We think we’ve decided on one girl’s name and one boy’s name with nicknames for each. I’m interested to hear what people think. Too boring? We tried to stay fairly classic, as our last name is long and unusual. [name]Will[/name], as my grandmother suggests, people be annoyed that the children have one name but go by something else? (I personally find this idea ridiculous, especially with nns that are typical for the formal name, but maybe she has a point?) Any thoughts appreciated!
For a girl, we’re thinking [name]Anna[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] nn [name]Anna[/name] [name]Beth[/name] (though DH says it should be written [name]Annabeth[/name]…but I think if he wants to write it that way, we should just name her [name]Annabeth[/name]…I’d like thoughts about that issue as well).
For a boy, we’re set on [name]John[/name] [name]Samuel[/name] nn [name]Jack[/name].
[name]Anna[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] - lovely and classy. I personally would not use because there are three [name]Anna[/name]'s in my family, thus, it would be too much. However, its a nice combo. Also, I like how [name]Elizabeth[/name] is in the mn spot and not a fn. Its kinda refreshing.
[name]John[/name] [name]Samuel[/name] - I love the nn [name]Jack[/name] (I also like the name [name]Jack[/name]), but I do find [name]John[/name] boring and overused. Have you considered [name]Jack[/name] [name]Samuel[/name]? Instead of [name]John[/name] [name]Samuel[/name]. I think [name]Jack[/name] [name]Samuel[/name] is much better. Anyway, its not a terrible name, its just, plain for me.
[name]John[/name] [name]Samuel[/name] is a stunnigly classic name. I love it! Not a fan of [name]Jack[/name], since [name]John[/name] seems to be short enough on it’s own. I love [name]Anna[/name] as a name. I never really liked [name]Elizabeth[/name], but I’m sure others will love the name. Why don’t you just use [name]Annabeth[/name]? I am quite fond of the cuteness of it.
I think both of your choices are beautiful, solid, classic names. The nn for both are so evident for each name that I wouldn’t worry about confusing or annoying anyone (except for your grandmother).
I’m with some of the previous posters on that neither name would really be my choice - they are a little too safe for me.
I think [name]Annabeth[/name] as a given name would be beautiful, esp if you plan on calling her that anyway. It also opens the opportunity for fun nn like [name]Anna[/name], [name]Annie[/name], [name]Beth[/name], [name]Betsy[/name], [name]Bess[/name], [name]Bessie[/name] ect. Which if you are concerned about nn would allow for you to choose a name that fits your daughters personality once she has started showing it off. [name]John[/name] to [name]Jack[/name] is sweet and (while I know a 2 year old [name]John[/name]/[name]Jack[/name] who was named after his father) it’s not as common as I would always assume it to be. Other potential nn for [name]John[/name] could be JS, [name]Jay[/name], J(LNI).
Thanks, all! [name]Jack[/name] is my grandfather’s name, but DH is super set on all names having a short and long form (or, in the case of [name]John[/name]/[name]Jack[/name], a formal and informal). He doesn’t like [name]Jackson[/name] and refuses just [name]Jack[/name], so I can only get my [name]Jack[/name] if we name him [name]John[/name]. I think if you saw it with our last name, you’d see that we don’t need to worry about our kid’s name blending in too much.
I like some of the nns you suggested, lexiem. I think we can use one or more of those if [name]Anna[/name] [name]Beth[/name] doesn’t seem to fit our child even if we do go with [name]Anna[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] and not [name]Annabeth[/name]. [name]Do[/name] you think we should write her nn [name]Anna[/name] [name]Beth[/name] or [name]Annabeth[/name]?
I agree with PP that [name]Annabeth[/name] is a lovely and long accepted hybrid of [name]Anna[/name] and [name]Elizabeth[/name], so why not use it as a first name? It would be much easier to ensure that people actually call her by the name you want her to have. I agree with you that naming her [name]Anna[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] and calling her [name]Annabeth[/name] (with that spelling like your DH suggests) is strange. Myself personally I like the idea of [name]Annabeth[/name] with another perhaps less common but equally classic middle name (and if it was me I would like that because you get to pick another name). I like [name]Annabeth[/name] [name]Eleanora[/name] for a more formal classic with loads of nickname possibilities when she is older or [name]Annabeth[/name] [name]Mae[/name] to add a bit of vintage charm and spunk.
All that being said I really like [name]Anna[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] it is a name that I doubt will ever feel out of style.
[name]John[/name] [name]Samuel[/name] is definitely on the boring side to me, but I like [name]John[/name] nn [name]Jack[/name] (especially if he is named after his father) I think [name]John[/name] [name]Kennedy[/name] ensured that this name/nn combo always stays in the mainstream. [name]Both[/name] of the [name]John[/name]-called-Jacks that I have known are named [name]John[/name] Whatever [name]Jr[/name]. and called [name]Jack[/name] and I think its a nice way to honor a family member but give a child his/her own name. However if there is no sentimental or family connection to the name [name]John[/name], I don’t see why you wouldn’t just name him [name]Jack[/name]. It has plenty of “real name” cred, and it is safe to say that your little [name]Jack[/name] will always be one of many Jacks when he grows up, its a nickname that suits a grown man just fine.
Congrats on your first little one and good luck on your name journey!
I kind of agree with the predictability of [name]Anna[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name]. [name]Anna[/name] is our way of honoring several of our female relatives (a mother, [name]Anita[/name], an aunt and a sister with a mn [name]Anne[/name], a grandmother named [name]Grace[/name]–which is the meaning of [name]Anna[/name], and another grandmother with [name]JoAnn[/name] as a middle name). [name]Elizabeth[/name] is another aunt’s name and the mn of several of my close friends. Aesthetically, I like [name]Annabeth[/name] [name]Grace[/name], but that seems a bit redundant since [name]Anna[/name] means grace.
I hadn’t thought about [name]Samuel[/name] [name]John[/name]. Maybe the hubs would let me get away with just [name]Jack[/name] if it were in the mn spot? [name]Samuel[/name] [name]Jack[/name]?
as a nn for [name]Anna[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] I think that [name]Anna[/name]-[name]Beth[/name] is more appropriate. Though I really think [name]Annabeth[/name] as a formal name would be great!
[name]John[/name] [name]Samuel[/name] is a very lovely, classic name. I never really understood using [name]Jack[/name] as a nickname for [name]John[/name], though, since they’re each one syllable. Is there a reason why you do not want to name the baby [name]Jack[/name] [name]Samuel[/name]? I believe it sounds just as nice.
[name]Edit[/name]: Oh, I see now why you do not want [name]Jack[/name] [name]Samuel[/name]. [name]Samuel[/name] [name]Jack[/name] is very nice, too.
As far as [name]Anna[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name], it’s another nice, classic name and [name]Anna[/name] [name]Beth[/name] is a very cute nn.
Here’s my opinion on the [name]Annabeth[/name] situation: My DH’s great-grandmother is named [name]Mary[/name] [name]Alice[/name] and is called [name]Mary[/name] [name]Alice[/name]. [name]Alice[/name] is technically a “mn”, but she is never called just “[name]Mary[/name]” or “[name]Alice[/name]”. I’ve always really liked it and have considered doing it with my own daughter. Would you be interested in naming her [name]Anna[/name] [name]Beth[/name] instead of [name]Anna[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name]? I would still write it as [name]Anna[/name] [name]Beth[/name] instead of [name]Annabeth[/name], but that’s just a personal preference.
Oooh! Good point about [name]Mary[/name] [name]Alice[/name] and names like that. I knew a [name]Sarah[/name] [name]Jane[/name] whose mn was [name]Jane[/name], but no one ever called her just [name]Sarah[/name]. The only problem is that [name]Elizabeth[/name] is more significant to us than [name]Beth[/name], but we like the combo of [name]Anna[/name] [name]Beth[/name] better than we like either [name]Anna[/name] or [name]Elizabeth[/name] on their own. Hmmm… Thanks!
I love [name]Annabeth[/name] as a first name! [name]How[/name] about [name]Annabeth[/name] [name]Eliza[/name]? And I really like [name]John[/name] [name]Samuel[/name], nn [name]Jack[/name].
I think they are both perfect. [name]John[/name] isn’t as common as you’d think. I rarely hear it used with younger kids. I think you can name your daughter [name]Anna[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] and call her [name]Anna[/name] [name]Beth[/name]. Nicknames can be whatever you want really, and shortening [name]Elizabeth[/name] to [name]Beth[/name] is very intuitive. I prefer [name]Anna[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] or [name]Anna[/name] [name]Beth[/name] to [name]Annabeth[/name]. I think keeping the two names separate gives her more options. She may want to simply go by [name]Anna[/name] professionally one day, for example.
I know a little [name]Annabeth[/name] (<2 years). It works just fine, imo, it’s just a matter of whether you like the name or not.
I don’t see much difference between naming her Annabeth vs. Anna Beth as far as options. She can still choose to go by just Anna or just Beth with either name, but the Annabeth smoosh allows for a different middle name (+ more options).
Either way, nicknames are hardly a new concept, and it’s absolutely not like your nickname choices are ‘out there.’ Tell grandma she doesn’t know what she’s talking about
