I’ve always loved the name [name]Nathan[/name] for my first son. What are everyone’s opinions on this name? Any nn options other than [name]Nate[/name] (which I am not a huge fan of)?
It’s pretty popular here…I like the name [name]Nathan[/name], but not [name]Nate[/name]…due to “[name]Nate[/name]” meaning “peeing” here.
I think that [name]Nathan[/name] is very handsome, but I [name]LOVE[/name] [name]Nathaniel[/name]! [name]Nathaniel[/name] can be called [name]Nathan[/name], and another nickname is [name]Ned[/name].
Good luck!
I like the name [name]Nathan[/name] a lot. I think if you want to call him [name]Nathan[/name], people will probably go along, but it’s one of those names some people will always try to shorten to [name]Nate[/name] and he may like this or not mind it. I don’t think there is another nickname unless you stress [name]Nat[/name] from the get-go, and I don’t know how you feel about that either.
If you go with [name]Nathaniel[/name] as a substitute, it has a different initial A sound, so people would more likely shorten it to [name]Nat[/name]. [name]Jill[/name] says [name]Ned[/name] also, I think you would have to really push [name]Ned[/name] to avoid [name]Nat[/name]. Another way to go is to devise a go-by name, like he may go by his middle name or initials. N is kind of a weird initial for a likely initial pairing though. Another name like [name]Nathan[/name] is [name]Ethan[/name] which I don’t think is as susceptible to people shortening to anything; they would always just be [name]Ethan[/name] with no nickname.
There are just some names that don’t have too many nickname options, which are somewhat socially magnetic to getting them, usually if the first syllable is a common nickname, like [name]Dan[/name] or [name]Sue[/name] or [name]Matt[/name].
I used to know a [name]Nathan[/name] and I can 99% remember that people always called him [name]Nathan[/name]. Your son may have a different idea and let or encourage people to call him [name]Nate[/name]. I knew a [name]Michael[/name] in college who got totally twisted if you called him [name]Mike[/name], or his brother, [name]Chris[/name]. I know a [name]Peter[/name] and everyone calls him [name]Peter[/name]. I know a [name]Gregory[/name] who most people call [name]Gregory[/name], but [name]Peter[/name] always calls him [name]Greg[/name]. It’s weird. I think of [name]Nathan[/name] as not “needing” a nickname, and even people who choose long names with a wide variety of nicknames and prefer one and utterly detest at least another may have to let that one go once their child figures out well maybe they aren’t so much of a [name]Betsy[/name] and starts to tell everyone to call her [name]Lizzie[/name].
I think if you dislike [name]Nate[/name] a lot, you can try [name]Nat[/name] or [name]Ned[/name] or [name]Nathan[/name] in full. It may work, it may not. [name]Do[/name] you have other names on your list?
I love love love [name]Nathan[/name]. It’s been one of my favourite names for years and I think it’s gorgeous. I also like [name]Nathaniel[/name], but [name]Nathan[/name] is slightly nicer for me.
The only [name]Nathan[/name] I have met went by Nath, which suited him very well.
Good luck! 
I’m with [name]Jill[/name], and prefer [name]Nathaniel[/name].
One of our best friends is [name]Nathan[/name]…and we’ve never called him anything but.
I agree!
I am glad to hear that everyone likes [name]Nathan[/name]!! Thanks for all the nickname options too - some I’ve never heard. I think I would probably just stick to calling him [name]Nathan[/name] and maybe a nn will arise out of something else. I know people who have nn that have nothing to do with their own names.
I really like [name]Nathan[/name] and agree with other posters about liking [name]Nathaniel[/name] a wee bit better. Either way is great.