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What is wrong with some parents?
I've had two kids parties over the weekend. Each featured a parent who objected to any deviation from the given name of their spawn.
I called to one kid 'Timmy', and got a snotty baggage saying his correct mode of address was 'Timothy'. This was not helped by another Dad picking up on this and referring to him as Tim, Timmy, Timbo, Timster, Dr Timmington etc to even more lip pursing from the crone.
The next day my wife called a kid 'Charlotte' as that seemed to be her name. Oh no, "Charlotte-May" was the only way she should be addressed and were people too stupid to realise this?
No birthday cake for you, missus.
If you give your children a lumpen gobful of a handle, expect shortcuts to be taken.
And relax....
The funny thing is that one of my boys actually gets called by a shortened form of his name at home, but when I picked him up at a birthday party last week, found that everyone there was calling him by his full name.
This was not helped by another Dad picking up on this and referring to him as Tim, Timmy, Timbo, Timster, Dr Timmington etc to even more lip pursing from the crone.
s****
I think someone correcting me would just encourage me to shorten their sprogs name to something daft.
That being said, some people shorten my youngest's name to Dyl from Dylan, which does feel a little lazy. C'mon it's 2 syllables! Plus he doesn't answer to Dyl...he just ignores you.
bunch of stuck up twunts, ignore em.
most people lengthen my boy's name. and he'll correct them himself.
That being said, some people shorten my youngest's name to Dyl from Dylan,
It's more likely they are shortening it to Dill, but i wouldn't get into a ...
you can guess the rest
Name Nazis
Adi.
Hermy.
Joey.
Heiny.
It's more likely they are shortening it to Dill, but i wouldn't get into a ...
😀
his correct mode of address was 'Timothy'.
To which you hopefully replied "Sorry mother" 😀
You tell 'em eggy. It's the only language nazis understand.
but i wouldn't get into a ...
Dough?
Oh.. ah.. "pickle" yes.. pickle.. sorry..
I remember the headmaster shouting at my older brother in school assembly, but using the long version of his name, which is not what he's called... so my brother ignored him... this headmaster was a cane weilding psychopath, so that took balls. My big bro was harder than I thought 😀
And the girl had a look of weary acceptance, like she'd been present at this speech many times, and she didn't really want to hear it again...
I am told, one of the reasons m :roll:y mum picked "Paul" as my name so that people couldn't shorten it.
My uni mates call me, "P".
My wife calls me, "PP"
🙄
I object to anyone shortening my name. I just don't like it. Your name is your own - you decide what people call you. YOu can either address me by my full first name or my family name - but no title either please.
So its either "Jeremy" or "tandem" No "Jezza" and no "mr Tandem" please.
Its simple respect.
Charlotte-May
Oh I had a grown man whinge at work because I only used the first part of his hyphenated handle.
He didn't hear what I called him as I walked away.
[quote=tjagain ]I object to anyone shortening my name. I just don't like it. Your name is your own - you decide what people call you. YOu can either address me by my full first name or my family name - but no title either please.
So its either "Jeremy" or "tandem" No "Jezza" and no "mr Tandem" please.
Its simple respect.
ok tj. 😉
Both of my sons have names which are commonly shortened but we knew this when we picked the names and it doesn't really bother us.*
We always use the full versions and the boys will themselves instantly correct anyone who shortens them ..... teachers, friends , sports coaches, anyone .....except each other.
At home they constantly refer to each other by the short versions but won't allow anyone else to.
Kids can be weird sometimes.
*Does really annoy me when people constantly misspell the youngest one's name though. Every single time.
Teej - Should change your username to give people a steer on this maybe?
My wife calls me, "PP"
Yeah, your wife calls me that too. 😉
tjagain, shouldn't it be Mr Jeremy, as your name is Tandem Jeremy? 😆
If im going to abbreviate people's names nowadays, I usually ask them how they prefer to be named. Its less presumptuous and tends to minimise any upset.
handy - what to "mrpickycallmebymyrealnameorelse"
I have a mate who uses a shortened/alternative version of his name, every profile and account he has uses this, he introduces himself as that, and it's what he's known as.
His parents don't like it and insist on the original, fair enough. However his girlfriend, who I have no doubt was introduced with the short version also insists on calling him the same. Odd.
Only the NHS use my full first name, I've never been called it in anything other than jest by any of my family.
I know someone who went to a 'do' a few years ago, saw someone they deal with regularly and know well, who is called Jamie. They exhanged pleasantries, then a bit after he made a point of saying to them that when out he should be called James. He'd have got "**** off Jamie" in response from me.
Mr T - I like that, so yes.
I've always wondered why people insist on calling me Dick, I mean my name isn't even Richard. 😐
So its either "Jeremy" or "tandem" No "Jezza" and no "mr Tandem" please.
Can I call you "Eddie Baby"?
My ex and I wanted our 3 to be called by their full first names; fat chance - the minute they went to play/
pre school etc we had no control so they are all referred to by their shortened first names.
By everyone except the ex and I who still call two of them by their full first names.
I would like to think that parents have bigger things to be concerned about than whether or not their children get the full name.
[i]My wife calls me, "PP"[/i]
[b]Yeah, your wife calls me that too[/b]
how strange! She calls me "tiny PP"
I was even more literal minded as a child than I am now, so when I was little I was pretty insistent that people called me Christopher - that was my name, after all, not Chris. I eventually got over this, and these days most know me as Chris, but the long form appears to have stuck with my parents, and because of that it's been picked up by my niece and nephew too.
I have a mate who uses a shortened/alternative version of his name, every profile and account he has uses this, he introduces himself as that, and it's what he's known as.
I have a brother-in-law called Mark. That's what he calls himself at work and home.
I'd known him for over a decade before I found out, at his wedding, that his name is actually Alan.
My boys have names that would be hard to shorten, although some people try. The Wife and I both have our names shortened by everyone. The Wife's is often spelled incorrectly.
To mates, work colleagues, casual acquaintances, I'm known by my shortened surname. Except those people I've met through a couple of forums, where by I'm known as "Shed"
🙄
family name - but no title either please.
If anyone refers to me as "Hilton" (as they used to at school) I assume they are addressing my entire family, for whom I cannot vouch, so ignore them.
When I give my middle name out, I often have to spell it as it's really a surname. The number of times I'm asked whether I've got it right is quite unbelievable. 😀
I always figured it'd be a good idea to name kids with longer names that can be shortened in a variety of ways, then it gives them options to choose one they like as they get older.
But I don't have kids, so what do I know.
TBH I think it's your name, the only person who gets to have an opinion on what you should be called is you. If you don't own your name what do you own? But it's tricky when it's parents.
(I have a mate called Dave. He is absolutely, 100%, a David- he's polite, quietly spoken, serious and considered, everything a Dave is not. He even looks quite a bit like David Schwimmer. But he wants to be called Dave so I call him Dave.)
So its either "Jeremy" or "tandem" No "Jezza" and no "mr Tandem" please.
Whatever, Jezza.
My MiL is a horrible person. She worked in admin in a hospital and wrote a letter of complaint to a surgeon, who she had only ever met once, because he called her Caroline instead of Carolyn. She strung the letter out to 4 pages and was awfully pleased with herself. She never did get a reply 😀
When I give my middle name out, I often have to spell it as it's really a surname
Imagine what it was like for this guy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clough_Williams-Ellis
The only time I get called by my full name ever is when a) I'm about to be told off, or b) when it's my mother talking to me.
Actually, thinking about it, much like when I'm addressing the baby breathe.
But yes, "His name is Alexander" was annoying for a while with a mate. After a few years I think he just resigned himself to people calling the kid Alex
I just gave all three of mine three and four letter names, that are impossible* to shorten.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
*the school playground however may have succeeded here.
I gave my two classic multi-syllable first and middle names that can be shorted many different ways. I figured I'd let them choose what they want to be called.
the school playground however may have succeeded here.
IME kids without easy nicknames will instead be known by something relating to a minor incident/rumour in their first year that will haunt them through the rest of school.
That's what my wife Kitkat says anyway.
One of my coursemates at uni was called Andrew, but didn't like being called "Andy".
Lucky, then, that "Drew" is only one syllable! (I can sort of get why he didn't want to be called Andy though)
you try shouting* across a rugby pitch to Ptolemy with a straight face.
It's Tommy now, whether his mother likes it or not.
* Im coach, not father.
Scotty Cheggster - this was hilarious, I almost choked on my food
This was not helped by another Dad picking up on this and referring to him as Tim, Timmy, Timbo, Timster, Dr Timmington etc to even more lip pursing from the crone.
I used to have a colleague who was known as Urt, because whenever anyone called him Rob he'd say 'urt'.
One of my coursemates at uni was called Andrew, but didn't like being called "Andy".Lucky, then, that "Drew" is only one syllable! (I can sort of get why he didn't want to be called Andy though)
I hate it when anyone calls me Drew, though Andrew or Andy is fine (and spent five years at school being called Des for various arcane reasons)
the short version of Dylan is Dylz, according to my mate Dylan
The only time my dad has ever openly criticised my mum to me was when he said that my name - Stephen - had been spelt with a "ph" so no one would shorten it to Steve. Yeah, right mum! 🙄
Both our kids have one syllable names to avoid being shortened. All their friends have added a "y" to lengthen them. Kids are little shits sometimes 😆
Oh yeah and I'm known by a shortened version of my middle name.
I used to have a colleague who was known as Urt, because whenever anyone called him Rob he'd say 'urt'.
Hah, I used to know a lad called Chris who was known as "Tiffer" for the same reason.
Sometimes I do wish parents would give a bit more thought before naming their child. The current trend for hyphenated names is annoying. What's worse is one's where they have a fairly normal name but with a slightly strange spelling, like Rachel with a in or lucy with an e in. An aquaintance of mine called his son Elliott. Most people would automatically spell Eliot with one L and one T. When he told me I just pictured his son for the rest of his life speaking down the phone opening bank accounts and such 'it's double L and double T' Another lass I know has just called her son Buzz! Baby Buzz!
you try shouting* across a rugby pitch to Ptolemy with a straight face.
😆
My wife and I are shortened by the opposite family - yet retain 'Sunday best' full name by our respective families.
What's worse is one's where they have a fairly normal name but with a slightly strange spelling
Is that still a thing? I noticed it started becoming common a few years ago (yes, that's "Daisy," with a 'z'), but I thought it'd been broadly displaced by twaddle like Chardonnay.
An aquaintance of mine called his son Elliott. Most people would automatically spell Eliot with one L and one T.
I don't think I've ever come across Elliott spelt "Eliot", I thought that was the general spelling?
Having the seemingly unpronounceable Irish version of Kieran ([i]key-rawn[/i]), my wife and most of our mates have now started calling me Ron. It's been weird getting used to a new nickname in my forties. People who've only known me a few years think it's my real name! I'm not massively keen on it, but to be honest, at least it makes the "What's your name so I can write it on the cup?" questions in coffee shops easier. I'm not altogether pleased with our friends' kids calling me "Uncle Ron" though - it just has a sinister feel about it. 🙂
I have a friend who for 10 years was a big name in PR, his name is Mark but in the world of PR called himself Elliot, got very confusing when going out with his work people. He thought Elliot was more PR than Mark. Never got my head around that.
What's worse is one's where they have a fairly normal name but with a slightly strange spelling
Yep - all people called Allister / Alistair / Alasdair / Alister / Alastor (thanks for that one JK Rowling!) can just do one.
It's Alastair. A-L-A-S-T-A-I-R. 😡
Yes, I AM sure. I picked it for him.
Can we call him Al?
Only if he can call you Betty.
Yep - all people called Allister / Alistair / Alasdair / Alister / Alastor (thanks for that one JK Rowling!) can just do one.It's Alastair. A-L-A-S-T-A-I-R.
Yes, I AM sure. I picked it for him.
my middle name is [s]Allister/Alistair/Alasdair/Alister [/s]. Im 40 and still I havent a clue how to spell it*. It's why I have to keep my driving licence to hand to check. Stupid bloody name. 🙄
* you think Im joking, I really have no idea without going to check 😳
Is that still a thing? I noticed it started becoming common a few years ago ... but I thought it'd been broadly displaced by twaddle like Chardonnay.
Tell that to my daughters classmate Typhanny (No, really!)
An aquaintance of mine called his son Elliott. Most people would automatically spell Eliot with one L and one T. When he told me I just pictured his son for the rest of his life speaking down the phone opening bank accounts and such 'it's double L and double T'
#1 spawn is called Isobel. The number of different ways this can be spelled...
It could be worse. We know a family with a 'Sheffield' (and for the rest of your life explain you are named after the place you were conceived in) and a little brother called 'Red'.
All was fine when then lived in London - then work moved them back to Sheffield, and they now live in the shadow of Hillsborough ground...
I think someone correcting me would just encourage me to shorten their sprogs name to something daft.
This!
My other half's sister is really funny about people shortening her little 'uns name, Alexander. It's Ok to call in 'Zander' (WTF???) or 'Zands' but something normal like Alex is a big no-no. I call him Al!
Why choose a name that is so likely to be shortened?
She was even funny about us shortening our little guys name - it's our kid thanks.
I'm James in work as when we had names on our uniform I got a couple of shirts off another member of staff who was called James. Outside of work I'm jim or Jimmy. I tried being jim when I started a new job but when said on the phone, my full name sounds a bit like Jameel, and people started asking for jameel when they rang so with my current role I've reverted to James. My kids were deliberately given names that they can abbreviate, spell and pronounce however they like, seems only fair to let them have their own identity.
Mind you, I remember getting into a fight at school over whether a girl was called Cheryl (sh rill) or Cheryl (che rill) I eventually concluded that her mum was illiterate. Looking back I might have been a bit of a jumped up little excrement, and if not a name nazi, perhaps a name communist?
IME kids without easy nicknames will instead be known by something relating to a minor incident/rumour in their first year that will haunt them through the rest of school.
I know of someone called "Sweeties" because thats what he called out as he was hit by the school bus - knocking his bag of sweets out of his hand
What's in a name? A rose by any other would smell as sweet"
The lad is christened Thomas (that will look nice on CV in 20 years) but he's Tommy to all that know him at the moment and Tom when he's being a little toad.
But he'll make up his own mind up as he gets older, I did.
I started using my shortened name at 12ish and have only ever introduced myself as such since. Only my mother and the Mrs, when I'm in trouble, call be by my full name. And as such I dont really like anyone else using it. 😆
Sprog #2 is Xavier. At 3 he is a Xavi, and hopefully will graduate to being a cool Xav in the future.
Bloddy teachers at pre-school somehow spell it with a Z!
I'm James in work
A friend of mine got a new job. Between interview and her first day of work there was some sort of HR mix up and her first and middle names got transposed. So first day of work she's given a name badge with the wrong name on it along with email address, and business cards, entry in staff directories etc. But not only that because her role is public facing and a point of contact to a particular sector theres been mailouts, press releases, newsletters etc all introducing her to that sector and the wider public.... with the wrong name.
So she just decided to roll with it.... thats been her name ever since - through half a dozen subsequent job changes. Anyone who knows her professionally or has met her socially since the mid 90s knows her by one name and her family (but not her partner or her child), school friends etc, know her by another.
OP perhaps a children's party clown isn't the best career for you
Hyphenated first names with the second part being -May or -Rose (or 'alternative' spellings of either) marks the parents out as a certain sort
Because I went to a different school to most of them I spent a long time not knowing my mates real names, everyone was known by their nicknames, even the supposedly obvious ones were wrong eg "Harry" is actually called Daniel.I'd known him for over a decade before I found out, at his wedding, that his name is actually Alan.
Youngest got the long version of the name we use on his birth certificate, partly so he can decide what he wants to use later on but also coz firstname/surname sounds daft in the local accent.
I gave my two classic multi-syllable first and middle names that can be shorted many different ways. I figured I'd let them choose what they want to be called.
Ditto. Though we have condemned our second-born to a lifetime of spelling Catherine/ Katherine/ Katharine/ Kathryn.
Tom when he's being a little toad.
Oh, ours get the full first/middle/last names when things get "serious"!
It could be worse. We know a family with a 'Sheffield' (and for the rest of your life explain you are named after the place you were conceived in) and a little brother called 'Red'
This trend seems to have died out but I was very surprised to see how long ago it started
We have a game of guess the amount of different spellings of my name in Christmas cards every year.
I think the record is 12 or 13. Even my in-laws get it wrong...despite a quick check on Facebook being a click or two away to confirm. 😕
The best one this year was from some neighbours down the road who know my wife to chat with but not really me. As they didn't know my name, they just went for a random Irish one. Y'know..."yeah, Aidan, that'll do...he'l be delighted we picked an Irish name anyway won't he?" 😆
Then there was Ted my local mechanic who used to look after my old work car. Every time I saw him he'd just call me by the first Irish name that came into his head...Pat, Seamus, Aidan, Mick and a few others. He never once got it right.
My lad's middle name is Montmorency.
It'll either give him a good line to chat up English Literature students or get him beaten up. He's 5, it's early days on either.
Oh, ours get the full first/middle/last names when things get "serious"!
Ours does too.
I've always been Sam not Samuel (even when naughty as a kid I was Sam).
So its either "Jeremy" or "tandem" No "Jezza" and no "mr Tandem" please.
May I call you Ron, Jeremy? 😆
Sorry I'm a bit late to the party I've had a lot on.
My lad's middle name is Montmorency.It'll either give him a good line to chat up English Literature students or get him beaten up. He's 5, it's early days on either.
If it's not the latter, the school bullies need to pull their socks up.
My name isn't Robert. Didn't stop every teacher I ever had insisting it was. People still assume it's Robert nowadays.
Roberta, is that you?
