Thoughts on this name? [name]Will[/name] it automatically be shortened to [name]Gwen[/name]? I’d love to use it in full.
Siblings are [name]Logan[/name] [name]Isaac[/name], [name]Ruby[/name] [name]Marilyn[/name], and [name]Michael[/name] “[name]Mick[/name]” [name]Lawrence[/name]. [name]Logan[/name], [name]Ruby[/name], [name]Mick[/name], and [name]Gwendolen[/name]. Would she stick out like a sore thumb? [name]Gwen[/name] seems to match better stylistically, but [name]Gwen[/name] is my gran’s name and I’d prefer to use [name]Gwendolen[/name] be a little different.
I think people are pretty likely to nn it, if not to [name]Gwen[/name] then to [name]Dolly[/name] or [name]Wendy[/name]. I think if you set the tone for her always being [name]Gwendolen[/name], it’ll help, but you can’t guarantee it, especially as she gets older and may prefer a nn herself.
[name]Gwendolen[/name] feels a little long next to those siblings but not horribly. It’s Gaelic feeling like [name]Logan[/name] and vintage like [name]Ruby[/name]. It’s still not badly matched to [name]Michael[/name] since [name]Michael[/name] is so classic it’s flexible. So I think it’s OK.
I think [name]Gwyneth[/name] would be a nice way to honor grandma [name]Gwen[/name] and [name]Gwyneth[/name] would fit in a little bit better - I also think it’s a little less likely to be nn’d.
I love [name]Gwendolen[/name], especially the nn [name]Gwen[/name]-- which I know you want to avoid. The long name does stand out against her siblings. I’d probably choose something shorter if you are really against the nn… but I honestly love [name]Gwen[/name]. [name]Do[/name] you call your Gran by her first name? If you call her Gran, maybe it’s not really an issue?
I would say that it is possible to keep a name long (my little brother is [name]Joseph[/name] and has never once been [name]Joe[/name] or [name]Joey[/name] or anything but [name]Joseph[/name]) but I agree with PP that if you use 2 syllables instead of 3 it is much easier to not have a nn. I do think the length really makes it stick out from your other names. [name]Love[/name] [name]Logan[/name], [name]Mick[/name], and [name]Ruby[/name] by the way!
I love [name]Gwendolen[/name]! I go back and forth on wanting to add it to my list, but in general, I’ve just always really loved it. I know a [name]Gwendolen[/name] (not that spelling, though–spelled very youneekly :() who has always just been [name]Gwendolen[/name]–her mom enforced it from when she was a baby and I’ve never heard her referred to as [name]Gwen[/name]. If you’re looking for a nn alternative, I’ve always really loved [name]Winnie[/name] and [name]Leni[/name] as nns for [name]Gwendolen[/name]…
We don’t call Gran by her first name, and it wouldn’t irritate me much at all to hear her called [name]Gwen[/name], as I’m toying with just using [name]Gwen[/name] as is because of the namesake. If we use [name]Gwendolen[/name] I don’t want it to get lost or become an exclusive nickname like our [name]Mick[/name] (we planned from the beginning to call him [name]Mick[/name], but wanted to give him a formal name). As a baby, I’m really liking the idea of maybe calling her [name]Gwennie[/name] [name]Lou[/name]. The length of it does seem imbalanced next to my other kids. I even like [name]Gwenyth[/name] or [name]Gwyneth[/name] and think they might work better with the siblings names, but if I had to choose between either of those or [name]Gwendolen[/name], I love [name]Gwendolen[/name] a bit more. I like the nn [name]Leni[/name], I hadn’t thought of that one. I kinda like [name]Wendy[/name] too. But I think of all the nicknames that can be pulled out of [name]Gwendolen[/name], I love [name]Gwen[/name] the most. MY style tends to be longer names like [name]Bernadette[/name] and [name]Thaddeus[/name], but those tend to get lost when compromising with the husband. Hopefully [name]Gwendolen[/name] stands a chance.