The name [name_u]Alfie[/name_u]'s beginning to grow on me for a boy, but, I’m still a bit unsure.
A) Does it work as a stand alone name? It’s currently the 7th most popular name in [name_f]England[/name_f]&[name_m]Wales[/name_m], with 4,843 births (according to [name_f]Elea[/name_f] over at britishbabynames.com), but I know nicknames as names (especially for boys it seems) are like the plague sometimes.
B) What could it be short for? I dislike [name_m]Alfred[/name_m].
thank you!
Here in [name_f]Canada[/name_f] it might be considered old-fashioned or stuffy. I think it could work as a standalone name- I know people who are just named [name_f]Molly[/name_f], [name_u]Chris[/name_u], [name_m]Dave[/name_m], etc.- even though I personally don’t like nicknames as a full names.
Maybe [name_m]Alphonse[/name_m] nn [name_u]Alfie[/name_u] could work? Or Alfredito, which is my uncle’s name, though he goes by [name_m]Fred[/name_m].
Names to get to nn [name_u]Alfie[/name_u]:
[name_m]Alfonso[/name_m]
[name_m]Alfreck[/name_m]
[name_m]Balfour[/name_m]/[name_m]Balfore[/name_m]
[name_m]Ralf[/name_m]/[name_m]Ralph[/name_m]
[name_m]Alpheus[/name_m]
but I also like [name_m]Alfred[/name_m], even though the full name does still summon up an image of Batman’s butler from the old TV show (I date myself here!).
[name_u]Alfie[/name_u] sounds really sexy to me for a man, but also cute for a little kid. A 90 year old [name_u]Alfie[/name_u]? That’s a bit harder to see, but at 90, he’d be used to it anyway.
Besides, my feeling is that [name_f]England[/name_f] and its neighboring countries are so far ahead of us in true name coolness that whatever goes there, will go here and in [name_f]Canada[/name_f] soon enough. Of course, I speak as someone with English ancestry who is a complete Anglophile so I may be biased.
Have fun choosing!
[name_u]Leslie[/name_u]
My family is primarily from the British Isles, so I too find myself to be pro-[name_f]England[/name_f] in the style sense- they always seem a step ahead in everything, fashion, naming, music, television programs (original X [name_m]Factor[/name_m] was from the UK). I agree, I think [name_u]Jude[/name_u] [name_m]Law[/name_m] helped make [name_u]Alfie[/name_u] sexy and attractive on a grown man, but I wasn’t sure if it was just me or not! I have to admit, judging by top 100 lists, [name_f]Canada[/name_f] seems to be right behind the UK, but American seems to be a few steps behind!
[name_u]Alfie[/name_u] works just fine as a full name why use [name_m]Alfred[/name_m] when you don’t like it. It could work as a nickname for [name_m]Raphael[/name_m] which I would use it for not because I don’t think [name_u]Alfie[/name_u] is mature enough because I like both names equally.
I think [name_u]Alfie[/name_u] is cute (and yes, both the [name_u]Jude[/name_u] [name_m]Law[/name_m] version and the original give the name some extra appeal), but I can’t warm up to it as a full name. Like you, I’m not a fan of [name_m]Alfred[/name_m] or [name_m]Alphonso[/name_m]. If I run across a better formal option, I’ll let you know!
I really like [name_u]Alfie[/name_u] either way. These might get you there:
[name_m]Ephraim[/name_m]
[name_m]Phaelan[/name_m]
[name_m]Ralph[/name_m]
[name_m]Raphael[/name_m]/[name_m]Rafael[/name_m]
[name_m]Alford[/name_m], Talford, [name_m]Alpheus[/name_m]? As more of a “stretch” you could do an [name_m]Al[/name_m]- first name (I don’t know your style, so anything from [name_m]Alexander[/name_m], [name_m]Alban[/name_m], Alfaric, [name_u]Alton[/name_u] - there are dozens!) and then an F middle name. [name_m]Alexander[/name_m] [name_m]Frederick[/name_m] nn [name_u]Alfie[/name_u], [name_m]Albus[/name_m] [name_m]Franklin[/name_m] nn [name_u]Alfie[/name_u]. I know people who have ended up with names like [name_u]Casey[/name_u] and [name_f]Cece[/name_f] with this sort of combination.
[name_u]Alfie[/name_u] would be accepted as a first name, but I have a nickname as a given name and always wish I had the option to have a “grown-up” name. However, that feeling is not shared by everyone with nickname-names! I think [name_u]Alfie[/name_u] flies a little better as a given name in the UK since it’s so common there. In [name_u]North[/name_u] [name_u]America[/name_u], you’d probably field a few more “what is it short for” questions, but people will just accept your answer and move on. (Source: I’m always asked if my name is short for [name_f]Mary[/name_f] or [name_f]Margaret[/name_f]. People deal with it.).