don't use 9 syllables to name the child! Anyone is free to name their child the whole alphabet as the first name but if I see that I would shorten and call that person "AtoZ". And someone will be inspired by that name and rename another child Aytozee.. and on and on.. LOL!

Ashli09

Mrs.Deputy:

I think it's a little inconsiderate to expect people to say the entire thing every time they call a child's name. What if there's an emergency? You can't even get the kids full name out before it's too late!

This.

MelodyKate

I don't think the full name thing is the issue. I know siblings Michael and Elizabeth and their mom insists that they be called such, but Alexandria-Elizabeth is just too long. I think that was the point of the post. A name that long is just cumbersome.

rwunderlich13

GulfCoaster:

Full names are fine.  But the number of syllables in Alexandria-Elizabeth makes it a real mouthful, and I think that's the main issue.  Nine-syllable names kind of cry out to be shortened, IMO.

 

Agreed!!!!!

 

My name name is Rebekah and I have ALWAYS been that. My mom insisted I never be a Becky and as I got older, I followed suit and asked that I always be called Rebekah.

pawcall

My name is Caroline and I went by Carly right up until I was old enough to express my disgust for the nickname.  I think I was about 3.  I just didn't like it, and preferred to be called Caroline.  I haven't been called by a nickname in 20+ years now.

You can do whatever you want as a parent - but your kid will have a personality and will make their own decisions regarding what they want to be called.

We're being careful to pick names with no obvious nicknames (since I'm not big on them) OR nicknames that we can deal with if the kid chooses to use them.

msmerymac

alreeves:

If they call them by their full name from day 1 and correct people who shorten it, it will stick. My BIL is Marcus and has never been referred to as Mark, because it just wasn't an option!

 

I don't know about that. My brother really wanted to go by Matt by the time he was 4 or so, even though my mom insisted on Matthew.