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Some nicknames can work as full names imo and then there are some that can't. The name DH and I have chosen for our baby, should this child be a girl, is a nickname. I think it's a lovely name and it's one that we could actually agree on! More formal versions of the name we couldn't agree on, so it works for us. So basically, some shorter, "nickname" names are fine to me.

I like nns a lot, but only rarely as full names. A lot of them are too cutesy or short to stand on their own. My favorites are old nns, like Jack and Nell, which probably could act as full names. I also like Gracie and Heidi (not sure if this is really a nn).

I would use formal names then the child has a choice (when he gets older) to use the formal name or the nickname. Though I think it is okay to use a nn as a middle name. I think a nickname as a first names makes it seem like you were not taking parenting seriously.

I much prefer formal names. I might use a nickname, but I wouldn't use a nickname as a full name.

Well, I prefer formal names to nicknames. I generally don't like nicknames used as full names, especially the really childish ones like Maddie, Timmy, etc. I find they might look awkward on adults, especially in professional situations, and it's better to have a formal name "on the dotted line." Parents can still use whatever nickname they want, while leaving the child the choice to use a different nn or use the full name if they want once they're old enough to decide.
I can tollerate nns that are ok on adults such as Tom or Alex, but I still think it's better to have a formal name personally. And I'm ok with nicknames that properly evolved in full names in their own right, like Nora, Megan, Lisa.

Too general. I like some nicknames but not others. SOme nicknames can stand alone and have for many years. Others in my opinion don't stand alone.

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I dont' like nicknames that I don't think age well. Timmy, Teddy and Joey, Missy, Katie and Allie seem childish. (Actually Missy is just gross, like a generic "Hey you" kind of thing.)

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You know what's always made me laugh? Some British people criticizie Americans for calling presidents and such Jimmy or Bill, and also other Brits for calling their prime minister Tony. Yet in Britain nicknames like Alfie (god how I hate that name!) and Charlie and Robbie are currently very popular as full names! So it's very possible that in thirty years, they'll have no choice but to call their PM Alfie.

I make an exception for nicknames like Nora, Kate, Molly and Greta. These nicknames seem established enough, although I would love to see Molly as a nickname for Mary now, since it seems original now. However for the most part, I feel the kid should be given the formal name.

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For example, I love names like Milly and Sukie, but would name the baby Millicent or Camilla or even Romilly (nn = Milly) and Susan or Susanna (nn = Sukie).

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I hear about new Mom's raving about names like Maizy and Maggie and wanting to name their kids just Maizy and Maggie – not Margaret. This trend seems prevalent in the UK and I think it is following here and I just find it tacky to put it bluntly.

There are a small handful of nicknames that I don't mind as full names, but otherwise, no matter how much the nickname has been in use as a full name, I prefer it or only like it as a nickname.

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Sometimes I like playing around with combos using nicknames, but I don't think I could bring myself to ever name my child a nickname. I think that it's nice to have a formal name not only for use in formal/professional settings, but so there are more options for what the person can be called-- whether that be the full name itself or another nickname if possible. My first name doesn't have any traditional nicknames and I've never gone by a nickname, and I've always wished that I had that option.

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My favorite nicknames are:
Edie
Effie - although it could also be considered a full name
Etta
Evie
Gina
Ginny
Maggie
Mamie
Nan / Nanw
Nell
Nina
Nola
Nonie
Nora

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Ben
Charlie
Frank
Jack
Jamie
Jem
Lyn
Will

I've never seen Nora as a nn, and it's one of my favorite girls name (top 3). I've always liked Jack too, but I prefer it as a nn for Jackson since I lik Jackson a lot too. Kate is fine on it's own, but I think I prefer that as a nickname for Katherine ot Katelyn/Kaitlyn.

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I really like Charlie on it's own too. And Leo. And Liam.

I don't really think of Kate as a nn, because my full name is Kate and I know a few just Kates, so its pretty normal for me. I think there's a difference between 'nicknames' that work fine as full names and 'nicknames' that don't. E.g. I think Jack is fine as a full name, but something like Johnny for example isn't.

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Generally, I prefer 'full names' though, because I kind of wish my full name was Catherine.

It depends on the nn. Some of them just don't seem substantial on their own so I think they need the full formal name to back them up. Imo, some examples of this are: Katie, Jenny, Annie, Minnie, Allie, etc.

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Some nns I think have been used so much over the years that they don't really need the formal name anymore to back them up. Imo, some examples of this are: Jack, Kate, Lucy, Nora, Ella, etc.

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Some of my favorite names that I'd use a nn for are:

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Amarantha "Ama"
Lucy - but I would probably name her Lucienne "Lucie" or Lucia in which case I don't even think I'd call her Lucy but maybe Luce
Nadezhda "Nadya"
Andromeda "Andy"
Rosalind "Lindy" - I honestly don't know why, I just think a nice, endearing nn to be used really only by family members. Other nns I'd consider for Rosalind would be Rosa (my great-grandmother's given name) or Rosie.
Wilhelmina "Minnie" or "Willa" - this one is randomly starting to grow on me a lot lately

This message was edited 2/20/2010, 10:51 PM

I usually like full names, growing up with a nickname was (still is) frustrating.

Nora and Kate are fine, but not Jack. Jack is way to informal for a first name. Even when I yell at my little sister (more like talk sternly, now that we're adults) I call her Susan Rae, instead of the usual Suzy, so I'd have to have a name htat has a nickname. Elenore, Katherine, John.

I love love love formal names. As my mom always says, "Picture your kid growing up to be a supreme court justice. You wouldn't want a Supreme Court Justice Billy or Sunflower, now would you?"

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edit: I suppose I like a few nicknames as names. Like Lucy or Norah.

This message was edited 2/20/2010, 6:12 PM