I’ve heard that kids will somehow/automatically get nicknamed. As much as I hear this, I don’t agree! I think parents can really step in a just keep it from happening. My husband and I never used/were given nicknames (natalie and [name]Michael[/name]) and ppl really go off of what we called ourselves. However, many kids get nicknames that don’t stick for long or aren’t related to their names, and if you don’t want to use them frequently or avoid the use of them I really think you can! Anyone else agree??
I do like these two names together, so I have changed my original vote.
I [name]LOVE[/name] [name]Alistair[/name], it gets my vote hands down. And [name]Eloise[/name], I think this is so sweet with [name]Matilda[/name].
I agree with you that parents have some degree of control over nicknames (or lack thereof.) Sure, people will likely try to shorten your child’s name. But if your child has always been told that his name is [name]Alistair[/name], not [name]Al[/name] or [name]Ali[/name], then chances are that these nicknames won’t stick. Now if [name]Alistair[/name] decides he likes [name]Al[/name]/[name]Ali[/name] better, then that could be a different story… but I think that if the child is brought up using his full name, then others will catch on to that.
I’ve heard that kids will somehow/automatically get nicknamed. As much as I hear this, I don’t agree! I think parents can really step in a just keep it from happening. My husband and I never used/were given nicknames (natalie and [name]Michael[/name]) and ppl really go off of what we called ourselves. However, many kids get nicknames that don’t stick for long or aren’t related to their names, and if you don’t want to use them frequently or avoid the use of them I really think you can! Anyone else agree??[/quote]
I agree! My husband is [name]Matthew[/name]- not [name]Matt[/name]. My nephew is [name]William[/name], not [name]Will[/name]. I also know of [name]Andrew[/name] (x2), [name]Michael[/name], [name]Cassandra[/name], [name]Elisabeth[/name] (x2), [name]Victoria[/name], [name]Christopher[/name] and [name]Serafina[/name] who have never gone by nicknames. I’m sure some of them have petnames and such, but that’s different than being KNOWN AS a nickname, you know?
your children, however, might prefer to be called by a nickname. There are different types of nns, as well. A [name]Jennifer[/name] might be “[name]Jenny[/name]” 99% of the time and introduce herself as [name]Jenny[/name]. On the other hand, she might introduce herself as [name]Jennifer[/name] and be called “[name]Jen[/name]” 50% of the time.
Most of my college friend’s (me included) introduce themselves by their full name, but are called by a one-syllable nn part of the time. No one ever really asked, but they never complained either.
[name]Eloise[/name] and [name]Walter[/name] are wonderful with [name]Matilda[/name]. I really like [name]Alistair[/name] too, and was tempted to vote for it, but I think [name]Walter[/name] is better with [name]Matilda[/name].
My aunt hates nicknames and never wanted her kids ([name]Nathan[/name] and [name]Britney[/name]) to have them. I believe [name]Nathan[/name] is called [name]Nate[/name] by all of his friends, and [name]Britney[/name] is [name]Brit[/name] half the time. I’m [name]Lyndsay[/name] and almost no one has ever called me a nickname (rarely I’ll get Lynz, but hardly ever). Ultimately it’s up to your kid, not you. So if you don’t like nicknames I wouldn’t pick a name with nicknames you hate. And I think it’s really unlikely that [name]Bernadette[/name] wouldn’t get nicknamed as soon as she started school.
My 11-year-old daughter [name]Rebecca[/name] just goes by [name]Rebecca[/name]. (What I call her around the house is another matter.) We have always introduced her as [name]Rebecca[/name], and no one has veered from that. She also prefers to go by her formal name. I just now asked her if anyone (friends, teachers, etc.) ever call her a nickname and she said “no.” The same holds true for my son [name]Daniel[/name].
I don’t think [name]Walter[/name]'s two-syllable name would turn into any automatic nickname. If anything, someone who is very comfortable around him might casually call him [name]Walt[/name]. I don’t think you would have to worry about him ever becoming “[name]Wally[/name].”
[name]Eloise[/name] and [name]Alistair[/name]. Hands down.
[name]Eloise[/name] and [name]Walter[/name]
[name]Eloise[/name] & [name]Walter[/name] for me 
[name]Eloise[/name] and [name]Walter[/name].
I agree, I really doubt people would jump to [name]Wally[/name]. I think it would be easy to avoid a nickname for [name]Eloise[/name], too. I imagine it’d be tougher for [name]Alistair[/name] and nearly impossible for [name]Bernadette[/name].
I guess I’m biased because I have an Uncle [name]Walter[/name] whom everyone calls [name]Wally[/name]. Additionally, my Grandfather [name]Walter[/name] died when my brother was born so my brother got [name]Walter[/name] as a middle name. The other boys teased him and called him “[name]Wally[/name]” until he got into fights with them (and then they didn’t call him that anymore). My brother was really sensitive about his middle name and when asked he used to lie about it and say it was [name]Jason[/name] or [name]Steven[/name] or some other common name (at the time). However, that’s just my brother. He’s a real conformist and I think he was embarrassed that he didn’t have a common name like all his friends (his first name is an Irish name that’s no one could pronounce back then)
As for nicknames, you’re right, they aren’t inevitable, but it’s good to think of them in advance. My name is [name]Nicole[/name] and I’ve never gone by [name]Nicky[/name], although I had a teacher who tried to force me to go by [name]Nicky[/name] one year and I didn’t put up with it. But that’s because I didn’t like the name [name]Nicky[/name] as a kid. I think if someone had decided to call me [name]Nick[/name] (as some of my adult friends do without any encouragement from me) or [name]Cole[/name] or even [name]Coco[/name], I might have gone along. So I agree with the PP that it’s best to choose names that have nicknames that you don’t mind too much, just in case your child decides to take one on.
[name]Eloise[/name] and [name]Walter[/name]!
Definitely [name]Eloise[/name] [name]Austin[/name] for a girl. (I’m not a fan of [name]Bernadette[/name] at all!) And I prefer [name]Walter[/name] [name]Austin[/name] for a boy.
[name]Eloise[/name] and [name]Alistair[/name]. I love [name]Walter[/name],but I think [name]Alistair[/name] sounds better with [name]Matilda[/name].
[name]Eloise[/name] and [name]Alastair[/name] for sure! They’re both gorgeous, classic names.
The winner is…
[name]Eloise[/name] [name]Austin[/name]
[name]Alistair[/name] [name]Austin[/name]
Elosie beat [name]Bernadette[/name] by a large margin. [name]Alistair[/name] beat [name]Walter[/name] by 6 votes.
I’m split between you two-
[name]Eloise[/name] [name]Austin[/name]
[name]Alistair[/name] [name]Austin[/name]