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"
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"
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.
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.
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"!
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.
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).
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.
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!
Married my love 6/11/11 | MMC 10/11/11 | Eliza Frances born 9/18/12 | Rhett Garland born 2/24/14
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.
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.
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.
Re: Thoughts on Jay
I have know several Jays... some that was the fn, some it was a nn for Jason or James.
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.
#2 - EDD Nov. 15, '14
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TTC #1 (Round 2): May 16, 2014
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"Everybody wants to be happy. Nobody wants to feel pain but you can't have a rainbow without the rain."
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).
Oscar born October 2011
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Married my love 6/11/11 | MMC 10/11/11 | Eliza Frances born 9/18/12 | Rhett Garland born 2/24/14
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.
BFP #2 11/6/13 - EDD 7/14/14 - blighted ovum discovered @ 7w - natural m/c @ 10w3d
BFP #3 5/25/14 - EDD 2/1/15 - Hoping this is our 2nd little owl
A/S findings: Baby is a girl! EIF found on heart but maternit21 came back neg for chromosome disorders!!