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LOVE the nickname, but don't like the formal name...what do to?

BLH2014BLH2014 member
in Baby Names

I personally like the idea of giving a name that sounds formal enough to be used in professional situations as an adult, but also lends well to a simpler nickname for family/friends -- like Michael/Mike, Charles/Charlie/Chuck, Nathan/Nate, etc. (those are just examples, not necessarily names I'd want to use).   However, we both really like the nickname Ike for a boy, but really do NOT like the names it commonly derives from -- Isaiah, Isaac, and Dwight. 

I have lurked these boards to some extent, but not enough to know what the common opinion is of using JUST a nickname.  Would using just Ike as the FN be truly awful, or is it becoming more acceptable?  Also, if you have any other formal name suggestions that lend well to using the nickname Ike, feel free to share.

Thanks!

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Re: LOVE the nickname, but don't like the formal name...what do to?

  • Linnea503Linnea503 member
    I like Fred but not the full, formal names. I won't use it on its own though, so I guess I vote no on Ike alone.
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  • BLH2014BLH2014 member
    CabbageCabbage said:
    Ike isn't much name. Sometimes I think "just" a nickname works but I'd really want more than Ike. 

    Yeah, me too theoretically.  I just wish we liked ANY of the names it derives from, but we don't.  We aren't religious so we pretty much steer clear of biblical names as much as possible, and I just plain do not like Dwight.  It's a bummer.

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  • emmy236emmy236 member
    edited January 2014
    I have a friend named Isaac that goes by Ike and I like that. What if you use Ike as his middle name? Many people go by their MN but on a resume or application it will show his formal first name.
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  • blu-eyedwifeblu-eyedwife member
    Love the idea of Ichabod! 

    Also, what about Ivan or Irving?  (I feel like Irving might be a stretch, but the only Ike I know in real life is an Irving)

    I think Ike is a bit too nicknamey for a full name.
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  • HelenahhandbasketHelenahhandbasket member

    I feel the same way about this name.  I crossed it off my list because I strongly feel like I would need to use a formal name.

    I have also heard it as a NN for Icarus, but I hate the myth that is attached to it.

     

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  • LBF DPTLBF DPT member
    In Runaway Bride Richard Gere's character was Ike Graham... real name Homer Eisenhower Graham. I think Ike came from Eisenhower.
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  • FutureMrsW9FutureMrsW9 member
    I vote no to using the nickname as an actual name.  The reason why:  I'm legally Kathryn but have always been called Katie...I know Katie is a first name on it's own, but I just think it's weird if someone's given name is Katie because to me it's a nickname. 
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  • nflan16nflan16 member
    I see no problem with just using a nickname and not a formal name. One of my favorite girl names is Kate, just by itself. I love short, simple names. Also I think any of the 'formal' names for Ike are ugly or old man sounding, so I'd go with just Ike.
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  • emilyray14emilyray14 member
    I would use it. I love the name Ike, but I just can't get DH on board :-( Our boy front runner now is Hank, not Henry, just Hank. Since they're not cutesy nn's I think they work just fine as full names.
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  • moonfaeriemoonfaerie member
    I was also going to suggest Michael. While I think some nn are fine on their own, I don't think Ike is one of them.

    Richard also popped into my head as a non traditional full name for Ike.

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  • cmw&tdmcmw&tdm member
    DS has a friend Isaac, nn Ike. Or you could just put Ike in the middle and have him go by his mn.
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  • BLH2014BLH2014 member
    These are all great suggestions, I'm going to think on it some more.  Thanks ladies!

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  • BlckRosesBlckRoses member
    Just food for thought as well, my parents always called me by my nickname, never my formal name.  And no one I know calls me by my formal name, I am and always will be my nickname.  Whatever you call your child will usually stick.  
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  • SeakernalSeakernal member
    As someone who has a fairly common nickname as their full first name, I would definitely steer clear of using just Ike. I have spent my whole life saying "no, it's not short for anything, it's just ***" and it gets really old!
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  • velvetheartsvelvethearts member
    The only problem I see with using a nn for a regular name is that people will make the assumption that it stands for something else.  For instance, I had a student named Drew (that's his full first name) and many people tried to call him Andrew because they assumed that was his formal name.  He ends up having to correct people all the time.
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