- Blog
- Bios
- Boards
- Classifieds
- DIY
- Gallery
- Vendor Reviews
- Shop Weddingbee
Weddingbee boards
My husband is pretty adamant about naming our daughter Abby. Not Abigail - JUST Abby. Any name I suggest my husband is just not having it. We had agreed that I would name our boy and he our daughter.
Im worried she will not get taken serious as an adult. What do you all think?
Middle name possibilities are:
Lux
or
Rose
I love Abby Rose. I definitely think it won't affect her career wise in the future
I say name her Abby! My official name is "Katherine," but I've gone by Katie my entire life. It was always annoying in school to have to tell teachers "Actually, I go by Katie!" When I was little my parents used to say "it's nice because if you ever become a doctor or a lawyer or something you can use "Katherine" professionally," but guess what - I am a lawyer, and I still go by Katie!
I often consider having it legally changed to Katie, but it's just not worth the hassle.
My husband's name is Rickey. Not Richard, or Rick, but on his birth certificate, it says Rickey. He goes by Rick, but people do make fun of him when they hear his real name. He says that if he had his way, he would rather all of his legal documentation say not have Rickey on it.
I LOVE the name Abby, but for me personally, I would keep trying to find a name your husband likes that Abby could be a nickname for.
My vote is for Abigail. I worry about a lot of the kids now who have cutesy sounding names. My friend had a "test"...she would imgaine her kid as a judge one day. "The Honorable (first) (middle) (last)" And if it fits, it is a quality name!
I know several people with the name "Abby" nothing more. I have strong feelings about naming your child what you want to call them. It drives me crazy when people are like, We're going to name her X, but call her X" If you want to call her that, then name her that in the first place. Saves a bunch of issues at school!
@Vegas Pug:agreed! My name is a common nickname for a ridiculously popular name, and I don't mind it. I actually prefer my name to the more popular one, because it make me stand out
Abernathy is a possibility (I think I heard that name in "Deathproof," lol). You could still call her "Abby," but it's an alternative to "Abigail."
I would go for it and name her Abby! I have a friend whose legal name is Katie, and she has never had any issues or not been taken seriously because of it. I could see how you would be risking it if it was something super cutesy, but I don't think Abby crosses that line at all. I definitely like Abby Rose for a middle name :)
I really love Abby Rose! it reminds me of an English Garden or something. I kind of understand everybody's point here, I'm kind of undecided as what to think about it. I think that naming her Abigail sort of gives her the choice of wanting to be called Abby professionaly. Nicknames are so common that people kind of expect kids to have nicknames.
Hey, Ally Mcbeal was a lawyer and it didn't sound wrong ;)
My mom's name is Peggy, not Margaret. My grandmother said she didn't want people to call her Maggie, or Marge, she wanted Peggy, so that's the name she picked. I don't see anything wrong with a little girl, teenager, or Supreme Court Judge named Abby. I like it!
My parents named me Katie, not short for anything. Its never caused me problems and I'm a elementary school teacher. I think Abby is just fine!
I love the name Abby Rose - I think that it's fine - I know several grown women who continue to go by Abby, and it's not weird (it's more weird when they have to use Abigail for something, and that's even a name that they really identify with!).
My full name is Abbey. People sometimes ask if it's short for Abigail but I correct them. I love it and haven't experienced problems with people not taking me seriously because of my name. They have plenty of other reasons to not take me seriously. haha
Everyone makes valid points!!
Phillygirl -
Im glad theres an ABBEY out there then!
I personally think of Abby as a short form of abigail, but I do several people who are just Abby. I also know people who are Bill but not william, Ben but not benjamin and Sam but not samuel... so I guess its a popular trend to name kids short forms of names.
I would encourage you to reconsider. My husband's name is Eddy. Not Edward, not Eduardo, etc. His ENTIRE life this has been an issue and he is always fielding questions about what his "real" name is. In addition, he is an attorney and having a nickname as a first name has not helped him professionally. To some extent, he resents his parents for choosing to give him a nickname as a first name instead of a "real" name (and then just calling him by his nickname). Please reconsider!!
Does he hate Abigail or just prefer Abby?
Usually I'm a fan of giving a more formal name so that the child has more options. But if you really don't like Abigail, Abby should be fine.
I'm a fan of Abigail. She can always go by Abby, but have a more 'formal' name as well for adult career work if she so chooses. Usually I'm a fan of just nicknames, but it depends on the name. Those that end in 'y' seem more youthful. I have a friend that's just John, not Johnathan, but John is still a pretty adult name. Abigail gives your child the choice to go with what she likes.
Ironically, people named a "nickname" is my husband's pet peeve - but I don't see a thing wrong with it. If you want your baby girl to be called Abby, not Abigail, why not name her that? However, I also happen to love the name Abigail and that she'd have the option to formal it up if she wanted to... Especially as she gets older.
I'll admit that I didn't read all of these - but I just wanted to chime in that I work with an Abby and I never thought of her less than mature and an adult because of her name. :) I really think that people give personality to their names, and not the other way around.
I like Abbey with an e! Abby seems like a nickname wheras Abbey looks like a full name, I dunno why!
I also like the middle name Lux, but Abbey Lux looks a little too far out there for me. Abbey Rose?
Maybe you guys should look into a different name entirely to avoid the issue- something that works without question as a professional, adult-sounding name but that you still like the sound of for every day use.
I've gone by my nickname my entire life, and it's almost uncomfortable for me when people use my full first name because I don't really recognize it as my own. That said, I'm glad that I have my first name at my disposal for resumes, business cards, etc. because it does look a little more professional. Also, when I meet a client and tell them "Call me [nickname]," it makes them feel like we have more of a personal connection.
If you are concerned about how being named Abby will affect her professional life, show him this article:
http://www.perfectbabyhandbook.com/blog/2009/05/which-baby-names-ensure-success-ask-dr-mehrabian/
Most of the 'successful' names are longer, more formal names and most of the unsuccessful names are shorter and more nickname-ish.
I wouldn't mind Abby/Abbey as a first name. I know someone named Eddie and someone named Johnny and those seem too informal for me. And I love Rose as a middle name but Abby Rose makes me think of Abbey Road. :)
Props to you for trusting your husband enough to give him the sole rights to name anyone/thing.
I like Abby and Abigail; I think both of them are cute.
Fwiw, I kinda dismiss the notion of naming your child for their future profession. Mostly because I have a highly unusual name and it's never hindered my professional development. :) If anything, I think my unusual name has opened doors for me, since I'm usually the only one around!
I think Abby Rose is a beautiful name. I know a girl named Abby and it's not short for anything...it never occurred to me that it might be!
Nicknames as names are actually a big pet peeve of mine, so I would personally fight for Abigail and just call her Abby-- I love both names, and I think Abigail (Abby) Rose is a beautiful name. I don't know why but it really bugs me with just nicknames, although as far as they go, I thin Abby is better than most nicknames as a whole name.
I never heard of Abbey with an E as a name but it is really pretty. Kind of like how John is a whole name, but Jon is short for Jonathan.
My Great grandmother is Betty, not Elizabeth, just Betty. I didn't know that until recently and I laughed so hard because I'd always assumed it was a nickname. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of nicknames as names and prefer the full name as the legal name, and then just calling the child by the nickname.
@futuremrsloveday:I'm also a Katie-not-short-for-anything!
My nickname for a name is AWESOME. I have met so many Katie's, and they never go by their full names, but Katie actually is my full name and I love it. And the year I was born Katie was one of the most popular names for girls, so there were a lot of us in class each year--teachers used to make us go by our full name to distinguish among us, but since mine WAS my full name I got to be Katie.
Most people I've met think its awesome as well :) Actually, I kind of find it weird to have a name that you never use or go by. My college roommate was "Rebecca" but only goes by "Becca"...she says she really has no connection to her given name which seems much odder to me than having the name you identify with and exclusively use as the legal one.
I've never had a problem being taken seriously within my profession--and I'm getting my PhD in neuroscience, with all my publications saying Katie.
I don't think it would make a difference to her career, when she is an adult she can choose to go by whatever the hell she wants, even if it's not on her birth certificate--I know plenty of people who go by names that aren't their 'real ones', mostly middle names, my friend Ned for instance is named Charles Edmund but has been Ned to everyone his entire life and is a lawyer.
I vote, name her the long name, but just start calling her Abby. If she ever wants a super, mature song, she can always use it later in life. But that gives her the choice. If you give her the short form, then she want have any options. If you name her only the nickname, then it would be weird to take on the longer form.
ps. I also really like Abby Rose... and thats my middle name too :)
I think that both Abby and Abigail are adorable names, and I don't think people would take her less seriously for being named Abby. The thing I don't like about nicknames as full names is that it leaves very little room for change. You might love the name Abby, but what if your daughter doesn't? I know a girl who hated the first name her parents gave her and when she got to HS she just went by her middle name. This is completely your choice as parents, so do what feels right to you. Maybe even wait to see your child's face to decide for sure. But I think having multiple options is more ideal for me.
I have a long name that has 2 very common nicknames and I must say, I am happy that I have the full name and was not named one of the nick names. As a child I was called one nickname which was decided by my family (and they sometimes still use it). At some point I decided I wanted to use the other nickname as I thought it was more adult (no y) and switched over. Now I live in a foreign country where the long name is known (although not so popular) but the nickname I go by in the US is not easily understood or comprehended here. So, I use a nickname with friends and colleagues but everything that is written (resume, publications, address, bank account, etc. is in my legal name). I also introduce myself to new people with my full name. I am so happy to have had the option to do that because if I had my nickname for a legal name, I would have had lots of odd conversations everytime I met someone. I also agree with a PP who pointed out that a nickname is a great way to make a connection with a new client or really any new friend. It's really nice to have a choice. I also have several friends who use their full names and have done so since high school/college despite growing up with a nickname (Valerie, Katherine, Melissa, etc.) usually to differentiate themselves from someone else with the same nickname.
My husband, like yours would love to name a child ´just a nickname (Max) so we#ve had a similar conversation. Ultimately he agreed that if said child could be always called Max he would not have ap roblem with putting Maxwell on the birth certificate.
My first name is technically a nickname of Margaret. Yeah... way happy that my name is what it is instead of Margaret. I also know several Abbys and Abbeys.
If Abby is what you are wanting, then do it. I don't see why it would be a problem.
Abby Rose is sounding like "Abbey Road" to me hahaha are you Beatles fans cause I think that's awesome. For my two cents I am the only sibling of four without a "long" name on my birth certificate. My name isn't a common nickname (Karen), it stands alone. I have always been secretly jealous of my siblings since I think their names sound so sophisticated. Though we are all professionals, I don't think our names had anything to do with it :). But, I like the name Abigail by itself and the name Abby so I vote for Abigail.
I just wanted to add a comment to the PPs saying Abby Rose sounds like Abbey Road. It's funny because while I am named after my mom's grandmother, I am "spelled" after Abbey Road because my dad is a huge Beatles fan!
Also, the whole concept of your name affecting your success is kind of silly to me. Your success is what you make it. I'm in a pretty conservative, technical, and male-dominated profession (engineering) and I don't feel like my name makes a difference one way or another.
FWIW I really like the idea of giving your child options. I went by a nickname as a child but as I grew I liked my full name more and more and now go by that. Plus my nickname rhymes with my husband's first name so I'm glad I have my full name to use.
Thank you everyone for your input.
We have added a few names to the list and have decided to wait and see what she looks like. I have a feeling when we see her little face the name will just pop out at us!
Although I may add all the other names we've added are nicknames as well, sort of. Besides one.
Abby
Mila
Sadie
Natalia
Mila, Sadie and Natalia are all beautiful too. You'll have a well-named daughter no matter what!
I have never thought of the "nickname as a name" thing, I was always much more concerned by what the name might rhyme with or sound like. For instance, Delores might not be the easiest name to grow up with.
You must log in to post.
| Visit our sister sites | eHarmony Online Dating |
eHarmony Advice Dating Advice |
Project Wedding Wedding Songs |
JustMommies Pregnancy Calendar |
Create the honeymoon of your dreams.
| User | Posts Today |
|---|---|
| ellisrobertson | 22 |
| MsPanda | 14 |
| aduarte3201 | 14 |
| pengoala | 10 |
| ShellVee | 10 |
| londonchick | 9 |
| londonpeach84 | 8 |
 KimKimmieKim |
8 |
| ladyartichoke | 6 |
| MrsBlueSeptember | 6 |
Sorry, there are no users yet.
