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[Opinions] Trying way too hard . . .
in reply to a message by Mum
Tell me anyone would not automatically think of Nicole upon hearing Nikki? I'm all for creative NNs, but to just take a well established NN from a different full name is just clumsy and desperate.I don't think Monica necessarily needs a NN, but if I were to use the Nikki sound, I would spell it Nici so that it at least seems logical. Nica or Mona would work as well.
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Agree . . .Nicknames that flow from a weak syllable, rather than an emphasised syllable, always sound forced and awkward (unless the syllable used is the first syllable of the name).Monica "Nikki" has to be made to happen, it doesn't happen by itself.
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That's a clear explanation - well doneI feel that way too. I understand Mum's logic in wanting to use Monica nn Nikki; okay, fine, if it can be made to work and you like it and it's what you want, go for it. But it will have to be "made to," i.e. forced to, work. I agree with you, Chrisell, about how awkward a nn seems when generated from any but the strongest sounds in the name. Well said. :-)
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Agree with you both; I eventually get to a better explanation towards the end of this drawn out subthread. Sorry for the jumble below, but you two have said what I meant to say.
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I don't think it is trying way to hard at all. It is just not exactly what everyone expects from the fn.
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Trying way too hard? The problem is I like the name Monica, I've always liked the nn Nikki, and I dislike Nicole. Seems logical. :]

This message was edited 1/20/2007, 8:18 PM

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I'm just saying that in the public's concious, Nikki is already firmly cemented as a NN for Nicole. You could still use the NIK sound, I think; I'd just spell it a different way to help remove the Nicole connotation.I knew a girl named Michaelina NN Mici (prn Mickey), so the Nici spelling was my first suggestion. Nicci would work, too.
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Not to sound clumsy and desperate, but I just don't like it spelled Nici/Nicci. It doesn't look right to me. I dislike the name Nicole, I love the nn Nikki, and Monica happens to be another name with a NICK sound in it. Screw the public's concious, it's not going to make a difference if it's spelled Nicci or Nici or Nicki or Nikkey, they'll probably think of it as a nn for Nicole anyways. So I might as well spell it the way I want.
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Just name the girl Nikki then since you care more about the NN than the full name. Edited to add this would be why my original post used the words clumsy and desperate -- when parents just have to use a NN and come up with something that makes everyone scratch their heads and go, huh? as a full name. I've heard of parents who felt Amy wasn't substantial enough on its own, so they wanted to use Amygdala just so they could call her Amy. Just use Amy or Nikki then and spare the rest of us. A NN should flow from a full name, not the other way around. (Or from an endearing trait unrelated to the name, etc., but not a full name from a NN.)

This message was edited 1/20/2007, 8:40 PM

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Well, I'd like her to have a real name as a backup incase she dislikes having just a nn or so she has a proffesional sounding name for when she's an adult.
I still love the name Monica and would call her by her real name once in a while too.
Thanks for your input.Edit: Comparing Monica/Nikki to Amygdala/Amy is totally unessecary, it doesn't help you prove a point. You make it sound like having Nikki for a nn for Monica is totally crazy, which it isn't, and other people have agreed.

This message was edited 1/20/2007, 8:41 PM

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Just saying that it was a case I'd heard of that employed the same reasoning -- we like this NN but need a full name for it. Sure, Monica is heaps and heaps better than Amygdala, but it was more to illustrate the reasoning than the names.
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It's more then just wanting a full name for a nn though (though that's part of it), I just really adore the name Monica, too.

This message was edited 1/20/2007, 8:45 PM

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Not to be involved in your debate but I do understand what Cora is saying. Nikki to me also is a nn for Nicole. And she makes a good point. HOWEVER, its only up to you. Your the one who has to like the name no one else. I think Monica is a beautiful name and if you want to nn her Nikki by all means your entiled to do so. Its not that horrible of a thing. Not that it is the same thing or anything but nn's can come from all different places other than the actual first name. My family calls me all kind of nn's that aren't derived from my first name. I also know alot of people who have nn's that are based on their middle names. So Nikki could work as a nn if you want it that way. Everyone is entiled to their own opinions. And everyone has different tastes in names. I don't think Monica needs a nn. But if you love the nn Nikki that much I guess it could work.
Good luck with your naming :)

This message was edited 1/20/2007, 8:55 PM

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I think it's very logical.mon-NIK-a.
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It's logical if you prn Monica that way, but I don't know many people who do. Either you typed it that way for emphasis when italics or bold would have been better, or you actually prn it like that? Personally, I prn it like MON-ik-uh. The accent of the second syllable is awkward to me, and I have a hard time producing the two N sounds one after the other.Edited to change syllably to syllable. :)

This message was edited 1/20/2007, 8:32 PM

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I pronounce it the way you do. You're right that the capitals were for emphasis and also right that italics or bold would have been better. Funnily enough, I never thought to use bold or italics and will in future if I attempt to emphasize (sp?) without involvment of pronounciation. (I had trouble wording that last bit; hope it makes sense).
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ReNo worries, but yeah, your original method creates confusion.
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