My husband refuses to give a nickname to a child as a “real” name, which is leaving us a little stuck. I understand his argument - if she goes by a “cutesy” nickname as a kid she may need or want a more professional or grown up name as an adult, but I’m confused by the logistics of it. My name is [name_f]Caitlin[/name_f] and I’ve always been [name_f]Caitlin[/name_f]. Never [name_f]Cait[/name_f] or [name_f]Catie[/name_f] or anything.
The name we’re considering is [name_f]Natalie[/name_f] and calling her [name_f]Tilly[/name_f]. I realize her legal name will be [name_f]Natalie[/name_f] so will I have to sign her up for doctors appointments, school, etc as [name_f]Natalie[/name_f] and just tell them we prefer [name_f]Tilly[/name_f]? I think I’m overthinking but I just don’t know how it works.
The other issue is that both of us like [name_f]Tilly[/name_f] but neither of us are over the moon for [name_f]Natalie[/name_f]. It’s the best of everything we’ve researched (and we’ve heard them all) but I feel bad naming her something we don’t love just to get to the nickname.
What about [name_f]Natalia[/name_f]/[name_f]Natalya[/name_f]? Or even [name_f]Matilda[/name_f]? I doubt it’ll be too hard to insist on [name_f]Tilly[/name_f] – my brother is an [name_m]Anthony[/name_m] and has never been called anything but [name_u]Tony[/name_u] in his entire life. If you call her [name_f]Tilly[/name_f] and she calls herself [name_f]Tilly[/name_f] she shouldn’t have an issues with it.
[name_f]Edit[/name_f]: Oops, I skimmed the bit where you said you researched all the full name possibilities already, disregard that bit.
It depends on how much you want to use that nickname. On forms my high school had a place for the legal name and a place for the “preferred name” which is what the student would be called. My friend [name_f]Alexandra[/name_f] is always [name_f]Ally[/name_f] to pretty much everybody so she put that as her preferred name, most people don’t even know her given name. If you want to use [name_f]Natalie[/name_f] and [name_f]Tilly[/name_f] more or less equally, you can teach her to say “I’m [name_f]Natalie[/name_f], you can call me [name_f]Tilly[/name_f]” and likely some people will call her [name_f]Natalie[/name_f], some [name_f]Tilly[/name_f].
[name_f]Do[/name_f] you like [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] for a full name?
I don’t think it’s a huge issue letting schools, etc., know that her name is [name_f]Natalie[/name_f], but she goes by [name_f]Tilly[/name_f]. I tell the dentist/doctor that my name is [name_f]Maggie[/name_f], but they know my full name is [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] because they have my health card, etc. It’s pretty straightforward.
I’d be hesitant to use [name_f]Natalie[/name_f] if you only like [name_f]Tilly[/name_f]. [name_m]Even[/name_m] if you only call her [name_f]Tilly[/name_f], she may one day decide she wants to go by [name_f]Natalie[/name_f] anyway.
I think it would be perfectly fine to just name her [name_f]Tilly[/name_f] if neither of you are thrilled with [name_f]Natalie[/name_f]. I work with a girl who is named [name_f]Tilly[/name_f] and I think it’s adorable. I have considered it myself!
I think [name_f]Tilly[/name_f] is one of those nicknames that look perfectly nice and not incomplete at all as a real name. I’d go ahead and use it as her real name. If I was named [name_f]Natalie[/name_f] but my parents didn’t like it and only really wanted to call me [name_f]Tilly[/name_f], I’d feel odd that they gave me a name they didn’t like, just for the sake of having a “proper” name. Much better to be [name_f]Tilly[/name_f] all the way.
I would not name her something you both do not love just to get to a nickname. [name_f]Tilly[/name_f] is very sweet. There was a [name_f]Tilly[/name_f] on my mom’s side, she never knew if that was her full name or just a nickname. My mom said everyone only called her [name_f]Tilly[/name_f]. You could use [name_f]Natalie[/name_f] or [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] as a middle name, and still call her [name_f]Tilly[/name_f]. I personally would not want to use a name I did not love has a middle name either, but it is an option. You could also just go with [name_f]Tilly[/name_f] as a full name, I see nothing wrong with [name_f]Sadie[/name_f] and [name_f]Hattie[/name_f], why not [name_f]Tilly[/name_f]. You could also just nickname her [name_f]Tilly[/name_f] no matter what her first or middle name is.
Schools (at least anywhere we have lived) have you fill out paper work before your child starts school or a new school. They have you write their full name and then it asks if there is a nickname you wish your child to go by. Doctors, dentists, etc will have written down their full name but if you ask them to use a nickname I am sure they would.
