New Post
Search
Help[Opinions] The importance of nicknames...
I've noticed that many people here think about what nicknames would be good for certain names. It seems to be very important to a lot of people. Is that right? Would you think about what nickname you or others could give your child when deciding the name of your son/daughter?
I've never really thought about this. Nicknames have to develop, in my opinion, I would never say to myself: OK, I'll name my daughter Matilda and call her Maud for short. Or so. I think a nn will come on its own one day...
What do you think about nicknames?
Do you even like nicknames or do you feel a nn is completely useless?
And what do you prefer: nicknames that derive from the original name or nicknames like "cutie", "honey" etc.?
LoQuiero
-------------------------------
I've never really thought about this. Nicknames have to develop, in my opinion, I would never say to myself: OK, I'll name my daughter Matilda and call her Maud for short. Or so. I think a nn will come on its own one day...
What do you think about nicknames?
Do you even like nicknames or do you feel a nn is completely useless?
And what do you prefer: nicknames that derive from the original name or nicknames like "cutie", "honey" etc.?
LoQuiero
-------------------------------
Archived Thread - replies disabled
1
Replies
Mmm...
Giving the right nickname is the part of fun! I love creating nicknames, and if I find a nice name that has horrible nickname alternatives, I usually toss it. Actually my every favourite name has also favourite nicknames to it:
Andrew - Drew, but since I'm going to use Andreas - André, Dreas, Andres, Andris... (Russ. Andrei, Andryusha, Dryusha)
Daniel - Dani (common in Finland) (Russ. Danya)
Oliver - Leaf, Ver (Russ. Lif)
Gregory - Not going to use. Greg, anyway. (Russ. Grisha)
Christoph - István, Chris (Kristya)
Aleš - Lyosha
Peter - Perry, Petri (Russ. Petya)
Simon - Not going to use. Si, Sin :D. (Russ. Senya)
Alexander - Sander, Sasha, Xander, Ander. (Russ. Sasha)
Julian - Jules, Julek (Russ. Julek)
Anna - Neta, Nina, Nika, Anni, Ann (Russ. Anya, Neta)
Giving the right nickname is the part of fun! I love creating nicknames, and if I find a nice name that has horrible nickname alternatives, I usually toss it. Actually my every favourite name has also favourite nicknames to it:
Andrew - Drew, but since I'm going to use Andreas - André, Dreas, Andres, Andris... (Russ. Andrei, Andryusha, Dryusha)
Daniel - Dani (common in Finland) (Russ. Danya)
Oliver - Leaf, Ver (Russ. Lif)
Gregory - Not going to use. Greg, anyway. (Russ. Grisha)
Christoph - István, Chris (Kristya)
Aleš - Lyosha
Peter - Perry, Petri (Russ. Petya)
Simon - Not going to use. Si, Sin :D. (Russ. Senya)
Alexander - Sander, Sasha, Xander, Ander. (Russ. Sasha)
Julian - Jules, Julek (Russ. Julek)
Anna - Neta, Nina, Nika, Anni, Ann (Russ. Anya, Neta)
1
To me nicknames are not important at all and I think it's kind of weird how obsessed some people seem to be with nn. I don't think that a boy named Daniel inevitable will be called Dan or Danny or that someone named Alexander has to be called Alex. I'm named Caroline and all Carolines I know of have been called Carro (which I hate) but no one has never called me that because I've always gone by my full first name.
There is also a difference in using "nicknames" I think. I for example love Alec as a first name but everybody seem to think that I can just as well name a boy Alexander and call him Alec but nicknames are not at all that common in Sweden and you don't name your child one name and call them by another here. Jimmy, Freddy, etc are full names here and no one would think that someone who introduce himself as Jimmy has another name or that Jimmy is a nickname.
There is also a difference in using "nicknames" I think. I for example love Alec as a first name but everybody seem to think that I can just as well name a boy Alexander and call him Alec but nicknames are not at all that common in Sweden and you don't name your child one name and call them by another here. Jimmy, Freddy, etc are full names here and no one would think that someone who introduce himself as Jimmy has another name or that Jimmy is a nickname.
1
Would you think about what nickname you or others could give your child when deciding the name of your son/daughter?
Yes, I would think about this. Mainly I don't like nicknames, so I would want to make sure that I didn't give my child a name that would obviously be shortened - for example, I like the name Daniel, but would only use it as a mn to avoid him being known as Danny or Dan.
What do you think about nicknames?
Depends on what the name and nickname are, but generally I prefer full names. To clarify... my name is Sophie, and I don't mind people calling me Soph. My sister is Gemma, and she gets called Gem. It's fine. But I don't like it when people go by their nicknames as if it were their full name, e.g. Rebecca introducing herself as Becky and everyone knowing her as that, rather than just shortening her name one day. Does that make sense?
And what do you prefer: nicknames that derive from the original name or nicknames like "cutie", "honey" etc.?
I wouldn't classify "cutie" and "honey" as nicknames. They're endearments, which are separate.
S xx
Yes, I would think about this. Mainly I don't like nicknames, so I would want to make sure that I didn't give my child a name that would obviously be shortened - for example, I like the name Daniel, but would only use it as a mn to avoid him being known as Danny or Dan.
What do you think about nicknames?
Depends on what the name and nickname are, but generally I prefer full names. To clarify... my name is Sophie, and I don't mind people calling me Soph. My sister is Gemma, and she gets called Gem. It's fine. But I don't like it when people go by their nicknames as if it were their full name, e.g. Rebecca introducing herself as Becky and everyone knowing her as that, rather than just shortening her name one day. Does that make sense?
And what do you prefer: nicknames that derive from the original name or nicknames like "cutie", "honey" etc.?
I wouldn't classify "cutie" and "honey" as nicknames. They're endearments, which are separate.
S xx
1
I'm definitely on the fence on this one. (I'm using boys names because that's all I had to think of when I had my son.) Some of the names I had on my list were William, Alexander, Nikolas, Benjamin, Michael, Micah, Zachery, Duncan, Deacon, Kenyon, Paxton & Murphy (these are the most obvious nickname-able names on my list).
Some of them I don't mind to have obvious nn's, suck as Benjamin, Zachery, Duncan, Deacon, Murphy. But William, Alexander, Nikolas, Michael, Micah, Kenyon & Paxton just seemed to be so whole that I didn't want to have to have a nn.
I would never name my child Michael or William, because I would only want them to be called that. On the same page, my name is Caitlin and my parents flat out refused to call me Cait or Caity or accept anyone calling me that (I now go by Cait).
I think it's a complicated issue and very personal.
Some of them I don't mind to have obvious nn's, suck as Benjamin, Zachery, Duncan, Deacon, Murphy. But William, Alexander, Nikolas, Michael, Micah, Kenyon & Paxton just seemed to be so whole that I didn't want to have to have a nn.
I would never name my child Michael or William, because I would only want them to be called that. On the same page, my name is Caitlin and my parents flat out refused to call me Cait or Caity or accept anyone calling me that (I now go by Cait).
I think it's a complicated issue and very personal.
1
To me, very important
Nicknames are inevitable in my family and I nickname everyone I love...plus Australians are notorious for nicknaming people. If a name has an inevitable nn I hate, I wouldn't use it.
For example, Astraea is a name I adore in full. But there is no nn that I like, so it is completely off limits as a fn in my mind. I wouldn't even consider it.
WHen I consider names, one of the criteria is nns. Vivienne has Vivi or Viv, Adelaide has Addie, Ruby is short enough but she would end up getting Rue or Bee...which would probably end up as Bumble-Bee
Nicknames are inevitable in my family and I nickname everyone I love...plus Australians are notorious for nicknaming people. If a name has an inevitable nn I hate, I wouldn't use it.
For example, Astraea is a name I adore in full. But there is no nn that I like, so it is completely off limits as a fn in my mind. I wouldn't even consider it.
WHen I consider names, one of the criteria is nns. Vivienne has Vivi or Viv, Adelaide has Addie, Ruby is short enough but she would end up getting Rue or Bee...which would probably end up as Bumble-Bee
1
Nicknames are very important here in Slovakia, full first names are usually only used in formal situations or when you're mad at someone LOL.
1
I love Maud!
1
I think that nicknames come naturally, and that they should be considered when using certain names, because the probability is high that the nickname will be used, even if not by the parents. I also think that some names almost demand a nickname, because most people are not going to want to pronounce the full name every time they speak to or refer to the person in question.
So,for example, my sisters are named Patricia and Pamela, and are always called Patty and Pam. I think that Patricia and Pamela are two of those names that almost demand a nickname, and that it would have been foolish of my parents to use those names if they disliked the nicknames. Apparently my parents planned from the beginning to use those nicknames, because they are what my sisters have always been called, and I do not think there is anything wrong with that.
Then, some names are on the fence. There are possible nicknames for them, but they are not inevitable. My name is Janice, and it is possible to get the nickname Jan from it, and I have no doubt that some Janices do go by Jan. I never have. No one has ever called me Jan, and I am glad because I do not like it. But I think Janice is one of those names for which a nickname is possible, but not inevitable.
And then (I just posted about this, actually) I named my daughter Victoria, another name for which a nickname is almost inevitable. I decided from the beginning that we would call her Torrie, for I knew that if we just called her Victoria, people would start calling her Vicky, and I preferred Torrie. But, I did not hate Vicky, I just preferred Torrie. I do not think that you should use a name if you hate a popular nickname for it, because the child may end up being called by the nickname anyway.
So,for example, my sisters are named Patricia and Pamela, and are always called Patty and Pam. I think that Patricia and Pamela are two of those names that almost demand a nickname, and that it would have been foolish of my parents to use those names if they disliked the nicknames. Apparently my parents planned from the beginning to use those nicknames, because they are what my sisters have always been called, and I do not think there is anything wrong with that.
Then, some names are on the fence. There are possible nicknames for them, but they are not inevitable. My name is Janice, and it is possible to get the nickname Jan from it, and I have no doubt that some Janices do go by Jan. I never have. No one has ever called me Jan, and I am glad because I do not like it. But I think Janice is one of those names for which a nickname is possible, but not inevitable.
And then (I just posted about this, actually) I named my daughter Victoria, another name for which a nickname is almost inevitable. I decided from the beginning that we would call her Torrie, for I knew that if we just called her Victoria, people would start calling her Vicky, and I preferred Torrie. But, I did not hate Vicky, I just preferred Torrie. I do not think that you should use a name if you hate a popular nickname for it, because the child may end up being called by the nickname anyway.
1
In Germany, nicknames are a bit less common.
We use nicknames sometimes, for example Kati for Katharina etc., but it's not as common as in English-speaking countries. My name is Christina and there are few people who call me Chrissy or Chris. Only my best friends tend to use Chrissy.
Normally, people don't come up with a nickname very quickly, but use your normal name unless you suggest they should call you by a certain nickname.
Adults are normally called by their full fn.
We use nicknames sometimes, for example Kati for Katharina etc., but it's not as common as in English-speaking countries. My name is Christina and there are few people who call me Chrissy or Chris. Only my best friends tend to use Chrissy.
Normally, people don't come up with a nickname very quickly, but use your normal name unless you suggest they should call you by a certain nickname.
Adults are normally called by their full fn.
1
Is Katharina a popular given name among teenagers in Germany at the moment?
I'm sorry if it was too random.
I'm sorry if it was too random.
1
Yes, absolutely.
I know about 20 between the age of 15 and 25.
I know about 20 between the age of 15 and 25.
1
I tend to agree, I've always found it odd how people say: "If I have a daughter I'm going to name her Elizabeth and call her Betty" What if Lizzie suits her better? I've always assumed nicknames would come up spontaneously once the child is born, and anyway you can perfectly do without a nickname.
I'm not the biggest fan of nicknames myself. Outside of English-speaking countries they seem to be used a lot less, they're mainly for young children or to call someone from the other side of the room.
I'm not the biggest fan of nicknames myself. Outside of English-speaking countries they seem to be used a lot less, they're mainly for young children or to call someone from the other side of the room.
1
I've noticed that a lot of people on this board are obsessed with working out the perfect nickname in advanced. I don't like it when they are too contrived and not very obvious e.g. Minnie for Madeleine etc.
On the other hand, I do think it's a good idea to choose a name which can be easily shortened and has a nickname you like because it's inevitable that the name will be shortened by someone. E.g. I like Benjamin and Ben, Alexander and Alex. It's one thing that puts me off one of my favourite girl's names, Davina because I cannot think of an obvious short form. I couldn't see myself using Davie, or Vina or Dina. I'd probably use something completely random. It's also a downside for the name Matthew. I don't like the name Matt but I think it's inevitable that a Matthew would become known as Matt at some stage in his life. And Matthew to me sounds a bit childish on a grown man.
On the other hand, I do think it's a good idea to choose a name which can be easily shortened and has a nickname you like because it's inevitable that the name will be shortened by someone. E.g. I like Benjamin and Ben, Alexander and Alex. It's one thing that puts me off one of my favourite girl's names, Davina because I cannot think of an obvious short form. I couldn't see myself using Davie, or Vina or Dina. I'd probably use something completely random. It's also a downside for the name Matthew. I don't like the name Matt but I think it's inevitable that a Matthew would become known as Matt at some stage in his life. And Matthew to me sounds a bit childish on a grown man.
This message was edited 5/22/2008, 4:30 AM
1
I agree 100% with your first line! To me NN's can't be picked before hand, they have to come naturally. When my brother was born it was planned that he would have the NN TJ, his initials. But that didn't fit him at all and my parents descided to go with a differant NN. (he and my dad have the same name, so a NN is sort of inevitiable). That's why I think a NN can't be planned in advance.
1
I'm on the fence about this one. For example, I love the name Joshua, and I think it works well on a grown man. However, as a child and a teenager, I can't see it working as well (not sure why!) so I would use Josh. On the other hand, names like Alexandrine can obviously have several nicknames (Ally/Allie, Alex, Lux, Lex, Lexy/Lexie, Andy/Andie, etc...) so I would name her Alexandrine and then as she develops, see what naturally fits her.
I also find it annoying when you name a child, would hate to have them called by a nickname, but people end up doing it anyways. For example, if I ever use the name Delilah, I wouldn't want people calling her Lila. It's not that I don't like the NN Lila - I actually think it sounds charming - but it's not her name, and I don't think it's nearly as pretty as Delilah.
But yes, I agree with you - I find it slightly annoying to say, "I'll name my child x but I'll always call him/her y."
I also find it annoying when you name a child, would hate to have them called by a nickname, but people end up doing it anyways. For example, if I ever use the name Delilah, I wouldn't want people calling her Lila. It's not that I don't like the NN Lila - I actually think it sounds charming - but it's not her name, and I don't think it's nearly as pretty as Delilah.
But yes, I agree with you - I find it slightly annoying to say, "I'll name my child x but I'll always call him/her y."
This message was edited 5/22/2008, 4:17 AM
1
I also think that nicknames have to develop. I think calling your son/daughter by a nickname when they are young may confuse them.
I don't think nicknames have to derive from the original name but I don't like nicknames like "cutie and "honey".
I don't think nicknames have to derive from the original name but I don't like nicknames like "cutie and "honey".
1
You can't always tell beforehand what nicknames will suit, but you can get a feel for it. I know that if I had a Katelyn I would call her Katie, because Katie is a very natural nickname to me. But I also know that she would have a set of nonsense-syllable rhyming nicknames, because that's how we do it in my family.
I love nicknames, they're a way of showing affection and establishing familiarity. You know someone is really a good friend when you can nickname them with impunity :-D I'm usually not fond of names that can't be nicknamed.
I love nicknames, they're a way of showing affection and establishing familiarity. You know someone is really a good friend when you can nickname them with impunity :-D I'm usually not fond of names that can't be nicknamed.
1