So, one of my boy’s name will be [name_m]Frederick[/name_m]. I’m in love with the full name, and think [name_u]Freddie[/name_u] is really cute too. Ideally, I would like to be able to use both - [name_m]Frederick[/name_m] sometimes, and [name_u]Freddie[/name_u] at others. I don’t want him to just be [name_u]Freddie[/name_u] though. This worked perfectly well with my younger sister who is [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f], and was known part of the time as [name_f]Lina[/name_f], and part by her full name.
I guess the question really is - when should I start using the nickname? Because even though I love [name_u]Freddie[/name_u], I’m afraid that if we call him that from day 1, he will just be [name_u]Freddie[/name_u], and the gorgeous full form will be lost
I know exactly what you mean! When I get ahold of a nn, I pretty much stick to it. My sister is [name_f]Becca[/name_f] 100% of the time; my little sister is [name_f]Natalie[/name_f] to nearly everyone, but I call her [name_u]Tallie[/name_u] about 95% of the time. And with my favorite girls’ name, [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f], I don’t want her to be just [name_f]Bella[/name_f], or just [name_u]Issy[/name_u]–but I don’t want her to be just [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f], either. I really don’t have any answers–just that I’d planned on playing it by ear. It helps that I really like saying all three options, though. I won’t want to give up saying [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f].
I suppose I’m not the best person to answer–I had just planned on being very conscious to start using [name_f]Bella[/name_f] more if I had only used [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f], or [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f] more if I was only calling her [name_f]Bella[/name_f]. And of course, I planned on introducing her as [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f], not just [name_f]Bella[/name_f] or [name_u]Issy[/name_u].
Hopefully someone’s a bit more helpful than I am, haha. Good luck!
Whatever plan you make now might not happen once you have the babies in your arms. Once they are born the pattern will just form. You might end up calling them pet names, nicknames you have not considered but just happens, or by their full names.
Things are different if a person wants to use a certain nickname almost 100% of the time. I would be using that nickname prior to birth and introduce the baby as that nickname once he or she was born.
For example I love the nickname Isby for [name_f]Isabel[/name_f]. If I chose [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] I would be calling her [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] and Isby might happen or it might not. Time will tell. If I decided to use [name_f]Ella[/name_f] I would start calling her [name_f]Elle[/name_f] right away. I would want [name_f]Elle[/name_f] used most of the time.
What I would do is introduce him and [name_m]Frederick[/name_m], and at home call him that, but when you’re being casual call him [name_u]Freddie[/name_u]. Lots of names automatically go into nicknames even when the formal name is used too.
I named my daughter [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] but used the nickname [name_f]Evie[/name_f] for her when she was born, at 2 1/2 she decided on her own she liked [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] better and now [name_f]Evie[/name_f] is used only occasionally. I think it will depend on your child’s preference of what he wants to be called once he is old enough to decide.
