Baby Names

Thoughts on Jay

I know it sounds like a nickname, but my husband and I are having a VERY hard time agreeing on a boy name.  I think Jay Gatsby, but I don't want everyone to assume it short for Jayden, which is not my style at all.  If it were up to me, I would name him David, William, Joseph, Seth, or any number of older sounding names, but my husband wants a name that he thinks sounds "cool"

Thoughts?  

Re: Thoughts on Jay

  • I like Jay. Basic, classic name, easy to spell/pronounce.
  • allardrallardr member
    edited October 2013
    Jay is fine, I would not assume Jayden by any means if I heard Jay, I would however assume it was a nickname from some J name. Not that I think it's a big deal people may think this. It's fine stand alone too, but I bring it up to prepare you, you may get people asking "what's that short for"
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  • I would not assume Jayden.

    I have know several Jays... some that was the fn, some it was a nn for Jason or James.
  • I'd assume Jason or James before I'd think of Jayden if I even bothered to wonder what Jay was short for. It's such an established NN, possible stand alone FN, IMO you're over thinking it with your concerns about Jayden

    I generally don't like the types of names that I have heard people consider "cool", but I do really like Jay. If your husband likes "Jay", I'd compromise to agree on that quick before he changed his mind for something "cooler". But that's just me.
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  • Jay was sometimes used as a nickname for James or Jason, and sometimes given as its own name to kids born in the late '60s and '70s. 

    I've always liked the name, but it may seem dated to some.
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  • I would prefer it as a nn for Jason or James.
  • It's fine. Plain and simple if that's what you're going for.
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  • I also think Jay Gatsby. It's not something I would use (actually, it rhymes with our LN, so even if I wanted to use it, I couldn't), but I think it's fine on someone else's kid. I wouldn't assume it was short for Jayden.
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  • edited October 2013
    Also Jay is 100% a full name on it's own, dating back to the Middle Ages. It's a nature name derived from jay bird.
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  • I love Jay. I would never assume it was short for Jayden- if anything, I'd guess James or Jason, but it's perfectly fine on its own as well. 

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  • I've known several Jays, for all it was their full name, so I would not assume it was short for anything. I like it. Simple and wellknown. And I agree, take it quick before he things of something "cooler"! ;)
       
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  • It makes me think of Jay Cutler. This in only relevant as long as Jay Cutler is relevant, or dependent on your love/hate of the Bears I guess.
  • I like it. 

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  • Also Jay is 100% a full name on it's own, dating back to the Middle Ages. It's a nature name derived from jay bird.
    This is kind of what I was thinking. Jay on it's own falls into the nature name category to me. I forget Jayden is a name, so if I heard it and thought it was a NN I would assume for Jason.
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  • I love Jay as a standalone name. I think it is classic, I wouldn't assume Jayden, like PP said I would associate it first with John, James, or Jason.
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  • Love Jay. It's my BF's nn! His first name is Jeremy.

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  • Thanks everyone!  DH has another name he loves that I really don't care for, so I think I might jump on this one for now at least!  


  • I knew a boy in elementary school named James with Jay as his nickname. What do you are think of James Gatsby?
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  • I knew a boy in elementary school named James with Jay as his nickname. What do you are think of James Gatsby?

    His name is Jay Gatsby (just Jay). That's the connection. (Okay, his real name is James Gatz, but we don't find that out til nearly the end of the book).
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  • Give him a "cool" nickname, not FN.  Remember, this child will grow up to be an adult who may or may not be cool.

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  • Jay is my brother's name, not short for anything, so I've always been partial to it.  Growing up, a lot of people assumed it was short for Jason, but you just say no once, and that's the end of that conversation.
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  • This is the name I really want to use as a NN for James (and have wanted for as long as I can remember). DH thinks Jay is too common. I would fight him on it but I'm really concerned that all those little Jacob and Jaydens are going to get shortened to Jay and mine would get lumped in with them. Ugh. I adore the name!
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  • I think Jay is a perfectly reasonable name, and I usually HATE nick-names as names. 

    Although I cede this point, it still seems like naming him James and calling him Jay might be a good compromise between your style and your husband's. 

    "Jay" may be cool now, but who knows how cool it will be in fifty years? James will never, ever go out of style. If Jay does, your son will have recourse. 

    I do like Jay, though, because my association is also with either Jay Gatsby or a friend of mine named Jay --- not a nn for anything. It suits him. He's a chill dude. 

    In the end analysis, if calling him Jay keeps your husband from calling him Jayden, Brayden, Clayden, Ayden, etc.... DO IT.
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  • My son is James Jr.; we call him Jay for short. Most people have assumed his name is Jay as it stands alone. He is 8 and a lot of people are surprised that Jay is his nn. He just pulls off the name "Jay" so well.
  • I'm perplexed by this talk of Jay being "too cool" and "going out of style" and "having to pull it off."

    Guys, they're not naming him Ice Fox. I mean, Jay's a cool name and all, but you don't have to be a male model to use it. I think it's very accessible.

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  • I like just Jay. It was on the top of our list if LO turned out to be a boy.
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  • I like Jay as a nickname, but not a fan of it as a full first name on its own. I have known people named Jason and Jared who went by Jay. But really, anyone whose name begins with a J could go by Jay, such as Jacob, Justin, James, etc. I would never think his name was Jayden (like you are afraid of) unless the parents told me that.
  • There is a couple we're friends with- she is Kay and he is Jay. It's a nickname she's always had, but Jay is his full name. I think its cute.

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