I’ve already posted about our search to name our little boy due in February. My favorite so far is [name]Frederick[/name]/[name]Frederik[/name], but I have heard from a few people that the nickname [name]Fred[/name]/[name]Freddie[/name] is unavoidable. I REALLY do not want to call my son [name]Fred[/name] or [name]Freddie[/name], and if this will be the case I’d rather skip this name altogether (although I really don’t have any other ideas!).
I wanted to see what everyone else thought. [name]Do[/name] you think a little boy named [name]Frederick[/name] will automatically be called [name]Fred[/name] or [name]Freddie[/name]? If I feel very strongly about these nicknames (which I do), would we be better off to skip it?
But if you assert that you want your child to be called [name]Frederick[/name] instead of [name]Freddie[/name], more people will follow suit. Or you could nickname him [name]Erik[/name]/[name]Derek[/name].
I don’t think it’s unavoidable because there’s another very easy nickname right there you can divert to. Instead of [name]Fred[/name]/[name]Freddy[/name], just tell people that if they must use a nickname, you would prefer it be [name]Rick[/name].
However, you can’t help what your son might want to be called when he’s older.
IF you offer an alternative nickname, like [name]Rick[/name] or [name]Erick[/name] or [name]Red[/name] or something, you MIGHT be able to avoid it most of the time. Otherwise, though, it’s gonna happen. People shorten names just due to laziness- [name]Melanie[/name] becomes [name]Mel[/name], [name]Anthony[/name] Ant, [name]Jeremy[/name] [name]Jer[/name]- it’s just unavoidable, especially with a more formal name like [name]Frederick[/name].
I don’t think it is unavoidable just more obvious. I have always loved the idea of using [name]Derick[/name]/[name]Derek[/name] as a NN for [name]Frederick[/name]
I think it’s absolutely avoidable. We call people by nn’s because they let us. My SO has a formal name and never goes by a nn. He bluntly tells people he doesn’t like it. I have a friend who’s 3 year old son will correct you if you try to abbreviate [name]August[/name]. So I think if you’d prefer your son was always [name]Frederick[/name], [name]Red[/name], [name]Erick[/name], [name]Rick[/name] or [name]Ricky[/name] you just need to let people know. If you want people to call him Jabberwocky I’m sure you can make that happen as well ;). [name]Don[/name]'t let a potential nn deter you from an awesome longer name.
I don’t think there’s any such thing as an unavoidable nn, but some are harder to avoid than others, and I think [name]Fred[/name]/[name]Freddie[/name] for [name]Frederick[/name] is one of them. So, yeah, I do think many people will try to call him [name]Fred[/name] or [name]Freddie[/name], but that doesn’t mean you have to let them.
If you want to avoid [name]Fred[/name] and [name]Freddie[/name], you’ll have to be determined and persistent, correcting everyone who attempts to shorten [name]Frederick[/name] every single time they try. Unless there’s something wrong with them, people will call your son what you tell them to call him, especially once they know you’re not going to give them the chance to do otherwise. That said, you’ll only be in control for a short time, and all your efforts could be in vain if [name]Frederick[/name] decides for himself that he wants to be [name]Fred[/name] or [name]Freddie[/name]. If the thought of him refusing to respond to [name]Frederick[/name] or introducing himself as [name]Fred[/name] makes your stomach churn, it would probably be a good idea to abandon the name and look for something else.
I agree with everyone else. Use and alternate nn or correct people to call him [name]Frederick[/name]. I really like [name]Frederick[/name] and [name]Freddie[/name] but, that doesn’t mean that a [name]Red[/name], [name]Eric[/name], [name]Derick[/name], [name]Rick[/name] or [name]Ricky[/name] couldn’t be an alternate.
I love [name]Freddie[/name], personally, but if you don’t, I think it could easily be avoided by giving him an alternate nn occasionally, just for others to latch onto so they don’t go for [name]Fred/name. Something like [name]Fritz[/name], [name]Red[/name], [name]Derick[/name]/[name]Eric[/name], etc.
I completely agree with lexiem: My cousin has a name which could have easily been shortened to an obvious nickname. His parents didn’t allow that to happen when he was a young boy, and he didn’t allow it to happen as a teen and beyond. It can be done.
I adore [name]Frederick[/name], and I think the nicknames are unavoidable as long as you assert that you don’t like [name]Fred[/name] or [name]Freddie[/name]. If you want an alternative nickname, say it. Or if you don’t want a nickname at all, say that too. My grandpa and my uncle were both Fredericks, and they went by [name]Fred[/name]/[name]Freddie[/name]. If I have a son and name him [name]Frederick[/name], I’d want to assert how I felt about the nickname or lack-there-of.
Thank you so much to everyone for your replies. This has been very helpful.
If I named my son [name]Frederick[/name], I would really rather just call him [name]Frederick[/name]. I don’t like any of the potential nicknames, which is becoming more of a concern for me. I think the name [name]Frederick[/name] almost begs for a nickname, and I would hate for my poor son to have to go through his life insisting that people not give him one. I agree that it would be possible, but I could also imagine it would be tedious for him.
And to the poster who said my son can choose his own nickname later on – of course he can! And if he chooses a nickname that I don’t particularly like, well, that’s just the way the dice fall sometimes.
This whole nickname issue has made me reconsider the name unfortunately. I really love it, but I just don’t want to end up with a [name]Fred[/name] or [name]Derick[/name] or [name]Eric[/name]. Thank you all so much for your comments. This has been extremely helpful for me!
