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I don't think Harry is inevitable. I knew a Harrison, and he didn't go by Harry.

I quite like Harrison, which is strange since it's a trendy surname-y name! I do think Harry is a pretty inevitable nn though, which personally wouldn't bother me.

I adore Harrison. It's my son's middle name. I think it probably would have been his first name if it sounded a little better with our last name.

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Avoiding a really obvious nickname is hard, particularly with a three syllable or longer name. I think many people will assume Harry is okay without asking, and while many of them will go back to Harrison when corrected, with others it will be an uphill battle. You'd have to decide if that bothers you and also if you'd be bothered if Harrison himself decides to be called Harry.

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As much as I love the name and want to recommend it to everyone, I really think it's best to avoid names where you dislike the obvious nickname.

I really like Harrison. It feels mature & yet young & playful at the same time. I can picture a college professor or a young kid. It has the elements of a trendy name (surname, ends in -n) but I don't think of it as trendy because of the Presidents. I also think of Harrison Ford.
I personally don't mind the nickname Harry but would never assume that is his nickname. I think if you tell people his name is Harrison, not Harry, you should be able to avoid it.

It has really been growing on me lately especially since my grandpa is named Harold and I'm really close to him. I could see myself using this to honor him especially because I really dislike his actual name Harold Dewayne. But I could possibly use Harrison or Wayne as a middle name. I hate the nickname Harry too. Nobody calls my grandpa that. Everybody calls him Wayne. Once I did hear someone call him Harry which had never ever even occurred to me as being a name for him and as he hardly has any hair I burst into a fit of giggles for nearly 10 minutes straight. Anyway that is one reason I'd probably use it as a middle name to hopefully avoid the Harry nickname.

Harrison is OK. I think it would fit in well with all the Jacksons and Andersons which seem to be getting a bit more popular. Harry is likely to be a nickname but it's avoidable if you want to.

Aww

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I used to love Harrison (as in, I'd use it), but now I just like it. It's got that perfectly modern fitting-in feel to it, but it still has a bit of an awkward oldness to it. It's tweedy. Really awesome.

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I think it could avoid the nn Harry same as any other name could avoid any nn you want. Sometimes it just might take more work than other times.

Yummm! Harrison is a sexy name.

I like Harrison. I think it was my favourite boy name when I was 15 or so. I dislike Harry, but like Harris.

I don't really have strong feeling on Harrison either way.

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As for the nickname Harry, I think people always forget that they won't be the only ones with an opinion on their child's name/nickname. Eventually, there is a good chance that Harrison will have his own opinion. So if he doesn't mind (or even likes) Harry, well then the matter is out of your hands. But while he is young enough, I think Harry is definitely avoidable. I'd use Harris as a nickname.

Dislike. Too preppy and surname-y for me. I don't see how the nn Harry can be avoided, unless your ds makes an effort to prevent it. Wait. You could call him Sonny. Good luck.

Dislike strongly. But I love Harry:)

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I'm sure you could avoid the nn Harry. Actually, Harrison is rising in popularity over here, and all the little boys i've ever met go by their full name Harrison, seems no one ever shortens it to Harry, but that's my experience.

This message was edited 7/12/2011, 6:32 PM

I love Harrison. My cousin named her son this so I can't use it myself, but that's ok.

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I don't mind the nickname Harry, I'm not sure if it's avoidable or not.