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11-26-2012 at 12:43 PM
outtamyhan...
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NN as standalone name

Hi Ladies,

What are everyone's thoughts on using a nickname as a standalone name? 

Our top pick for this baby, if its a boy, is Jake Edward.  It doesn't bother me, but I was interested to hear others opinions.  I don't like Jacob, so its Jake or.....I guess we will have to go back to the drawing board. 

Just FYI, we alread have a DS, Gavin, and if this baby is a girl she will be Emily Quinn.)

Thanks for the input!!


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11-26-2012 at 12:47 PM
Washington...
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Personally, I don't mind it for some names. My son's name is Xander. DH and I don't like Alexander.

Jake is one of the names I think can stand alone just fine.


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11-26-2012 at 12:50 PM
animalcrck...
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I would not use it as a stand alone name.  It's like naming someone Tom, Bill, Katie, etc.  If I really wanted a Jake, I would name him Jacob and just call him Jake.

But if you did go with the FN Jake, I would be sure to use a longer MN with it. 


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11-26-2012 at 12:52 PM
Joy2611
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Nope - don't like it.

I don't even like that people use Jack as a given name.

11-26-2012 at 12:56 PM
Idani
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I think Jake is fine alone. DS1 is Trent, not Trenton which some consider a nn.

 
11-26-2012 at 12:56 PM
jennyshawn...
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Most of the time I like the full name & then use a nickname. However, I can't stand the name Jacob, but really like Jake & I think Jake Edward sounds great!

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11-26-2012 at 1:00 PM
MelRC117
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I have an Eli and that is his full name.  DH and I could not agree on a formal name that had Eli as a NN.  I'm with you, I dislike Jacob but I like Jake.  Most other names with NN's I like I would prefer to have the formal name and then calling him the NN.  I usually want them to have options. 

However, I have a Twilight vibe from Jake or Jacob Edward.  They are both totally legit names and I love Edward, but just wanted to point that out if that pop culture reference matters to you or not.


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11-26-2012 at 1:01 PM
beebanjo
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I'm not a fan of nicknames used as full names, it always looks and sounds very incomplete to me. It also just seems informal, which is fine for a kid but sometimes not so much for an adult. I would like to at least give them the option of having something more professional-sounding for certain situations that may come up when they're adults.

 
11-26-2012 at 1:02 PM
526SadieSa...
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In this Twilight-loving pop culture we have right now, no one in her right mind should name a baby Jacob Edward unless she's a Robert-Pattinson-tattoo-having fan of the books and movies.

I think Jake is a fine standalone name, some NNs are first names are nice (like Luke), but others, Charlie and Frankie for instance, sound too childish for standalone names.


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11-26-2012 at 1:03 PM
Mrs.Frazie...
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I am not a fan of nicknames unless it is someone who has a name passed down (like my brother is Charles the 4th so of course he has a nn)

I'm one to say if you want to call them by a nick name then just name them that. Even if it is not a formal name. The only time people would know the formal name is when you write it on formal things. So just go with the nickname as the standalone one. 

I think Jake is a great stand alone name. I have known many friends over the years who were not Jacob just Jake.


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11-26-2012 at 1:03 PM
KrisM86
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It depends on the name.

I like Jake on its own. I actually have friends who have a Jake and that's his full legal name. 


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11-26-2012 at 1:03 PM
mtm0109
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I think it is fine as a standalone name.

I know a Jake not Jacob and a Chris not Christopher.

animalcrckr:

I would not use it as a stand alone name.  It's like naming someone Tom, Bill, Katie, etc.  If I really wanted a Jake, I would name him Jacob and just call him Jake.

I can not get under this.

For example...If someone wants to name their child and call their child Matt then why name them Matthew?


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11-26-2012 at 1:03 PM
outtamyhan...
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MelRC117:

I have an Eli and that is his full name.  DH and I could not agree on a formal name that had Eli as a NN.  I'm with you, I dislike Jacob but I like Jake.  Most other names with NN's I like I would prefer to have the formal name and then calling him the NN.  I usually want them to have options. 

However, I have a Twilight vibe from Jake or Jacob Edward.  They are both totally legit names and I love Edward, but just wanted to point that out if that pop culture reference matters to you or not.

HAHA!  Didn't even think of that!!!  Edward has been set in stone as the middle name because its my dad's middle name.  Glad you pointed it out, but I don't think Jake Edward bothers me.  Jacob Edward would be different for some reason....


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11-26-2012 at 1:10 PM
kayjay10
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beebanjo:

I'm not a fan of nicknames used as full names, it always looks and sounds very incomplete to me. It also just seems informal, which is fine for a kid but sometimes not so much for an adult. I would like to at least give them the option of having something more professional-sounding for certain situations that may come up when they're adults.

This exactly.


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11-26-2012 at 1:11 PM
blueturkey...
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I have a nephew who's legal name is Jake - I love it! His parents had the same reasoning - they didn't like the name Jacob and knew they were going to call him Jake from day one anyway so they just went with it. It fits him perfectly.

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11-26-2012 at 1:15 PM
plunderb
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There are some names that sound ok as both full names and nicknames (like Lucy), but I generally don't prefer nicknames as full names.

Of course, it is your baby and you should do what you like. I do think it is important to acknowledge that there is a class bias against nns as full names in the US. That is, historically, the use of a traditional nickname like Jack or Molly as a given name has been a marker of low social status (or slavery). I think that is fading a bit in recent decades, but it is still there. The classic example is William Jefferson Clinton vs. Johnny Reid Edwards — Bill Clinton had the formal name and could position himself as Bill when he wanted to portray a folksy persona, but John Edwards changed his name to John because Johnny was not the name he wanted for his professional career.

That doesn't mean that there are no lawyers named Jenny and no doctors named Matt. Of course there are. But the class bias does still exist. That's not a reason not to use the name you love, but it is one factor to consider.

And I totally agree w/ pp that Jacob Edward would make me think you were a Twilight fangirl who couldn't pick a team!

11-26-2012 at 1:28 PM
BlindysWif...
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Depends on the name. I think Jake is acceptable as a standalone name.

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11-26-2012 at 1:37 PM
mbody
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In most instances, I like the full name best, but I think Jake works fine as a stand alone name.

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11-26-2012 at 1:41 PM
outtamyhan...
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Thank you everyone!  Even after all the input, I think I am still sold on Jake by itself.  (To me, its like Luke, which I think is fine alone.)  However, ever since the Twilight reference, which I didn't even think of, now Im worried Jake Edward is weird...

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11-26-2012 at 1:47 PM
Iloveshane...
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I think Jake is fine as a stand alone name!

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11-26-2012 at 2:26 PM
blu-eyedwi...
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I was just having this discussion with my family over the holiday.

I think nicknames as standalone names work:

1) Better for men than women (my boss is an Andy, and I think men with nicknames are taken more seriously than girls with nicknames)

2) Depends on the name itself.  I don't think "Bobby" is a great stand alone name for a man, Robert would be a nicer choice, giving him something to fall back on if he didn't like the name Bobby.  I think Jake works well on its own without sounding too young or cutesy.


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11-26-2012 at 2:43 PM
Joy2611
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mtm0109:

I think it is fine as a standalone name.

I know a Jake not Jacob and a Chris not Christopher.

animalcrckr:

I would not use it as a stand alone name.  It's like naming someone Tom, Bill, Katie, etc.  If I really wanted a Jake, I would name him Jacob and just call him Jake.

I can not get under this.

For example...If someone wants to name their child and call their child Matt then why name them Matthew?

Because when Matt grows up he might want the option of a longer, more professional, more adult sounding name.  Of course you don't know, but I'm an advocate of giving the person options.  They will only be a child for a small percentage of their life.

11-26-2012 at 2:58 PM
outtamyhan...
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I don't agree with the needing options argument.  My name has no options, and a lot of names do not.  Its what my parents picked and they obviously thought it wasn't hideous as I do with Jake. 

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11-26-2012 at 3:30 PM
flerlgirl
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I think if you are going to only call him that anyway, you may as well name him that. My sister has gone by her NN her whole life and never once used her given name... seems like life would be easier for her if she wasn't constantly having to say "Oh, I go by ______"

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11-26-2012 at 3:32 PM
Estwd2
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outtamyhands:
I don't agree with the needing options argument.  My name has no options, and a lot of names do not.  Its what my parents picked and they obviously thought it wasn't hideous as I do with Jake. 

I'm with you. The whole "adult options" thing only holds water for me if the nn is something like Kimmie or something equally juvenile. Jake is a perfectly fine name for an adult male. No options needed. 


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11-26-2012 at 3:48 PM
KrazyKat35
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I am sorry it is just to Twilight for me. I mean i went and saw the movie, i read the books. but to name their child Jacob Edward, or even Jake Edward is just kinda a little to crazy fan to me.

I think Jake is a good name. But i think it should stay as a NN for Jacob.


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11-26-2012 at 4:00 PM
outtamyhan...
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KrazyKat35:

I am sorry it is just to Twilight for me. I mean i went and saw the movie, i read the books. but to name their child Jacob Edward, or even Jake Edward is just kinda a little to crazy fan to me.

I think Jake is a good name. But i think it should stay as a NN for Jacob.

If you read my previous posts, it has NOTHING to do with Twilight.  Edward is my dad's name and is going to be the middle name regardless of what first name we pick.  Yes, I read the Twilight books, no I did not see the movies, no I am not some super fan.  In fact, I didn't even make the connection until today when a PP mentioned it and we've been tossing this name around for months.


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11-26-2012 at 5:53 PM
austenread...
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I wouldn't do it.  I am a fan of having a formal first name even if you only ever plan on calling the child by the nickname.  I like them having the option as an adult.  I know loads of people who go by their full first name for work.  But it's been pretty popular for a long time.  As in if you look at the 1880 listings on the SSA site you will see several, so very few would I actually side eye.  I don't understand the argument really, but it's been around forever so I have to call it legit.

ETA:  I live under a rock when it comes to these things, so take it with a grain of salt.  But I didn't think of Twilight at all with the names.  I haven't read the books or seen the movies.


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11-26-2012 at 7:35 PM
Elsa1984
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The Twilit thing doesn't bother me, and I wouldn't side-eye Jake as a full. Name. I have a friend who's full name is Jake, and he is a grown adult.....I cannot picture him named Jacob and he doesn't even look like a Jacob to me. I also have a friend with a son named Jake, his real name is Jacob but nobody knew. They have never called him Jacob and nothing he has is personalized for Jacob....it has always been Jake. I was a actually a little shocked when she told me he was actually a Jacob. 

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11-26-2012 at 9:49 PM
erbear
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I think it's ok in some cases (my DD is Kate, not Katherine) but Jake is not really a stand-alone name.

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