[name_m]Hi[/name_m] all, we just had our little boy, [name_m]Frederick[/name_m], about three months ago. We chose the name [name_m]Frederick[/name_m] because we genuinely [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] it as a name. My husband was concerned about it getting shortened to “[name_m]Fred[/name_m]” (which we don’t love) and so we chose the nickname “[name_m]Fritz[/name_m]”. The only issue is, I don’t know how we should introduce our son… I’d love for him to be called [name_m]Frederick[/name_m], but is it possible for him to go by both [name_m]Frederick[/name_m] and [name_m]Fritz[/name_m]? Or do I need to accept that most people will only use one name and the other name might not get as much usage? So far we’ve been introducing him mostly as [name_m]Fritz[/name_m], and it makes me a bit sad not to use the name [name_m]Frederick[/name_m] which I’ve loved so much.
Sometimes you don’t get a say in the nickname or what they decide to get called. When my son was born we named him [name_m]Christian[/name_m], but I hated the name [name_u]Chris[/name_u] so we called him trout. When we introduced him to people we would simply say ’ This is [name_m]Christian[/name_m], but we call him [name_m]Trout[/name_m]’. Once he started school his name naturally became chris and now it is what he prefers to be called.
I think if you introduce him as “[name_m]Frederick[/name_m]” and then call him “[name_m]Fritz[/name_m]” in casual conversation that people will understand that they can call him both.
[name_m]Frederick[/name_m] “[name_m]Fritz[/name_m]” is an awesome choice, congratulations!
I can understand wanting to use the lovely full name you chose, but I would just be wary that it’s a short (and pretty natural) step from [name_m]Frederick[/name_m] to [name_m]Fred[/name_m]. If you’re really anti-[name_m]Fred[/name_m], then I think your current policy of introducing him first and foremost as [name_m]Fritz[/name_m] is the way to go. That way, you set up the “right” shortening straight away, and people are less likely to do their own thing. [name_m]Fritz[/name_m] is such a striking and unusual nickname that I expect you’ll get plenty of people asking about it, in which case you can fill them in on his longer name.
[name_u]Abby[/name_u] over at Appellation Mountain recently wrote a post on this very question, which you might find an interesting read.
I agree with @katinka
I think introducing him as [name_m]Fitz[/name_m] first is a good way to make sure no one uses [name_m]Fred[/name_m]/die. Personally after first introducing him as [name_m]Fitz[/name_m] I would use both [name_m]Fredrick[/name_m] and [name_m]Fitz[/name_m] interchangeably around people so they know both names are acceptable to use.
I love [name_m]Fredrick[/name_m] nn [name_m]Fitz[/name_m] btw, so handsome
You could do what I prefer to do and introduce him something straight forward like “this is our [name_m]Fredrick[/name_m], but we also call him [name_m]Fritz[/name_m].”
But mostly just call him what feels right, don’t force yourself to use the nn if your heart wants to call him [name_m]Frederick[/name_m].
I think, since you dislike [name_m]Fred[/name_m], introducing him first as [name_m]Fritz[/name_m] is the way to go. I would agree with pps though, when he gets older, he may end up going by [name_m]Fred[/name_m] to his friends anyway, I know quite a few people who use their full name or a nickname exclusively at home, and another nickname with their friends.