Clicky Poll: Nickname as given name

ELF4321 · September 2011

What do you think about naming your child something that historically has been a nickname for another name. For example, naming a girl Mandy instead of Amanda, or Becky instead of Rebecca. Or for a boy, Rick instead of Richard, etc.

[POLL]

benmel31 · September 2011

Mainly I don't like this because I think it can lead to always being asked what your name is short for. As a teacher, this happened a lot.

I wouldn't go as far as voting for I hate it, but I am not a fan.

LenMont · September 2011

I've spent my whole life saying, "No, my real name isn't Harriet. My name is Hattie. Yup. Just Hattie."

Annoying, sure, but it would be worse to be named Harriet Stick out tongue

Kissimi21 · September 2011

I think using a nickname as a given name is cute on a child, but doesn't do the person any favors as an adult. Think about the child's future. Judge Rebecca (Last name) sounds far more professional than Judge Becky (Last name). Would you vote "Thomas X for Mayor" or "Tommy X for Mayor"?

mam885 · September 2011

Definitely depends on the name. Tommy seems like a silly stand alone name, but Maggie, Molly, Rory (obviously), etc. work just fine from cute kid to professional adult.

JaysonandKristin · September 2011

SS: Depends on the NN.

DS1 is named Hank, not Henry... just Hank. Do I think that Hank stands on its own? Yes, absolutely. Do I think that all NNs can stand on their own? No.

It completely depends on the NN.

Mrs.Deputy · September 2011

Completely depends on the name. We plan on using Tessa if LO is a girl, and I think it's a fine stand alone name. I think Ricky is silly.

ames71 · September 2011

JaysonandKristin:
SS: Depends on the NN.
DS1 is named Hank, not Henry... just Hank. Do I think that Hank stands on its own? Yes, absolutely. Do I think that all NNs can stand on their own? No.
It completely depends on the NN.

Exactly this.

erbear · September 2011

My daughter is Kate, just Kate. However, I think it's a different thing than the examples you were given...Kate is actually a name.

curlylocks3 · September 2011

I think it really depends on the name.

austenreader85 · September 2011

I agree with the others, it depends on the name. But I think in 99.9% of the situations it's something that I wouldn't do. Then out of that maybe 50% of the time do I think it's alright.

MAMAxB · September 2011

LenMont:
I've spent my whole life saying, "No, my real name isn't Harriet. My name is Hattie. Yup. Just Hattie."

THIS! Except I am Beth. Not Elizabeth. Not Bethany. Just Beth.

My mom's reasoning: my maiden name is very long (10 letters) and Elizabeth _______________ was too long. I now have a short LN. And my brother married an Elizabeth.

Gah.

McGillicuddy13 · September 2011

mam885:
Definitely depends on the name. Tommy seems like a silly stand alone name, but Maggie, Molly, Rory (obviously), etc. work just fine from cute kid to professional adult.

ITA.

miababy · September 2011

I think it depends on what the name is. My name is normally a nickname, but it's my given name and I love it. I'm Tori and people ask me often if it's from Victoria and I have never minded explaining why my parents just named me Tori. They didn't want anyone trying to call my Vicky. Plus, I was a preemie and they decided Victoria Elizabeth was too long a name for such a tiny baby, so why not just name me what they were going to call me.

guilletskichuk · September 2011

miababy:
I think it depends on what the name is. My name is normally a nickname, but it's my given name and I love it. I'm Tori and people ask me often if it's from Victoria and I have never minded explaining why my parents just named me Tori. They didn't want anyone trying to call my Vicky. Plus, I was a preemie and they decided Victoria Elizabeth was too long a name for such a tiny baby, so why not just name me what they were going to call me.

What an excellent explanation!

hcape001 · September 2011

I chose the special snowflake option because it depends on the name in question. But I think I'd be on board for most of them. And a plus is you don't have to worry about what nickname your baby will get if you name them a nickname lol

purplepolish · September 2011

Strongly dislike.

apc1929 · September 2011

I think it depends on the name but for the most part am for it. DD is Tess - not theresa or Tessa and I really love the simplicity of her name.

I would use Jack, Kate, Charlie, Sam, Nate etc all as given names...

rsrs807 · September 2011

I think it depends on the particular name. My name is one of those you mentioned (The full name) and i wouldn't like being solely the nickname, even though that is all I go by.

My HS best friend is Jenny - not jennifer - named after her grandmother, and for her it always seemed really appropriate.

alliejo725 · September 2011

It depends entirely on the nickname (whether I like it as a stand-alone name or not), but generally, I don't think there's anything wrong with it.

Let's dispell the myth, already: It's incredible, but people with nicknames for first names do go on to have careers and are taken seriously in their profession. Shocking, but true: employers care more about what's on your resume than the name on top of it.

lancyjo · September 2011

LenMont:

I've spent my whole life saying, "No, my real name isn't Harriet. My name is Hattie. Yup. Just Hattie."

Annoying, sure, but it would be worse to be named Harriet

Wow. A friend of mine has a baby named Hattie... (like you, just Hattie)... I think it's so cute, and I never would have thought of Harriet! Love your name!

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