Names for Chrildren - Did You Use Shortened Ones?

Belenus

The actor David Soul christened one of his sons Robert.

Robert does not like people calling him by his initial and surname.

Shelldean

I named my eldest three with names I felt couldn't be shortened.
Eldest her name has some how how been shortened, even by me!
The next has a nickname like a previous poster.....Jane to Janey.
The third also managed to shorten his name.
Fourth child I gave up he's got a long name but has always been know by the short version!!

No idea why I was so hung up on names not being shortened because I permanently go by a short version of my own. Always have done. And I have to stop and think when I'm actually called the full name!

Drawingaline

trailingspouse said:

I have a name that isn't easily shortened, so I deliberately chose names for my two that had several different shortened versions. That way, I hoped they'd end up being called by a name that fitted their personalities.

This is me. My husband has a name that has a traditional shortened version and I was always jealous of all the lizzies and Lou's I was at school with.

Our 4 children all have names that have traditional shortened versions. However there main longer names are not the traditional longer version. Nothing crazy, think Benedict rather than Benjamin but called Ben. (Not actual name, but along these lines)

I love that they have the choice of the slightly unusual longer version, the traditional shortened version and then they all have very traditional English family names as middle names. Our daughter goes by her shortened name, our eldest son does within the family, but uses his full name with his friends and at college and work. The other two do tend to use the longer names at school, and shortened name at home. 

I hope they all like their names, but maybe they will go the other way and name their kids names like mine, which are difficult to shorten.

(And tbf, they have all had nicknames throughout their childhood too!)

MalMonroe

I have never really liked my name but my Mum would never let me shorten it, or indeed, any other name. I did shorten it when I was a teenager (my family never used that version though) but it never felt right so I reverted to my 'proper' given name. My brother's name is short and can't be shortened further. 

When my daughter was born I had a name ready for her, it was the one I'd always wanted to be called and was the same name as my primary school teacher's daughter. I then added a suitable middle name which can't really be shortened. Fortunately my then-husband went along with my choices. She actually loves her name and although there is a generally accepted short version of it, won't use it or let anyone else use it either if they are addressing or referring to her. 

I've often thought that we should be able to choose our own names when we reach a certain age but then again, it'd cause great confusion and nobody would really know what to call anyone. So maybe not! 

DullGreyGuy

MalMonroe said:

I've often thought that we should be able to choose our own names when we reach a certain age but then again, it'd cause great confusion and nobody would really know what to call anyone. So maybe not! 

There are a wide range of cultures and vocations where names are chosen at relevant significant points... remember less than 12 months ago it was decided we would have King Charles III, his grandfather, King George VI was Albert before ascension. 

Probably too Woke for many to deal with 

tealady

I knew someone who hated names being shortened so she called her son Ian.
Apparently his mates called him E!

powerspowers

DullGreyGuy said:

A friend growing up was named Vicky but when she acted up in class etc her teachers would call her Victoria (usual trying to use the formal version when dealing with something serious) but she very correctly pointed out that her name wasnt Victoria.

This! I also had a friend called Jenny who wasn’t a Jennifer and there were many Katie’s not Catherines. We had an older teacher who couldn’t cope with this and remember him demanding what someone had been christened, er I wasn’t Christened Sir was the last straw for him! 

pollypenny

My first name is a diminutive and I dislike it, finding it a little girl's name, undignified professionally. 

Imagine a barrister, Wilfie Smith, KC.  Or a judge, His Honour Wilfie Smith. 

Think ahead. 

NBLondon

My mother disliked shortened names - so she insisted I should have a single syllable.   Didn't stop some of my schoolmates lengthening it instead...

Spendless

DullGreyGuy said:

MalMonroe said:

I've often thought that we should be able to choose our own names when we reach a certain age but then again, it'd cause great confusion and nobody would really know what to call anyone. So maybe not! 

There are a wide range of cultures and vocations where names are chosen at relevant significant points... remember less than 12 months ago it was decided we would have King Charles III, his grandfather, King George VI was Albert before ascension. 

Probably too Woke for many to deal with 

That's because Queen Victoria requested that her descendants didn't have a King Albert due to it being her husband's name and him not being a King.

Albert had been given as a name to a younger brother who they didn't expect to ascend to the throne, which is why he chose to be King George instead (one of his middle names I believe though I may be wrong).


Charles was always going to be King Charles, whatever the media speculated! He was known too well in the public's eye as Charles to suddenly become a different name. I'm of the opinion that William and George will also stick to their own first names when their time comes to be King.