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Help[Opinions] masculine-sounding nicknames on women
Am I the only one who finds the fad of Alexandras going by Alex, Christines by Chris, etc a tad annoying? You also come across female Charlies these days, soon you'll have Michaeleas and Michelles calling themselves Mike and Mick! I know they're only nns so it's not a big deal, but I think it creates confusion if you're in contact with someone you haven't met, say by email, and you're not sure of their gender. Some people say that the gender confusion is what's cool about them, but wouldn't that imply that you want to disguise or downplay the fact that you're a woman? I'm not saying that girls sould all go by Bibi, Kiki, Peggy, Emmie, etc, but still...
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It doesn't bother me. I may not like some of the nns on girls (Charlie for example) but I'm not bothered. It's their choice and probably just as legitimate as boys using the same nn. It's better than just being a Chris or an Alex, at least they will have a more 'girly' nn to have instead if they so wished.
Using your example of Mick / Mike, Michelle and Michaela are feminine forms of Michael so have just as much right to use it as boys. Same with Bobbie or Bob as a nn for Roberta.
It can go the other way too, Fran can easily be a nn for Francis even though it's more common for a female or a Bren could as much be a Brendan as a Brenda.
I believe any one can have any nn they wish. It is after all their choice, not something that's been forced on them at birth. If I have a daughter called Harriet who feels more like a Harry than a Harriet or Hattie, I wouldn't be bothered. At least she's had a choice between Harriet, Hattie and Harry.
Using your example of Mick / Mike, Michelle and Michaela are feminine forms of Michael so have just as much right to use it as boys. Same with Bobbie or Bob as a nn for Roberta.
It can go the other way too, Fran can easily be a nn for Francis even though it's more common for a female or a Bren could as much be a Brendan as a Brenda.
I believe any one can have any nn they wish. It is after all their choice, not something that's been forced on them at birth. If I have a daughter called Harriet who feels more like a Harry than a Harriet or Hattie, I wouldn't be bothered. At least she's had a choice between Harriet, Hattie and Harry.
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I like masculine-sounding nns on women, to a certain extent. I've never met a Mike or Mick, but I don't think anything's wrong with Alex, Chris, Sam, etc. I think most people realize that these can be used on girls too. The only thing like this that bothers me is when girls or women have flat-out masculine names as their real birth certificate name. I think having somewhat masculine sounding nns on a little girl is cute. My favorite is actually Frances nn Frankie. =)
This message was edited 6/25/2007, 10:43 AM
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Never had a problem myself
I've known female Alexes, Chrises, plenty of Charlies, even a Stevie (Stephanie). NNs don't always actually have any gender significance. Most of the ones you mentioned are just abbreviations. No reason why Charlie should be less valid a nn for Charlotte than Lottie or Alex less 'female' than Sandra.
I don't think it's got anything to do with downplaying or concealing the fact of being a woman, just personal preference. Well, nine times out of ten, anyway.
:)
I've known female Alexes, Chrises, plenty of Charlies, even a Stevie (Stephanie). NNs don't always actually have any gender significance. Most of the ones you mentioned are just abbreviations. No reason why Charlie should be less valid a nn for Charlotte than Lottie or Alex less 'female' than Sandra.
I don't think it's got anything to do with downplaying or concealing the fact of being a woman, just personal preference. Well, nine times out of ten, anyway.
:)
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I'm a Chris, thankyou . . .
Why, may I ask, should a nickname that is simply a chopped-off shortening of the real name, be only legitimate for a male, not for a female?
Alex | andra and Chris | tine are JUST as legitimate as Alex | ander and Chris | topher etc. Nowhere does it say that those shortenings have to be male. That's YOUR perception. And are you not aware that some 'girly' nicknames are masculine? Christy is a common nickname for Christopher in some places, not to mention Mickey for Michael, Nicky for Nicholas and Vinnie for Vincent.
Most nicknames are legitimately unisex, and most people realise that they have to be a little careful with unisex names until they've worked out the gender of the person involved. It's got nothing to do with sexuality or to do with hiding your gender. It's just the way our English-language naming system works.
Why, may I ask, should a nickname that is simply a chopped-off shortening of the real name, be only legitimate for a male, not for a female?
Alex | andra and Chris | tine are JUST as legitimate as Alex | ander and Chris | topher etc. Nowhere does it say that those shortenings have to be male. That's YOUR perception. And are you not aware that some 'girly' nicknames are masculine? Christy is a common nickname for Christopher in some places, not to mention Mickey for Michael, Nicky for Nicholas and Vinnie for Vincent.
Most nicknames are legitimately unisex, and most people realise that they have to be a little careful with unisex names until they've worked out the gender of the person involved. It's got nothing to do with sexuality or to do with hiding your gender. It's just the way our English-language naming system works.
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Some bother me, but others not.
For example, I don't like Mike or Charlie or especially Bobbi on a girl. Ick. However, I admit that I really like Sam for Samantha, Jude for Judith, and one of my very favorites is Gabe for Gabriella. I guess some of it depends on whether I like the nn in the first place or not.
For example, I don't like Mike or Charlie or especially Bobbi on a girl. Ick. However, I admit that I really like Sam for Samantha, Jude for Judith, and one of my very favorites is Gabe for Gabriella. I guess some of it depends on whether I like the nn in the first place or not.
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*blushes* I'm actually a big fan of feminine names with masculine NNs. Just look at my favorites (in my sig): Benjamina (NN Benny); Augusta (NN Gus); Georgiana (NN Georgie). I also love Louisa NN Lou. I blame this love of masculine NNs for feminine names on my grandmother (Lucille NN Lu (she HATES Lucy)) and great-grandmother (Mellenise NN Mickey).
I hate it when parents just name their daughters with the masculine NN, though. Like Tiger Woods and Charlie Sheen, who both have daughters named Sam...Just Sam. Not Samantha or even Samara. Sam. It drives me nuts!! At least give your daughter the option of using a more feminine full name instead of just the NN...
I hate it when parents just name their daughters with the masculine NN, though. Like Tiger Woods and Charlie Sheen, who both have daughters named Sam...Just Sam. Not Samantha or even Samara. Sam. It drives me nuts!! At least give your daughter the option of using a more feminine full name instead of just the NN...
This message was edited 6/24/2007, 6:25 PM
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disagree. Chris and Alex are NOT out of hand or annoying, Charlie isn't bad, never met female Mick or Mike
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I agree totally
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I love the names Alexandra and Alexander, and I espeically love the nn Alex. Alex is more masculine to me, but I still love seeing a female Alex occasionally. Alex can suit both genders. I've even wished it were my own name at times! I'd only be upset if Alex started being seen as mainly a girl's name, or all girl! Which hopefully won't happen...
I like Christine, I hate the nn Christy, and I think Chrissy is really cute. Though Chris seems much too masculine for a girl imo, I'd rather see it than a Christy!
Michelle has such pretty nn's, Shelley, Mischa, Michi... I don't know why anyone would want to go by Mike or Mick! Unfortunetely, I have a sister Michelle... usually she gets called "Mink" or something like that, but I believe she gets called Mick occasionally. I hate it!
I don't like the name Charlie in general, but I think it's horrid for a girl.
And Sam is all masculine to me, I can't stand Sam / Sammy on girls and Samantha!
So some of them I like, some of them I don't. But it does aggrivate me sometimes if I see someone's name and don't know if they're a boy or girl! Which is bad because I do like quite a few unisex names.
I like Christine, I hate the nn Christy, and I think Chrissy is really cute. Though Chris seems much too masculine for a girl imo, I'd rather see it than a Christy!
Michelle has such pretty nn's, Shelley, Mischa, Michi... I don't know why anyone would want to go by Mike or Mick! Unfortunetely, I have a sister Michelle... usually she gets called "Mink" or something like that, but I believe she gets called Mick occasionally. I hate it!
I don't like the name Charlie in general, but I think it's horrid for a girl.
And Sam is all masculine to me, I can't stand Sam / Sammy on girls and Samantha!
So some of them I like, some of them I don't. But it does aggrivate me sometimes if I see someone's name and don't know if they're a boy or girl! Which is bad because I do like quite a few unisex names.
This message was edited 6/24/2007, 10:43 AM
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I realize Sam can be a boy or a girls name, I just don't like it on girls.
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I agree with you on Samantha...(m)
I hate being called Sam/Sammy because everyone assumes I'm a guy when they only hear my nn. I prefer being shortened to Mantha or Manthy. At least that still sounds female.
I hate being called Sam/Sammy because everyone assumes I'm a guy when they only hear my nn. I prefer being shortened to Mantha or Manthy. At least that still sounds female.
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Mantha and Manthy are cute. They seem much more feminine! I wish more people would use that instead of Sam/my.
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my name is Alexandra and I go by Alex and it fits me just fine. I mean yes there more "girly" nn for Alexandra but I didn't like them and just don't fit me seeing as I'm more a tom boy anyway. I also no a Mackenzie that goes by Mac and a girl named Ramona and she goes by Remy. so no I don't find it annoying.
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I know a female Mike!
I have no idea what her real name is, if she had one. She was a nurse who I met when I had my trabeculectomy last spring. She was probably in her mid-forties or older. She was very homely and kind of masculine looking, so I guess the masculine nn suited her better than it might suit somebody else, but generally those kind of nns don't do a thing for me.
Sam is kind of cute as short for Samantha, and Bobbie for Roberta. My husban'd godmother is a darling lady in her early seventies we all call Aunt Bobbie.
Charlie and Alex seem very trendy and a bit snobby to me, I don't know why.
I have no idea what her real name is, if she had one. She was a nurse who I met when I had my trabeculectomy last spring. She was probably in her mid-forties or older. She was very homely and kind of masculine looking, so I guess the masculine nn suited her better than it might suit somebody else, but generally those kind of nns don't do a thing for me.
Sam is kind of cute as short for Samantha, and Bobbie for Roberta. My husban'd godmother is a darling lady in her early seventies we all call Aunt Bobbie.
Charlie and Alex seem very trendy and a bit snobby to me, I don't know why.
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It depends not only on the nn, but on the person carrying it. I can't stand when my name is shortened to Kris. I hate it. But other girls going by Chris or Kris is fine by me. My aunt Georgiana is sometimes(mostly when she was little) called George. This still bugs her mother. Honestly, it suits her. Some typical boys nns, like Charlie or Chris or George (for a nn only, that is), on girls I find really spunky. Mike would bother me endlessly too, though. I don't see it as wanting to hide your femininity at all. It takes a strong woman to be able to play off a "boy" nn, and I think that speaks to her strength, not as a desire to be more masculine or downplay womanhood.
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Hm, I think it depends a little bit on the name and on which gender the name is usually used. So Alex for Alexandra or Chris for Christine don't bother me too much (although I prefer Alexa and Chrissy respectively), but Mike for Michelle or Michaela would bother me a more, because it isn't normally used on girls, so it would be more confusing.
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