miaowing_kat I've know a fair few Katie's- all have been wonderfully-dirty 😀

there used to be a Veterinary Surgeon where I grew up called Peter Nutt. The sign outside his surgery had his and his wifes names on.

P.Nutt: Veterinary Surgeon
Hazel Nutt: Veterinary Assistant

In counter to the Katy / Kathryn, not every dimunition of a name results in the name becoming more youthful.

My given name is Jonathan, which makes me sound like a small boy. So everyone apart from my family know me as Jon (and I'm insistent on the spelling)

My family call me Jonathan when addressing me formally – eg: this is my son Jonathan (or when I'm in trouble) but most often call me Jonny. Jonny is a real small boy name but for some reason that's my favourite one in informal company. But it wouldn't sound right at work.

And then since I share a surname with another well known John ('star' of TV's Big Break and all round grumpy arsed snooker type) a number of people also call me JV

To the OP. Oakley's not a good first name.

Names should be at least two syllables to make calling easy, and pass the supermarket test;

You WILL lose your child and have to walk down the aisles shouting "Oakley". Shoppers will only look on with pity and not because you have lost your child. Choose again.

Choose something either classic or timeless.
Choose something with unambiguous spelling (think email…)

Mine are Thomas and Alexander – which can be shortened to Tom and Alex as they get older. My sister has a Wilfred and an Albert. I think Wilfred is a great name.

regards
Daren

And yes that name dates me to the '60's and my parents couldn't spell (think Karen with a D) 😕

Oakley's nickname will be:

Klay

or

Speks.

Call him Steve.

One of my sister's friends is called Lucky Pancake. Her sister is called Summer Blossom.

Name FAIL.

I love the name Summer.

It was more the Lucky Pancake that disturbed me, Summer was the one that got off lightly!

if he may be called Oak for various reasons 😉

Wolfram says this

I personally like old names and prefer something different.

As my name goes, I grew up with Blake 7 (so I wasn't a nice child) and Dave Lee (Travis) in the end, never did me any harm, you just learn to deal with it.

It is what you want it to be, you will always find someone to disagree and that is the way life is.

And for the record, our little one is called Montgomery, a dam fine upstanding name, it suits him, and I think it's bloomin' brilliant (so do the rest of my family and friends)
Why go with everyone else, make him different, and no one will forget him.

Zachary (middlename Fox) for our wee bairn.

I actually wanted Arnold for a middlename but mrshora poo-poo'd the idea.

Jonny is a real small boy name but for some reason that's my favourite one in informal company.

Had a friend whose father was known as Jonny. He was always a youthful (though not *cool* young) chap, and so it really suited him. More ageless than you think, I reckon.

ph0010421 – Member

Behave.
Remember, he'll be getting the sh1t kicked out of him when he's 14 for your decision. Go with Bill, John, Mike or similar.

thebikechain – Member

Go with the sure thing.

Pick a solid classic name like James, Mark, Tom etc. They will appreciate it in later life.

These guys have it right.

My brother's name is Jonathan, though as a young child, I had a scottish accent and couldn't pronounce the 'th' sound, so I called him 'Jonideen' 🙂 He has been called Jonny since he was about 10- first by friends; now we all do. It feels odd to think of him as 'Jonathan' now.