[name_m]Hi[/name_m]! After months of deliberation, my husband and I settled on [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] for our 3rd and final baby. Unfortunately during that time I got attached to the nickname [name_f]Emme[/name_f]. My other kids all go by nicknames at home and holiday cards only. Full names in school. Their middle names are single syllable in another language and I really want to use my sisters name for [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f]: it starts with a Y. Our last name starts with N. Our back up nickname is [name_f]Elsie[/name_f].
DH is not open to changing first name but he is open to double first name (which I am not fond of). I did try to suggest [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f]. I’m exploring double middle names to make initials E.M. Unfortunately our favorite combo [name_f]Mae[/name_f]-Y*** means “American dollar” in another language which were not fond of for a mix child.
Should I keep trying to make [name_f]Emme[/name_f] work? [name_m]How[/name_m] do people deal with having 2 middle names not hyphenated? Should I drop my sisters name? Does the initials E.M.Y.N. make sense for nickname [name_f]Emme[/name_f] if they don’t use it in schools (I’m fine with whatever they choose to call themselves later)
Edit to sum up:
Eleanor Y***
Eleanor Mae-Y***
[name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] [name_f]Mabel[/name_f]-Y***
Eleanor Maisie-Y***
Eleanor Magnolia-Y***
Eleanor Mae
[name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] [name_f]Mabel[/name_f] Y*** or [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] [name_f]Mabel[/name_f]-Y*** both work. Most people I know with two middle names don’t hyphenate them, but there will be some forms where your sister’s name may be left off (if they don’t give space for two middles - which some don’t).
I think it’s completely reasonable to give her the initials E.M.Y.N and call her [name_f]Emme[/name_f] (or [name_f]Emy[/name_f]). The initials are totally fine regardless of what name she’s being called at school.
Personally I really love [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] nn [name_f]Elsie[/name_f], and I’m not very keen on [name_f]Emme[/name_f], so I’d go with your second option. But if you really love [name_f]Emme[/name_f] then I think this is a fine way to get to it.
I don’t know if this is too much of a stretch for you but the initials M.E. are said like [name_f]Emme[/name_f] and she could have both those initials in her name, so that may work?
Honestly, I would name her [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] Y*** and just call her [name_f]Emme[/name_f]. Nicknames should be natural and organic. You want to name her [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] and you affectionately call her [name_f]Emme[/name_f] – makes sense to me! I have a friend [name_f]Ellen[/name_f] who I call [name_u]Mel[/name_u], and she has a sister [name_f]Laura[/name_f] who is sometimes [name_f]Lu[/name_f]. [name_f]Emme[/name_f] is close enough to [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] that I really wouldn’t worry about it.
I also love [name_f]Emme[/name_f], we had it on our shortlist as a full name.
In this case however I would just use nn [name_f]Elsie[/name_f] - which is also a really lovely name! You could nn her [name_f]Emme[/name_f] as a personal nn but I don’t think it would catch on with others (at school etc.)