I know this is a bit strange, but while [name_f]Nell[/name_f] is one of my favourite names ever, I really really don’t care for [name_f]Nellie[/name_f]/Nelly.
Is a [name_f]Nell[/name_f] likely to get called [name_f]Nellie[/name_f] even if we try to avoid it? Adding the disclaimer that my kids are often called [name_f]Junie[/name_f], Noushie and even [name_f]Kitty[/name_f] ([name_u]Kit[/name_u], a boy) by us and others. We’re chronic pet-namers
I’ll add a poll as well…
[name_m]Will[/name_m] [name_f]Nell[/name_f] likely be called [name_f]Nellie[/name_f]? And is it avoidable?
I’m also a chronic pet namer. I’m also with you on loving [name_f]Nell[/name_f] but not [name_f]Nellie[/name_f]/Nelly. I think it’s likely that the -ee ending could sneak its way in, but I think it’s also avoidable if you really dedicate yourself to an alternate pet name.
I think if you start using a different nickname, there won’t be a nickname ‘void’ for [name_f]Nellie[/name_f] to creep its way into, if that makes sense. [name_f]My[/name_f] first, very Eastern European, instinct would be Nellika or Nellushka but also something like [name_m]Len[/name_m], [name_u]Lennie[/name_u], or [name_u]Lane[/name_u] could be cute! It could also be a nickname completely unrelated to [name_f]Nell[/name_f] - based on the middle name or [name_f]Nell[/name_f]’s looks/personality.
I personally love [name_f]Nellie[/name_f] but I totally get why you wouldn’t want it. I do think she would get it from time to time, but I think it is avoidable. Unless she explicitly says she goes by it, that’s the kind of cutesy nickname that family or a future SO might use (like my family calling me Brynnie when I was little). I wouldn’t categorize it as an automatic nickname like [name_m]William[/name_m] “[name_m]Will[/name_m]” or [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] “[name_f]Maddie[/name_f]” because those are typically to make it shorter and easier to say. Similar to how you might call [name_u]Kit[/name_u] [name_f]Kitty[/name_f] sometimes but I’m sure teachers and classmates wouldn’t jump to that. She could choose to go by [name_f]Nellie[/name_f] in the future though.
I never liked the name [name_u]Georgie[/name_u] but my son [name_u]George[/name_u] can’t escape it and neither could I. Lol we have ended up calling him that most of the time, but I really don’t mind as much as I thought I would.
Sometimes the -ie/-y ending just gloms onto a name and you can’t do a thing about it. But I suppose of you actively rally against it it doesn’t have to be inevitable.
I do think [name_f]Nellie[/name_f] is likely - I’m a [name_f]Grace[/name_f] and people are always turning it to [name_f]Gracie[/name_f]. Neither me nor my family like [name_f]Gracie[/name_f] but I’ve kind of given up trying to stop people
First of all, I adore [name_f]Nell[/name_f]! And I love [name_f]Nellie[/name_f] too, although I definitely understand not wanting a nickname. I think within your family you could take a bit of a stand against [name_f]Nellie[/name_f] by picking another nickname/pet name to use for her instead (my first random thought, which I haven’t heard before but I think would fit, is something like Neni (Neh-nee)). But like with most natural nicknames, there’s always the possibility that she would decide to go by [name_f]Nellie[/name_f] later, or her friends would call her [name_f]Nellie[/name_f], etc. So–avoidable by you? Yes definitely! But there’s probably not as much you could do to avoid it beyond your house.
I think [name_f]Nell[/name_f] is likely to get [name_f]Nellie[/name_f] at some point, but as [name_f]Nell[/name_f] is already so short we could be completely wrong! I know two Nells and they are only ever [name_f]Nell[/name_f], but I think [name_f]Nellie[/name_f] is more likely for a younger child.
I’m pretty sure that if you don’t end up using [name_f]Nellie[/name_f] as a nickname (or at least “provide” a similar and intuitive alternative, something like Nelsie ([name_f]Nell[/name_f] [name_f]Cecilia[/name_f]) or Nelmie ([name_f]Nell[/name_f] [name_f]Minerva[/name_f]) for example), someone will call her [name_f]Nellie[/name_f] eventually; maybe not in primary school (I find that young children don’t tend to come up with nicknames on their own as much) but definitely in secondary school (and how wonderful that is to have friends who feel comfortable calling you by a nickname).
So maybe you don’t actually have to hear it a lot but honestly, if I had a [name_f]Nell[/name_f], and I’m not a big [name_f]Nellie[/name_f] fan either, I’d still see myself ending up using [name_f]Nellie[/name_f] after one week of brining her home just because it’s such an intuitive name (and eventually she will be the [name_f]Nellie[/name_f] association and what could be sweeter)
Yes, this is always worth bearing in mind. I’d fully respect her chosen name, obviously, but I really can’t warm to [name_f]Nellie[/name_f].
This is a very good point, thanks for sharing your experience I wasn’t a huge fan of [name_u]June[/name_u]/Junie when we named our daughter [name_f]Juno[/name_f], and now I call her [name_f]Junie[/name_f] quite a bit and it’s totally fine. Still not my favourite as a standalone name, but it’s a sweet enough nickname that doesn’t bother me at all.
This sounds so frustrating! Definitely something to bear in mind; [name_f]Nellie[/name_f] does seem like a pretty natural evolution from [name_f]Nell[/name_f].
Honestly, I can see this happening too. I mean, we call my son [name_f]Kitty[/name_f], which feels less likely than [name_f]Nellie[/name_f] for a girl named [name_f]Nell[/name_f]. You’re probably right though and it would grow on me when attached to an actual child.
I voted that [name_f]Nellie[/name_f] was likely sometimes but she will always know that her name is [name_f]Nell[/name_f]. She can introduce herself in public as [name_f]Nell[/name_f] and [name_f]Nellie[/name_f] might be used only among close friends and family. [name_f]My[/name_f] niece is [name_f]Jane[/name_f] but family always called her [name_f]Janie[/name_f] until she was a teenager and asked us to use [name_f]Jane[/name_f].
I’ve always thought if funny about nicknames that we take a long name and make it short (understandable) but also take a short name and make it long.
I do think this is somewhat of a regional/personal thing. Some people just naturally nickname using ‘ee’ type names, some just shorten to the first syllable, and some don’t nickname at all. I know around here most people naturally nickname using ‘ee’ sounds so I would say [name_f]Nellie[/name_f] would be just about unavoidable (especially since it’s a big farming community and ‘woah [name_f]Nellie[/name_f]’ is a pretty popular phrase) and it sounds like your family is ‘ee’ nickname type people as well so I would would say you’d have to really pay attention to it or she’d be [name_f]Nellie[/name_f]. (However I personally think both [name_f]Nell[/name_f] & [name_f]Nellie[/name_f] are adorable!)
This is one of the reasons I don’t like [name_f]Nellie[/name_f], along with a few other popular phrases and associations. I also just inexplicably find the sound way less appealing. We definitely do use the -ee nicknames a fair bit, along with lots of others.
I think [name_f]Nellie[/name_f] is possible, but not necessarily inevitable. I could see friends using it playfully, but I think if she introduced herself as [name_f]Nell[/name_f], that’s just what people would call her. As others said above, it is already a short, nickname-y name.
[quote=“[name_m]Dechen[/name_m], post:3, topic:369885”]
I’m also a chronic pet namer. I’m also with you on loving Nell but not Nellie/Nelly.
[/quote]
same here! I think if you come up with pet names often then you could avoid it. Like [name_f]Nell[/name_f]-[name_f]Belle[/name_f]? or [name_f]Nella[/name_f]?
I think it would be inevitable as a child as there are always people trying to give cutesy nicknames. I think it could even be given in adolescence by close friends as an endearing pet name or sarcastically. But I think by adulthood it won’t be used. I think its one of those nicknames where only certain people will use it but not everyone. You can lead by example by calling her [name_f]Nell[/name_f] and hopefully everyone will get the hint. But I think its not totally preventable.
I know what you mean about adding the “y/ie” nickname. [name_f]My[/name_f] son is [name_u]Elliott[/name_u] and I find myself calling him [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] which is too girlie, its not a nickname I want catching on but sometimes it just slips out! Maybe [name_f]Nellie[/name_f] will grow on you. Its really not so bad! But I think it can be avoided with family but you can’t control what her friends will call her or if she herself will like it or not.
I dont think its inevitable. You/she may get the odd person calling her [name_f]Nellie[/name_f], but I think a quick “I actually just prefer [name_f]Nell[/name_f]” should be fine.
[name_f]My[/name_f] great grandmother went by [name_f]Nell[/name_f] (a nickname for [name_f]Ellen[/name_f]) and as far as I know noone called her [name_f]Nellie[/name_f].
I wasn’t a huge fan of [name_u]June[/name_u]/Junie when we named our daughter [name_f]Juno[/name_f], and now I call her [name_f]Junie[/name_f] quite a bit and it’s totally fine. Still not my favourite as a standalone name, but it’s a sweet enough nickname that doesn’t bother me at all.
