My DS's name is Nicolas without the H. My SO preferred that spelling and convinced me. Having lived with the name for 9 months I've come to like it more and more. To me it's streamlined, cleaner version, that may also have a better chance of not automatically being shorted to a nn, since it's already shorter.
I got to thinking of other names I also prefer without the unnecessary, useless H, such as Megan, Morgan and Nicole.
Thoughts? Do you like certain names with or without the H?
Re: Random thought about unnecessary Hs
In general I hate superfluous H's. The problem is that they are the standard sometimes, as in the name Nicholas. Taking out the H can cause spelling issues. As I rule of thumb, I vote for the most common spelling of a name.
Nora v. Norah is another example. I'd probably vote Nora, but my gut says Norah is more common or familiar (especially due to Norah Jones).
I've only recently changed my opinion on superfluous letter Hs. I typically like very long names, so I'm all for a name looking longer than it is, like Sarah and Susannah.
However, one of my favorite name test drives is the signature test and names that end in an H are not as easily written as a name that ends in an A. I'm not sure how this applies to names like Nicholas and Nichole--I might have to evaluate those on a case-by-case basis, but Hanna, Susanna, Sara, and the like need no additional adornment.
It depends on where the name comes from. I don't mind them in old names like Nicholas and Thomas, but when people tack on an H at the end of a name where it's not needed, I call it catching a case of the Sarahs.
Heavens to Murgatroyd Blog
Unofficial Baby Names Sticky Note: New and Old| Local Bumpie Website
With or without an "h", Nic(h)olas has an equal chance of being shortened to "Nick" because it sounds exactly the same when you say it out loud.
And I like the "h" at the end of my name, TYVM. I'd feel nekkid without it.
LOL.
I personally love my H. My name is Christina... and yes it is annoying having to say "Christina, with a C-H" to people. But, that is more of a rivalry with the letter K. I prefer classic spellings. I think you just set your child up for what I had to deal with... He will always have to be all.. "Nicolas, No H." Weird.
Others being Christopher = Cristofer looks like a desperate attempt to fit onto standardized tests...
Interesting to hear the other side. My cousin is Cristina (we're Hispanic) and she HATES when people put an H in her name.
Theresa kills me even though I think that's the traditional spelling. I can't help it--I always want to pronounce the h. Nichole bothers me, too.
I'm a Sarah, and I'd feel "nekkid" without the h, too!
I had the "h" in Theresa too---makes the name sound old-ladyish somehow.
People want to automatically use nicknames for longer names. Nicolas, just with one letter less, is less clunky and doesn't scream out to be shortened. Having said all that I do realize that as my DS gets older I have no control if he chooses to use a nn and probably most likely will.
Your signature test is a great idea and I agree that those names don't need the H.
Forgot about Theresa - I agree