View Message

[Opinions] Andrew
I really like the name Andrew. However, I don't know any grown men with this name. It seems that in middle or high school, all the Andrews become Andy or Drew. Drew is more feminine around here though. Additionally, I don't know any grown men that go by Joshua, Daniel or Matthew. I love all these full names. However, they always get shortened. Lastly, my daughter is named Abigail. This is all we call her. However the majority of people call her Abby. We kindly tell them her name is Abigail. They still call her Abby. I'm afraid the same will happen with Andrew/Andy. Has anyone else experienced this?
Archived Thread - replies disabled
vote up1

Replies

My mom named my sister Jessica, but seriously dislikes the NN Jessie. Everyone called her Jessie in kindergarten, even though my mom corrected them. I think it will become less of a problem over time if the child and you correct them :)
vote up1
I love the name Andrew. But I also love Drew and Andy. Because those 2 nicknames are so likable, it will be hard for others to resist not calling him by one. But Andrew and Abigail make such an impressive sibset, I think it's a great choice!
p.s. I almost named my daughter Addison. Since I didn't want her called Addie (because it rhymes with my last name), I chose something else.
vote up1
I know two men-late 20's to mid 40's named Andrew, both are always called that. You just have to be persistent, I suppose.
I know a woman who successfully prevented her daughter Roxanne from being called Roxy. It *can* be done.
vote up1
I find it terribly common and dull, but that's mainly because every 3rd baby or child I've met in the last 5 years seems to have been an Andrew. :-/ (Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating...LOL) Most of the Andrews I know go by their full names, though, even adults, and only a few that go by Andy or Drew. Andrew and Abigail for siblings is a little cutesy imo, but not nearly as cutesy as Abby and Andy would be. And I like that you're calling Abigail by her full name, btw (not that you asked). I've only known one Abigail that didn't go by Abby/Abbie/Abi.
vote up1
I know of many adult Andrews, but most do go by Andy. However, I am in highschool and 2 of the 4 Andrews in my grade go simply by Andrew. (the other two are both Andys). You may have a bit of a problem with the nickname thing, but I don't think you will as much as with Abigail.
vote up1
My DH's name is Andrew. Growing up he went by Drew and his family still calls him that, but when he graduated HS he just told people in college, new people he met, people at work that his name was Andrew. Everyone but his family calls him that. I think it is a wonderful name for a man of any age. I hate Andy as a nn. It makes me cringe. Drew was ok, but it was DH's choice. I wouldn't let a nn possibility trouble you, if you really like the name.
vote up1
I've known a few AndrewsThey all went by Andrew. I don't think that Andrew will easily get shortened. Joshua, Daniel, Matthew - those do tend to be shortened. Sad fact of life.
vote up1
I used to worship the name Daniel, but hated the nn's Dan and Danny. I finally gave up on it, thinking there would be no chance he'd be called by his full name his whole life. (And then I finally just got sick of it because it's so overused. :-/)
vote up1
Actually, perhaps you know, Dan is a name in itself, as well as a shortened form of Daniel. From the Bible.(as is Daniel too, of course.)
vote up1
I know what you mean. I know a guy who attends the college I go to, and he is the brother of one of my friends, who also goes there. Anyway, his name is Andrew, but everyone calls him Drew, even his brother, and he goes by that himself. Most people I think do that because they simply don't want to say the full name. They're used to shortening it, so they shorten it. I know one guy named Daniel and he doesn't shorten it at all.
vote up1
I know an Andrew who goes by Andrew. I like the name a lot - don't care for Andy or Drew.
vote up1
If I am reading your name correctly, you're from Seattle. I'm also a native of the Pacific Northwest and have had similar experiences. Almost everyone's name is shortened or turned into a nn. But I went to school on the East Coast and found some people went by their full/ formal name(s). I think it's a geographic phenomenon.
vote up1
I do know some Andrew's whom go by the full name that around like in their late 20's. but, I think that happens to the majority goes by nicknames. my brother is 18 and his name is Stuart (my parents and I will call him Stuart) but, everyone else just calls him Stu it's really what the person prefers. I've always called him Stuart from the last 18 years so it would be difficult to change that. I also, know people by Steven and Rob they get called their full names by their families but everyone else will call them Steve/Steve-o Rob/Robbie. All in all, It's what the person wants to be called by other's. It can also be the other way around I went to school with many Katie's but after high school they decided Katie was too chilidish so they went back to using Katherine. In my past experience It really depends what the person wants to be called (however it's much easier when their younger) My parents always wanted everyone to call my brother Stuart when he was younger but everyone just called him Stu. As long as your son (when he becomes the approriate age) is happy with being called Andy/Drew if not, he'll tell people to call him Andrew (I wish it was easier too!)
vote up1
I went to high school with an Andrew who always went by Andrew. No one called him Andy or Drew. I think that it can work as long as the person with the name prefers to go by Andrew rather than Andy or Drew.
vote up1
My boyfriend is Michael, but he's been called Mikey since he was a kid. He'll be 27 in three months, and he still gets called Mikey. I think it's a bit juvenile, but no big. Some people call him Mike, and some call him Michael. It seems like the people that have known him since he was young call him Mikey, and then, people who have met him recently call him Mike because that's what he's been introducing himself as. Others call him Bart, but that's a long story. :)I think that if he constantly told people Andrew, they'd call him that. At first, it would be a pain to have to correct people, but that happens with a lot of aspects of names all the time, so I don't think it's such a big deal. Strangers and random people will inevitable call him Andy (like they do with Abigail / Abby), but the people who matter will get it right, so I wouldn't let this deter you.
vote up1
My siblings have that problem, too--Nicholas and Candis are called Nicky and Candi, respectively, by family and old friend. They're in their 40s. :-/ I'm Heather, so I haven't had that problem. :b
vote up1
thank you
vote up1