[name_m]Hi[/name_m] all, so this is something I’ve been curious about/fascinated by for a long time. [name_f]My[/name_f] father’s name is [name_u]James[/name_u], but he goes by [name_u]Jamie[/name_u] 95% of the time. He likes [name_u]James[/name_u] fine but prefers [name_u]Jamie[/name_u] as he’s been called that most of his life, so most people just call him [name_u]Jamie[/name_u]. He has never once introduced himself as [name_m]Jim[/name_m].
However, it seems like everyone who doesn’t know him well wants to call him [name_m]Jim[/name_m]. For years he has semi consistently complained to us how he will sign an email [name_u]James[/name_u] or [name_u]Jamie[/name_u] depending on formality, and a good percentage of the time people will reply “Hey [name_m]Jim[/name_m],” and it drives him nuts. He is a businessman and a popular guy in our area as he is involved in the community, so he gets a LOT of emails. It happens in person sometimes too, I believe.
Why do people assume he answers to [name_m]Jim[/name_m], especially when he’s already given the nickname [name_u]Jamie[/name_u]? I would understand a little better if he had a long name that was getting shortened to the first syllable (like [name_u]Michael[/name_u] to [name_m]Mike[/name_m]), which could still be very annoying if you didn’t like that, but at least seems more intuitive to me than the jump from [name_u]Jamie[/name_u]/James to [name_m]Jim[/name_m].
Also, his age is late forties. I don’t know if that’s relevant, but I feel like this won’t happen when kids named [name_u]James[/name_u] now are grown up. It’s happened to him so much that it almost seems like a conspiracy against him! Lol
So anyways, has anyone else had this experience with the name [name_u]James[/name_u]? [name_u]Or[/name_u] maybe a similar situation, like people assuming a [name_m]Charles[/name_m] goes by [name_m]Chuck[/name_m] when he calls himself [name_u]Charlie[/name_u]/just [name_m]Charles[/name_m]? Would be thrilled to hear any similar stories! Thanks!
I don’t think [name_m]Jim[/name_m] is as common a nickname for younger kids; they’re more likely to be called [name_u]James[/name_u] or [name_u]Jamie[/name_u], not [name_m]Jim[/name_m] or [name_m]Jimmy[/name_m]. It’s a more common nickname for your father’s generation.
I don’t think you can completely avoid unwanted nicknames, but this doesn’t seem like it would be a huge problem for kids today!
I don’t have any similar experiences myself, but maybe someone on here with a commonly nicknamed name can share.
Maybe it is a bit age related. I have some relatives all named [name_u]James[/name_u] (Senior, [name_m]Junior[/name_m], III) and the youngest is in his 20s and goes exclusively by [name_u]Jay[/name_u]. I’ve never heard anyone call him [name_m]Jim[/name_m]. His father goes by [name_m]Jim[/name_m].
I knew a [name_u]James[/name_u] who only went by the full name [name_u]James[/name_u]. Occasionally he would jokingly refer to himself as [name_m]Jim[/name_m] and because of this his friends only ever used [name_m]Jim[/name_m] when we were joking or teasing. I feel like usually people refer to you however you introduce yourself. In my experience people don’t often force a nickname on you. It took a year before everyone at my work realized I don’t go by my full name (probably due in part to the fact that I don’t bother to correct people, they’re both my name). [name_f]My[/name_f] full name is outside my office and in my email signature so a lot of people just assumed I go by the full name. I heard later that there had been a lot of discussion because the people I work closely with knew I went by the nickname and the others were trying to make sure.
Then again some people just suck, my mothers name is [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] she’s always gone by [name_f]Barb[/name_f] and hates being called [name_f]Barbie[/name_f] but she’s had people who insisted on calling her [name_f]Barbie[/name_f] all her life. One of these was an honest mistake because our last name starts with a y so they thought she was signing everything [name_f]Barby[/name_f] and she was really writing [name_f]Barb[/name_f] Y.
My SO is [name_u]James[/name_u] and people sometimes do call him [name_m]Jim[/name_m] - so odd! You’re right, I don’t think it will happen to young Jameses when they grow up. [name_u]Jamie[/name_u] is adorable! I also like just [name_u]James[/name_u].
I agree. I think [name_m]Jim[/name_m] is dated and not something younger people will jump to. I wanted to add that my sons name is [name_u]Jamie[/name_u] (legally) and occasionally my mom will call him [name_u]James[/name_u] but noone had ever called him [name_m]Jim[/name_m]. We also call him Jamers as a nickname sort of thing.
I agree. I know a few young Jameses and they all go by [name_u]James[/name_u]; no one calls them [name_m]Jim[/name_m] unless it’s a family pet name sort of thing, like how sometimes people like my grandma call me [name_f]Mar[/name_f], but I always introduce myself as [name_f]Mary[/name_f] to everyone I meet.
I think [name_m]Jim[/name_m] as a NN for [name_u]James[/name_u] is quite dated. None of the [name_u]James[/name_u]’ I know that are my age or younger go by [name_m]Jim[/name_m], especially not the babies/ toddlers. It’s very much a “40s and over” nickname.
My cousin is 3 & his name is J@mes. So far, he’s [name_u]James[/name_u] or [name_m]Jamesy[/name_m] (with [name_u]Jae[/name_u] [name_u]Jae[/name_u] as a pet name) & not [name_m]Jim[/name_m]/Jimmy, but I bet that they will change.
Even if [name_m]Jim[/name_m] is a common nickname for [name_u]James[/name_u], who do people think they are using a nickname after one email or exchange? If someone did that to me (I guess it does happen occasionally, but most people ask first) I’d be livid. Such an encroachment imo!