But on the flip side, you can always use the LONGER name and officially name him Alex.
I’m Mark but I’ve rebelled at times calling myself, Marc, Marcus, Marco. I have had credit cards under Marc and Marcus.
If you can shorten Alexander to Alex you can also lengthen Alex into Alexus or Alexi or Alexander just as well.
Alexander Armstrong is a great name!
Another vote for Alexander. I go by a nickname, but the full name is on all my documents, it’s really not an issue and gives the kid more options.
Irishbaby has a 4 letter first name and 2 middle names- there is scope for much teenage rebellion there.
For whatever reason, people with surnames that start with A are very commonly given first names that start with A. I see this same pattern with surnames that start with S. I am an AA myself and have never been made fun of over it, and when I’ve made a joke about it people have given me blank stares. Trust me, there will be 5 other AA’s in his graduating class and no one will make a big deal about it.
Yet another vote for “Alexander, but for the love of all that’s holy not Alexandor.”
This guy probably thinks so. I wouldn’t recommend “Fenwick” as a middle name though.
Go for the full name, properly spelled. “Alexandor” is just asking to get your kid punched at school (and/or forever known as “Alexandork”).
Not sure of this. For an Alexander to always go by Alex would seem quite normal. For someone officially named Alex to start using Alexander might seem pretentious, or resentful of one’s own name.
I agree with your wife.
Nah, just kidding. Another vote for Alexander.
Another “hell no” on this, but “yes” to “Alexander.”
If your wife wants to call him Alex, that’s fine. Everyone will call him Alex regardless of whether the birth certificate says Alex or Alexander, and having the longer version has several advantages that others have described. Why does your wife want to make the shorter version his legal name? I’m curious about her reasoning.
In Russia, Sasha is the nickname for Alexander. It’s the equivalent of naming a girl Tom Tomasina.
Yeah, I’ve spent the whole thread trying to figure out what’s wrong with Sasha Alexandria too.
Another vote for Alexander. My daughter’s full name is Josephine, but we all call her Josie, and I have a somewhat less-common nickname for a very common name as well. It’s nice to be able to use the full name on legal documents, though.
Alexander Armstrong flows off the tongue a lot easier than Alex Armstrong. Vote team Alexander!
AA… poor little tyke will always have to go first in school activities when they tell the class to line up alphabetically. Unless he’s got a classmate called Aaron Adamson or something.
Kidding. Another vote for Alexander. Whatever he’s called, friends will want to shorten it or change it into a nickname anyway. Alex can only be shortened to Lex (yuck) or Al (weird for a kid, good for a middle-aged guy.)
Agreed. Kids will make fun of each other no matter what, but why give such easy ammunition?
Giving a kid a name with a spelling mistake in it means that he’ll spend the rest of his life correcting people on how to spell his name. It could also be counter-producutive in the area of credit - if a bank or a credit card company starts misspelling his name, by using the traditional spelling, it could be difficult to correct all the different records.
But getting back to the OP - a full name is always better. You’ve got no idea what the tyke will turn into. Maybe he’ll be an “Alex” kind of guy, but maybe he’ll turn into a full-name guy. Give him the option.
I’ve got a formal name with a common nickname, and I’m always called by the nickname, except when people are trying to be humourous. I guess that’s just the kind of guy I am.
My brother, on the other hand, also has a formal name with a common nickname, and is never called by the nickname. He’s just a formal guy.
Give the kid options.
Name 'im Poops!
Alexander – for all the reasons mentioned above. Men should have proper names. I hate it when a guy’s legal name is “Jack” or “Ted.”
Exactly. They could have just named her “Alexandria” and called her “Sasha”.
As the father of a Nathaniel (not Nate or Nat or Nathan, which he can choose to go by if he wants) I vote for Alexander.
Aw I love Alexander Armstrong, he’s so twinkly.
Yup, that famous Alexander Armstrong isn’t a bad namesake to have. It sounds like a classy name - it immediately makes me think of a high-powered lawyer or something.