What do you think of the name [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f]?
I love the name [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] but I really dislike [name_f]Liz[/name_f] and [name_f]Lizzie[/name_f], so I was thinking of spelling is [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] to avoid the automatic “[name_f]Liz[/name_f]/[name_f]Lizzie[/name_f]” nickname. I also really like Lis and Lissy as nicknames, and like the latinized [name_f]Elisabetta[/name_f], which she may occasionally get called at home (we are Italian). I know the “z” spelling is more common, but what do you think of [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f]?
Also, in terms of misspellings, I anticipate that with a less common spelling, and am actually used to it myself, as my name is [name_f]Catherine[/name_f] (despite the more common K spelling). I really don’t find it a big deal.
BQ: [name_f]Do[/name_f] you think the nickname [name_f]Lettie[/name_f] would work for [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f]?
[name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] is less common, but it’s a completely “legitimate” alternative spelling – you’re not making things up or doing anything strange by using [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f].
She probably will have to correct the spelling quite a bit, and often people won’t even ask before assuming her name is [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] – the [name_f]Catherine[/name_f]/[name_f]Katherine[/name_f]/[name_f]Kathryn[/name_f] spellings are all so commonly used that I would always ask, but [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] is more unusual.
I do think you shouldn’t be too worried about people automatically calling an [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] by the nicknames [name_f]Lizzie[/name_f] and [name_f]Liz[/name_f]. I think those nicknames are pretty dated at this point, like calling a [name_f]Catherine[/name_f] by the nickname [name_f]Cathy[/name_f]. My daughter goes by [name_f]Libby[/name_f] and no one has ever tried to call her [name_f]Lizzie[/name_f]. (Her preschool teacher is an [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] who goes by [name_f]Lily[/name_f]).
If you want to call her Lissy, then [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] is probably a better spelling. [name_f]Lettie[/name_f] is a bit of a stretch for either spelling, but so many [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] nicknames are not just shortened versions of the name, so many are non-obvious, that I definitely think you could call her [name_f]Lettie[/name_f].
My aunt is [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] for the same reason. My nana didn’t like [name_f]Liz[/name_f], and wanted her to go by [name_u]Lisa[/name_u] if she had a nickname. We call her Aunt [name_u]Lisa[/name_u], but my mom calls her [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] (and I’ve gotten a couple of birthday cards signed “Aunt [name_f]Liz[/name_f]” so it didn’t completely exclude that nickname).
I have two things I want to say. First, I think regardless of how you spell [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]/[name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f], the nicknames [name_f]Liz[/name_f] or [name_f]Lizzie[/name_f] are still options. If she decides she wants to be called [name_f]Liz[/name_f] or [name_f]Lizzie[/name_f], she is allowed to do that, and you have to accept it. If her friends call her [name_f]Liz[/name_f] or [name_f]Lizzie[/name_f], you have to be okay with it (unless she doesn’t like [name_f]Liz[/name_f] or [name_f]Lizzie[/name_f] either, in which case she’ll correct her friends and it’ll be a non-issue). I don’t think [name_f]Liz[/name_f] or [name_f]Lizzie[/name_f] are dated nicknames for [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] though. I know a few of each.
However, my second point is that [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]/[name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] has SO MANY nicknames. Literally hundreds. She has many options for things to go by besides [name_f]Liz[/name_f] or [name_f]Lizzie[/name_f]. Also, I think this generation is better at not assigning unwanted nicknames. For example, there was a girl in my grade in middle school named [name_f]Abigail[/name_f] who was called [name_u]Abby[/name_u] so much that she made it her “official nickname” by 8th grade. My youngest sister is in 6th grade now though, and has a friend named [name_f]Abigail[/name_f] who doesn’t have any issues with unwanted name-shortening.
TL;DR, you can’t stop her if she wants to be [name_f]Lizzie[/name_f] or [name_f]Liz[/name_f] but there’s so many nickname options that I don’t know if that’ll be an issue.
If you call her Lis/Lissy/[name_f]Lettie[/name_f], people will catch on and call her that. I think [name_f]Lettie[/name_f] is a small stretch from [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] but not at all from [name_f]Elisabetta[/name_f].
I think [name_f]Lisabet[/name_f] is a better fit for [name_f]Lettie[/name_f] or [name_f]Libby[/name_f] but I think people will go with whatever you like eventually.
I prefer [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f]. It’s softer in sound and as a classic, I like that soft sound and feel (I like Z’s in quirkier type names to zest things up a bit more). I prefer [name_f]Lissie[/name_f] to [name_f]Liz[/name_f]/zie, too. Also, like you say with your [name_f]Catherine[/name_f], it wouldn’t be too hard to correct to S instead of Z.
People will still call her Liz. I have a friend named Elisabeth and she always gets called Liz. I’m with you though - I’d want to avoid Liz/Lizzy too. You could start her out with a totally different nickname and that could help avoid it (Lettie as you suggest, or even Lise).
[name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] looks prettier, imo! And I know do a few non-[name_f]Lizzie[/name_f] Elizabeths ([name_f]Lil[/name_f], 2 x [name_f]Beth[/name_f]) and so it is possible to guard against [name_f]Liz[/name_f].
I definitely prefer and really love the [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] spelling. I think some people will call her [name_f]Liz[/name_f] anyway from time to time, but it you call her Lissy from the beginning, other people will too.
It’s my middle name and I’m happy it’s spelled with an S. It’s my aunt’s first name - she goes by [name_f]Beth[/name_f] - and aside from once because called to the stage as “Elsabeth” in high school, it hasn’t been an issue for her. [name_f]Liz[/name_f]/[name_f]Lizzie[/name_f] might still happen but as pp have said, there are so, so many great nicknames for [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] that you can call her one that’s more current/distinctive and there will be no reason for her to go by [name_f]Liz[/name_f]/[name_f]Lizzie[/name_f] (unless she chooses so). Definitely [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f]!
[name_f]Lettie[/name_f] definitely works as a nickname! [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]/[name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] has so many possible nicknames (I’ve met many, many people with variant nicknames for that name so I think most people are used to it.)
I think [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] is perfectly nice, and a totally reasonable variation of the name. I will mention though, one of my best friends is called [name_f]Liz[/name_f] and I only just recently found out that her name is actually spelled [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f]. She goes by [name_f]Liz[/name_f] anyway and no one ever questioned it, so I think that nickname is possible regardless. But if you like Lis/Lissy and such [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] is a solid way to go!
My eldest daughter’s name is [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] and that is what she has been called to this day outside the family. My Dad called her [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f]. You have to have some leeway with grandparents. I always insisted that she be called [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] by adults. teachers etc. School friends will go through their phases. [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] is a beautiful name. What you call her should be what is important. Gentle correction solves most problems.
My mother was the same way, she always insisted on [name_f]Catherine[/name_f] and not [name_f]Cat[/name_f], [name_f]Cate[/name_f], [name_f]Catie[/name_f], etc. I then preferred [name_f]Catherine[/name_f] and would correct people on my own! It’s not as hard as people think to avoid nicknames
