I was wondering how you feel about nicknames that stray from the spelling of the full name.
For example, I like the name [name_m]Graham[/name_m] with the nickname [name_u]Grey[/name_u], but the spelling [name_u]Gray[/name_u] is more consistent with the full name.
Another example would be [name_f]Caitlin[/name_f]. This is my favourite spelling of the name. However, for a nickname, I much prefer [name_f]Kate[/name_f] to [name_f]Cate[/name_f]/Cait.
[name_f]Do[/name_f] you have any examples of spelling discrepancies between full names and nicknames? [name_f]Do[/name_f] you think it matters? I’d love to hear your opinions.
Personally, i agree - it does irk me when nicknames and full names don’t match up… but I don’t think it’s necessarily a dealbreaker if you love both versions on their own.
I would also say that [name_f]Kate[/name_f] and [name_u]Gray[/name_u] could both be full names these days. I like both a lot (though [name_f]Caitlin[/name_f] is lovely too) and think it would save you from spelling confusions.
For the most part, I’m not a fan of the nickname not matching the full name. I like [name_f]Cate[/name_f] for [name_f]Catherine[/name_f] and [name_f]Kate[/name_f] for [name_f]Katherine[/name_f]. I would say to always go with the full name spelling you prefer, just because you never know if a nickname will really catch on (I’ve known so many people who planned on using a nickname when their kid was born and by the time their kid was 2, that nickname was long gone).
That being said, if matching a full name to a nickname means that you’re going to be using a “creative spelling” for the first name, then I’d prefer people use the the traditional spelling with a non-matching nickname. For example, I knew a woman who named her kid [name_f]Melyssa[/name_f] because she liked the nickname [name_f]Lyssa[/name_f] and I feel that [name_f]Melissa[/name_f], nn [name_f]Lyssa[/name_f] would have been so much better (ditto for everyone who names their kid [name_m]Jaxon[/name_m] just to get the nn [name_m]Jax[/name_m]. [name_u]Jackson[/name_u] can go by [name_m]Jax[/name_m] just as easily).
I certainly don’t think it’s an issue. I’m [name_u]Abby[/name_u] but I don’t spell my full name [name_f]Abbygail[/name_f] lol. I don’t know if I have a typical preference tbh because I don’t have very nickname-able favorites.
Personally, it does bother me a little of the spellings differ. Actually, it bothers me enough that I wouldn’t do it. But I think for “normal” people its not an issue!
I know a family that uses the nickname [name_u]Abi[/name_u] to match the full name [name_f]Abigail[/name_f].
It doesn’t bother me at all. Go with the pronunciation and spelling of the nickname that you want because it is not the full name, and it doesn’t have to be the same as the full name.
I like [name_f]Kate[/name_f] for [name_f]Catherine[/name_f], for example.
Some annoy me a little while others don’t. For example, I’d be bothered by [name_f]Catherine[/name_f] called [name_f]Kate[/name_f] but [name_f]Abigail[/name_f] called [name_u]Abby[/name_u] is fine. I think I would try and choose the most consistent spellings, but if I really loved the ones that didn’t match up then I’d just go with them anyway.
