So I’d like to name my child “Harry”.
I don’t want him to be stuck with an abbreviation for a name, so he needs
a longer name that can be shortened to Harry.
I don’t like Harold.
“Harrison” is out, due to the Harrison Ford connotations.
I like “Harrington”, but my wife thinks that it is too formal.
Tanya. That way, when ever someone asks the kid’s name, you can say, “Tanya, but we call him ‘Harry’ since ‘Tanya’ is a girl’s name.” And make sure his middle initial is “K” so that when ever someone asks what it stands for you can say, “Potassium.”
Seems like a nice enough name to me. I picture a “Harlan” as tall, dark and handsome. (I picture a “Harry” as shortish with glasses and a lightning-shaped scar, but I still think it’s a great name )
Harrington sounds like it needs a “the third” behind it. Pretty snooty name. I have a cousin named Harrison; however, the family never shortens it to Harry. It’s always been Harrision.
“Hartford” could theoretically be shortened to Harry…
Personally, I like all of the names here. I could even see myself naming a kid Harrison. After all, is it really THAT BAD to be associated with Harrison Ford? It’s not like naming the kid “Saddam” or anything else with a serious negative connotation.
Overall, I’d vote for Harlan as the best of the bunch. It has a nice ring to it. It’s not extremely common, but it’s also not totally freaky-weird.
Duh, I can’t believe I didnt think of this before…what about just HARRIS by itself? Without the -on part, it shouldn’t bring up any unpleasant Harrison Ford references.
Harry Metcalfe.
I like “Harry”, plain.
In my case, it isn’t short for anything. I was named after an uncle whose name was also unabreviated “Harry” and who survived for just six hours in the front line in 1917.
My gardener has, just last week, named his second son unabreviated “Harry”. And if I want to shorten it, “H” does just fine.
H.
Yeah, Harlan has something. But if you like ‘Harry’ I say call him ‘Harry’. IME the hassle of saying “No, that really is my name” is outweighed by the hassle of saying “Those ARE my tickets! Harry IS short for Henry, really!”
I know a Harrison. He goes by his middle name, and I would too if I were him. The fact that you’re talking about naming you’re kid Harrington (which is even snootier than Harrison) is proof that the ‘last names turning into first names’ thing has to die.