I am just about 11 weeks along with my pregnancy, and DH and I are already starting to form name lists for both girls and boys. Problem is, DH likes a lot of “nickname” names. He insisted on putting [name_m]Jake[/name_m] (just [name_m]Jake[/name_m]) on the list for boys. [name_m]How[/name_m] do you feel about using nickname-y names as the full name? Thanks in advance. : )
I personally prefer full names. I think it’s nice for times you want something more formal like a resume or at a graduation. Also it gives them a little more possibilities with what they would like to be called.
I think it comes down to how nicknamey the name is, if that makes sense. I know someone named [name_m]Jake[/name_m] (just [name_m]Jake[/name_m]) and I know someone named [name_u]Phil[/name_u]. For some reason [name_m]Jake[/name_m] seems fine as a full name but [name_u]Phil[/name_u] is incompleate to me.
I think its ok but agree with pp that giving a more formal name gives more options.
There seems to be a lot of desire to control nicknames when I think they should be more organic.
[name_m]Jake[/name_m] as a stand alone name is fine [name_f]IMO[/name_f].
[name_m]Jake[/name_m] is fine as a first name. I think nicknames are fine like [name_f]Ellie[/name_f], [name_f]Millie[/name_f], [name_u]Charlie[/name_u] and [name_f]Gracie[/name_f].
[name_m]Jake[/name_m] does sound like a full first name to me.
I’m personally not a fan of nickname-y names as first names. Some bother me more than others. [name_m]Jake[/name_m] isn’t bad but I do prefer [name_m]Jacob[/name_m]. Names like [name_f]Gracie[/name_f], [name_f]Ellie[/name_f], [name_u]Phil[/name_u], [name_f]Becca[/name_f], etc on their own I very much dislike!!
Completely up to you!
[name_m]Jake[/name_m] seems fine as a full name to me- [name_m]Jake[/name_m] seems like more of a full name than [name_f]Charli[/name_f] or [name_f]Maggie[/name_f] to me, but if that’s the name you wanted, well you can use that too 
I personally don’t like nicknames as given names, but I know lots of people who are fine with it. Many of them even gave their kids nickname names- e.g. I know a [name_f]Kate[/name_f] whose daughter is [name_f]Molly[/name_f]- so I guess it worked for them!
I never understood having a full first name “for more options”. There are plenty of full names that do not have any intuitive nicknames, so there aren’t any options for those. Is [name_f]Lily[/name_f] an insufficient name because it doesn’t have options? Is [name_f]Claire[/name_f]? [name_m]Eric[/name_m]? Anyway, that’s just my opinion.
I think you should name a kid what you want to call him. If you want to call him [name_m]Jake[/name_m] all the time, then name him [name_m]Jake[/name_m]. If your kid grows up and wishes you had named him [name_m]Jacob[/name_m], then he’ll be in the same boat as the kid whose parents named him [name_m]Thomas[/name_m] when he wanted to be named [name_m]Jacob[/name_m]… [name_m]Jake[/name_m] is a perfectly respectable name.
@dovah - [name_f]Lily[/name_f] is a full name. [name_f]Claire[/name_f] is also a full name.I knew a [name_f]Claire[/name_f] who was called [name_f]Clarry[/name_f] when she was little and then used [name_f]Claire[/name_f] when she entered high school. [name_m]Eric[/name_m] can go by [name_m]Ric[/name_m], [name_u]Ricky[/name_u] or even [name_f]Air[/name_f]. Having full names “do” give you options in most cases. They’re simply more versatile. When nicknames are used as full names the options are no longer there. A [name_m]Jake[/name_m] will always be a [name_m]Jake[/name_m] never a [name_m]Jacob[/name_m] whereas a [name_m]Jacob[/name_m] can go by either name. I do agree that some nicknames are less “childish” than others. [name_u]Alfie[/name_u] is forever a juvenile and it doesn’t age well (unless you call him [name_m]Al[/name_m] which doesn’t sound that great). [name_m]Jake[/name_m] is stronger and sounds more grown-up than most nicknames out there. But remember that most Jacobs go by [name_m]Jake[/name_m] so the name is more popular than you may think. If you plan on having more children, will you continue the “nickname as first name” pattern with them? [name_m]Just[/name_m] something to bear in mind.
My [name_f]MIL[/name_f] gave all of her kids nickname names - I admire that, actually. Why not just give the kid the name they’ll be called? I never had a nn growing up so maybe I am biased. My hubby’s name is [name_m]Jeff[/name_m], and he hasn’t had too much trouble explaining that it isn’t short for anything and he likes it that way.
I have a lot of family members with names like that, and for whatever reason it doesn’t bother me with them (we have a [name_f]Sophie[/name_f], [name_f]Manda[/name_f], [name_m]Eli[/name_m], and [name_m]Leo[/name_m], none of whose names are short for anything) but my hubby also tends to like names that to me sound like a nickname. He loves the name [name_u]Finn[/name_u], but I just feel like if it isn’t short for Finneas/[name_m]Phineas[/name_m] or [name_m]Finnegan[/name_m] or [name_u]Finley[/name_u] or something, it just sounds wrong. However I wouldn’t be weirded out if somebody’s name was just plain [name_u]Finn[/name_u]. For me personally, I don’t think I’d do it.
Seeing as nickname names are really trendy over here at the moment, I don’t see a problem with it, aside from the fact I can’t see it aging well.
Might be different wherever you are.
Having a ‘full name’ allows the child to have a real meaning of his/her name.
[name_m]Jake[/name_m] doesn’t mean anything on its own. [name_m]Jacob[/name_m] has biblical reference/namesake and a meaning of the name.
[name_m]Just[/name_m] something to consider…
I prefer full names but not in this case, [name_m]Jake[/name_m] sounds fine.
It’s names like [name_f]Lulu[/name_f] and [name_f]Fifi[/name_f] that need more substantial forms.
My mom has the same naming style as you do.
I think its fine.
I don’t really mind [name_m]Jake[/name_m], though, being a stickler for the whole full name thing, I would personally use it as a nickname for [name_m]Jacoby[/name_m]. But it’s up to you, as others have said, and I doubt little [name_m]Jake[/name_m] would be scarred by a lack of a formal name to fall back on.
I have never understood why people give their children a name they have no plans of using. Why name someone [name_m]Charles[/name_m] if all you are ever going to use is [name_u]Charlie[/name_u]?
I don’t get the “he will have more options that way” choice. [name_m]Even[/name_m] if you name your son [name_m]Charles[/name_m] [name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m] [name_m]Alexander[/name_m] [name_m]Jasper[/name_m] [name_m]Robert[/name_m] [name_m]Levy[/name_m] [name_m]Smith[/name_m] all he might wanna be called is [name_u]Sam[/name_u]…
[name_m]How[/name_m] do you know when they’re babies that they’ll only “ever going to use [name_u]Charlie[/name_u]?”
I know a tall elegant woman whose full name is [name_f]Becky[/name_f], unfortunately, because [name_f]Rebecca[/name_f] would suit her better.