Alexander for sure as his official name as I know a lot of girls named Alex.
Or a classmate named Zachary Adamson. Or any other first name at all with a last name that comes before “Armstrong”. No matter what you pick for the first name, the kid’s still going to have the last name “Armstrong”, and will still be at or very close to the top of any alphabetical list.
My SIL named her son Alec. Not Alex. Not Alexander or any variation thereof. Just Alec. I stumble over it every time, finishing out the ‘x’ sound which irritates her, so I think I’ll call him Al.
My cousin named her son Aleksandr, but she married a Russian so I guess that’s a Russian spelling. I’m sure it’ll go over real well when the kid starts school - in Texas. :rolleyes:
Come on, people. Creativity has its place. This is not it.
Voting for Alexander. I’ve got friends who’ve named their kids Jake, Sam, Cid (a girl) and the like - and I can’t help thinking “that’s it?” This nickname for name thing seems … well, is petulant the right word?
I don’t think it’s a bad idea to name him Alexander instead of Alex, both are fine names in my opinion, but it doesn’t seem as obvious to me as everyone else who replied.
My legal name is Bradley, but I’ve always used the name Brad when introducing myself. Unfortunately, if anyone gets my name in advance from some document, they sometimes call me Bradley, and I have never felt any attachment to that name as mine (I don’t feel nearly strongly about this enough to ever correct them, however). So I can see a slight downside for an “Alex” who has no desire to be called Alexander. But do people here think Bradley is even a proper formal-sounding name? It always sounds like a less adult version of the nickname to me, like Billy is to Bill or Timmy is to Tim. 
Of all the reasons not to name him Alex, that’s pretty much the worst. That’s a good reason not to name him, say, Lisa.
Alec is a real name; you’ll find a lot of them in Scotland. Maybe your SIL really likes the original Obi Wan Kenobi.
LOL, yes, Alec is a real name. It’s the Scottish form of Alex, which is also a real name. Aleksandr is also a real name. Did you miss the point of the OP?
My FIL is an Alex. Pronounced Alec. And an Alexander on his birth certificate. I’m not sure I know anyone that has Alec as their legal name.
I hope the kid was named Alexander. I can’t see any downside, and every upside. I named my son Samuel. But he’s a Sam to us and he has options. Works for everyone.
I just love the name Alexander. It’s elegant and classic and no one will be able to pinpoint the exact year of the exact decade your boy was born in (unlike Jaden, Caden, and of course the Jennifer years.). Use the full name!
My own given first name is a nickname for the longer version. I don’t get it, because either my first or middle name was supposed to be the name of a saint. There are no saints with my first or middle names!
Make the name more secure. Call him @13x@nd3r.
Don’t be a smart Alec!
His name is Jack, and it’s not short for anything, it’s (channeling Sean Hayes) just Jack. So Alex is a fine 1st name.
It sounded like you were saying she’d made that shortening up.
The only Alecs I’ve known have had it as their full name, not as a shortening of Alexander; it may have been that way a long time ago, but Jack was also a nickname for John, and I doubt anyone would criticise the parents of a Jack for giving them a nickname. Alec Guinness was hardly born at a time when people ever gave their babies nicknames on their birth certificates.
(I presumed you brought up Aleksandr because of the spelling side-conversation).
Err… I do. I know about a thousand toddlers named Jack, and I’ve grumbled about every single one.
OK. That’s a bit much, IMO. Does Megan bother you too?
I was not recommending “Alexandor” per se, just an alternate spelling of Alexander. Think:
Katelynn,
Kaitlin,
Katlen,
Katlyn,
and the rest of the various permutations.
“Alexandork”? :dubious: :dubious: :dubious:, if the kid is going to get pick on, he will get picked on and not because of his name. How many kids are going to know the spelling of his name anyways.
IMO, a unique spelling can prevent hassles in the future. YMMV
My last name is unique spelling of fairly common last name. My first name is William, about as common as common can be. But there are only three people in the U.S. with my first name and my last name. Even though my last name is fairly common, if it is spelled normally.
Yeah, it would be seen as classier to name him some other name with “Alex” in it (like “Alexis” or some ad hoc confected Greek compound) than just some arbitrary spelling. Heck, an arbitrary spelling that’s standard in some other language would be less hillbillyish. Not that I’m going to tell you not to name your kid Alexandor or Allexanndurr. You could start a trend or something.
True story: Was in college with a girl called “Sandra,” who I once called jokingly “Alessandra” & she said that wasn’t her name, but she wished that that (or Alexandra) was her name.
You may want to look at these search results.
Alexander Armstrong
Alex Armstrong
Xander Armstrong
Alexis Armstrong
Lex Armstrong
When we named our son Alexander my wife intended to use the “Alec” short form… but it quickly softened into Alex and has stayed that way ever since.
I tend to switch between calling him Alex and Alexander… except when he’s being obstreperous, and then it’s always the long form; the weighty four syllables ably convey parental displeasure.
Just needs the addition of a two or more syllable middle name to match the double syllable Armstrong surname and you’ll be able to achieve a full freight train-like declaration of disfavour. 
Huh–I never realized that Megan was originally a nickname, and I have a relative with that name. (Apparently it’s a diminutive of “Margaret.”)
I did know that “Jack” is a nickname, and I don’t like particularly like it as a proper name, either, Cazzle.