I just gave all three of mine three and four letter names, that are impossible* to shorten.
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*the school playground however may have succeeded here.

I gave my two classic multi-syllable first and middle names that can be shorted many different ways. I figured I’d let them choose what they want to be called.

the school playground however may have succeeded here.

IME kids without easy nicknames will instead be known by something relating to a minor incident/rumour in their first year that will haunt them through the rest of school.

That’s what my wife Kitkat says anyway.

One of my coursemates at uni was called Andrew, but didn’t like being called “Andy”.

Lucky, then, that “Drew” is only one syllable! (I can sort of get why he didn’t want to be called Andy though)

you try shouting* across a rugby pitch to Ptolemy with a straight face.

It’s Tommy now, whether his mother likes it or not.

* Im coach, not father.

Scotty Cheggster – this was hilarious, I almost choked on my food

This was not helped by another Dad picking up on this and referring to him as Tim, Timmy, Timbo, Timster, Dr Timmington etc to even more lip pursing from the crone.

I used to have a colleague who was known as Urt, because whenever anyone called him Rob he’d say ‘urt’.

One of my coursemates at uni was called Andrew, but didn’t like being called “Andy”.

Lucky, then, that “Drew” is only one syllable! (I can sort of get why he didn’t want to be called Andy though)

I hate it when anyone calls me Drew, though Andrew or Andy is fine (and spent five years at school being called Des for various arcane reasons)

the short version of Dylan is Dylz, according to my mate Dylan

The only time my dad has ever openly criticised my mum to me was when he said that my name – Stephen – had been spelt with a “ph” so no one would shorten it to Steve. Yeah, right mum! 🙄

Both our kids have one syllable names to avoid being shortened. All their friends have added a “y” to lengthen them. Kids are little shits sometimes 😆

Oh yeah and I’m known by a shortened version of my middle name.

I used to have a colleague who was known as Urt, because whenever anyone called him Rob he’d say ‘urt’.

Hah, I used to know a lad called Chris who was known as “Tiffer” for the same reason.

Sometimes I do wish parents would give a bit more thought before naming their child. The current trend for hyphenated names is annoying. What’s worse is one’s where they have a fairly normal name but with a slightly strange spelling, like Rachel with a in or lucy with an e in. An aquaintance of mine called his son Elliott. Most people would automatically spell Eliot with one L and one T. When he told me I just pictured his son for the rest of his life speaking down the phone opening bank accounts and such ‘it’s double L and double T’ Another lass I know has just called her son Buzz! Baby Buzz!

you try shouting* across a rugby pitch to Ptolemy with a straight face.

😆

My wife and I are shortened by the opposite family – yet retain ‘Sunday best’ full name by our respective families.

What’s worse is one’s where they have a fairly normal name but with a slightly strange spelling

Is that still a thing? I noticed it started becoming common a few years ago (yes, that’s “Daisy,” with a ‘z’), but I thought it’d been broadly displaced by twaddle like Chardonnay.

An aquaintance of mine called his son Elliott. Most people would automatically spell Eliot with one L and one T.

I don’t think I’ve ever come across Elliott spelt “Eliot”, I thought that was the general spelling?

Having the seemingly unpronounceable Irish version of Kieran (key-rawn), my wife and most of our mates have now started calling me Ron. It’s been weird getting used to a new nickname in my forties. People who’ve only known me a few years think it’s my real name! I’m not massively keen on it, but to be honest, at least it makes the “What’s your name so I can write it on the cup?” questions in coffee shops easier. I’m not altogether pleased with our friends’ kids calling me “Uncle Ron” though – it just has a sinister feel about it. 🙂

I have a friend who for 10 years was a big name in PR, his name is Mark but in the world of PR called himself Elliot, got very confusing when going out with his work people. He thought Elliot was more PR than Mark. Never got my head around that.

What’s worse is one’s where they have a fairly normal name but with a slightly strange spelling

Yep – all people called Allister / Alistair / Alasdair / Alister / Alastor (thanks for that one JK Rowling!) can just do one.

It’s Alastair. A-L-A-S-T-A-I-R. 😡

Yes, I AM sure. I picked it for him.

Can we call him Al?

Only if he can call you Betty.

Yep – all people called Allister / Alistair / Alasdair / Alister / Alastor (thanks for that one JK Rowling!) can just do one.

It’s Alastair. A-L-A-S-T-A-I-R.

Yes, I AM sure. I picked it for him.

my middle name is Allister/Alistair/Alasdair/Alister . Im 40 and still I havent a clue how to spell it*. It’s why I have to keep my driving licence to hand to check. Stupid bloody name. 🙄

* you think Im joking, I really have no idea without going to check 😳

Is that still a thing? I noticed it started becoming common a few years ago … but I thought it’d been broadly displaced by twaddle like Chardonnay.

Tell that to my daughters classmate Typhanny (No, really!)

An aquaintance of mine called his son Elliott. Most people would automatically spell Eliot with one L and one T. When he told me I just pictured his son for the rest of his life speaking down the phone opening bank accounts and such ‘it’s double L and double T’

#1 spawn is called Isobel. The number of different ways this can be spelled…

It could be worse. We know a family with a ‘Sheffield’ (and for the rest of your life explain you are named after the place you were conceived in) and a little brother called ‘Red’.

All was fine when then lived in London – then work moved them back to Sheffield, and they now live in the shadow of Hillsborough ground…

I think someone correcting me would just encourage me to shorten their sprogs name to something daft.

This!

My other half’s sister is really funny about people shortening her little ‘uns name, Alexander. It’s Ok to call in ‘Zander’ (WTF???) or ‘Zands’ but something normal like Alex is a big no-no. I call him Al!

Why choose a name that is so likely to be shortened?

She was even funny about us shortening our little guys name – it’s our kid thanks.

I’m James in work as when we had names on our uniform I got a couple of shirts off another member of staff who was called James. Outside of work I’m jim or Jimmy. I tried being jim when I started a new job but when said on the phone, my full name sounds a bit like Jameel, and people started asking for jameel when they rang so with my current role I’ve reverted to James. My kids were deliberately given names that they can abbreviate, spell and pronounce however they like, seems only fair to let them have their own identity.

Mind you, I remember getting into a fight at school over whether a girl was called Cheryl (sh rill) or Cheryl (che rill) I eventually concluded that her mum was illiterate. Looking back I might have been a bit of a jumped up little excrement, and if not a name nazi, perhaps a name communist?

IME kids without easy nicknames will instead be known by something relating to a minor incident/rumour in their first year that will haunt them through the rest of school.

I know of someone called “Sweeties” because thats what he called out as he was hit by the school bus – knocking his bag of sweets out of his hand

What’s in a name? A rose by any other would smell as sweet”

The lad is christened Thomas (that will look nice on CV in 20 years) but he’s Tommy to all that know him at the moment and Tom when he’s being a little toad.

But he’ll make up his own mind up as he gets older, I did.

I started using my shortened name at 12ish and have only ever introduced myself as such since. Only my mother and the Mrs, when I’m in trouble, call be by my full name. And as such I dont really like anyone else using it. 😆

Sprog #2 is Xavier. At 3 he is a Xavi, and hopefully will graduate to being a cool Xav in the future.

Bloddy teachers at pre-school somehow spell it with a Z!

I’m James in work

A friend of mine got a new job. Between interview and her first day of work there was some sort of HR mix up and her first and middle names got transposed. So first day of work she’s given a name badge with the wrong name on it along with email address, and business cards, entry in staff directories etc. But not only that because her role is public facing and a point of contact to a particular sector theres been mailouts, press releases, newsletters etc all introducing her to that sector and the wider public…. with the wrong name.

So she just decided to roll with it…. thats been her name ever since – through half a dozen subsequent job changes. Anyone who knows her professionally or has met her socially since the mid 90s knows her by one name and her family (but not her partner or her child), school friends etc, know her by another.

OP perhaps a children’s party clown isn’t the best career for you

Hyphenated first names with the second part being -May or -Rose (or ‘alternative’ spellings of either) marks the parents out as a certain sort

I’d known him for over a decade before I found out, at his wedding, that his name is actually Alan.

Because I went to a different school to most of them I spent a long time not knowing my mates real names, everyone was known by their nicknames, even the supposedly obvious ones were wrong eg “Harry” is actually called Daniel.

Youngest got the long version of the name we use on his birth certificate, partly so he can decide what he wants to use later on but also coz firstname/surname sounds daft in the local accent.

I gave my two classic multi-syllable first and middle names that can be shorted many different ways. I figured I’d let them choose what they want to be called.

Ditto. Though we have condemned our second-born to a lifetime of spelling Catherine/ Katherine/ Katharine/ Kathryn.

Tom when he’s being a little toad.

Oh, ours get the full first/middle/last names when things get “serious”!

It could be worse. We know a family with a ‘Sheffield’ (and for the rest of your life explain you are named after the place you were conceived in) and a little brother called ‘Red’

This trend seems to have died out but I was very surprised to see how long ago it started

We have a game of guess the amount of different spellings of my name in Christmas cards every year.

I think the record is 12 or 13. Even my in-laws get it wrong…despite a quick check on Facebook being a click or two away to confirm. 😕

The best one this year was from some neighbours down the road who know my wife to chat with but not really me. As they didn’t know my name, they just went for a random Irish one. Y’know…”yeah, Aidan, that’ll do…he’l be delighted we picked an Irish name anyway won’t he?” 😆

Then there was Ted my local mechanic who used to look after my old work car. Every time I saw him he’d just call me by the first Irish name that came into his head…Pat, Seamus, Aidan, Mick and a few others. He never once got it right.

My lad’s middle name is Montmorency.

It’ll either give him a good line to chat up English Literature students or get him beaten up. He’s 5, it’s early days on either.

Oh, ours get the full first/middle/last names when things get “serious”!

Ours does too.

I’ve always been Sam not Samuel (even when naughty as a kid I was Sam).

So its either “Jeremy” or “tandem” No “Jezza” and no “mr Tandem” please.

May I call you Ron, Jeremy? 😆

Sorry I’m a bit late to the party I’ve had a lot on.

My lad’s middle name is Montmorency.

It’ll either give him a good line to chat up English Literature students or get him beaten up. He’s 5, it’s early days on either.

If it’s not the latter, the school bullies need to pull their socks up.

My name isn’t Robert. Didn’t stop every teacher I ever had insisting it was. People still assume it’s Robert nowadays.

Roberta, is that you?