?
That’s so the kids know when they’re in big trouble (that being the only time their “real” name is used).
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Someone at work named their kid Bentley. Sounds like a butler or a car.It is a car!
Often people use names that have been in their family for generations, and then adopt nicknames to call their kids. It’d make more sense to give them family names as a middle names and give them a first name they’d actually like to call them though.
I have a friend whose name is Rick, and that’s exactly how it appears on his birth certificate. His mother said she saw no reason to name him Richard if she never had any intention of calling him that.
“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” - Anne Frank
Bentley?! Is that the guy on The Jefferson’s? 
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I don’t know, but I’ve got a sorta related comment.
[Repeat story]I knew a kid named Willaim Robert Seth ____. That’s right, Billy Bob. When I asked about that, they commented that he would be called Seth at the point he entered school. But until then, they were intent on calling him Billy Bob. I get the impression that when school comes around, he’ll already be Billy Bob and changing that will be difficult. [/repeat story]
Then there’s the thing with nicknames. How did William come to be shortened to Billy? How did Robert become Bob? Richard become Dick? These are mysteries of the ages.
Okay, well considering you were slightly upset because I named my dog the same thing you wanted to name a daughter (if you had one) Now I don’t know if my dog has a people name or a pet name!
My guess is that they were family names, or popular, and if you’ve got three in the family, the first is William, the second Willy, the third, um, Billy?
Then it happens that willy = penis, so…
I don’t know about Bob or Dick.
I sold my soul to Satan for a dollar. I got it in the mail.
I have a friend that is pregnant and her husband said if they have a boy he wants to name him either Drayton or Cea as in (sea) because he likes the water. Could you imagine the grief this boy will have to go through with a name like Cea? My fingers are crossed that she has a girl!
I think this is one of the great mysteries of the universe. My cockatiel is named Parker Charles Yardbird, and by gosh I call him Parker, not Charlie or Chuck. I can see using a shortened version of the actual name, but I hate diminutives (Billy, Eddie, etc.), especially when used for adults. I think it’s demeaning.
The trouble with Sir Launcelot is by the time he comes riding up, you’ve already married King Arthur.
Surgoshan:
But then why is Billy the automatic nickname? And Willy meaning penis is pretty recent, whereas Billy has been around for a long time.
agisofia:
My dad feels the same way. He purposely gave me and my sibs names that do not have common diminutives.
I remember a hispanic friend who’s mom called him Tito. I think that’s like Jr. It was funny first time I heard it.
So how long does this Jr thing carry on? Will I meet someone who will use William J. Reynolds XIII ?
I have friends who named their son Jake Mitchell. Their thoughts were that if he turns professional when he’s an adult he can go by J. Mitchell.
We are, each of us angels with only one wing,and we can only fly by embracing one another
I’ll join the OP in expressing my confusion at this practice.
I’ve heard several times people saying something like “Our kid’s name will be Joseph and we’ll call him Joe” or even worse “Our child’s name will be Megan and we’ll call her Betsy.” (I won’t even start with the people who say “My son’s name is Roderick, but we all call him Meathead.”)
What’s the point in that? If you want your daughter to be addressed at Betsy, why not name her Betsy?
I’m amused by people who name their girls Porsche (and BTW, the “e” is pronounced). Is it because they are misspelling “Portia”, an accepted female name? Or are they saying that there are women named Mercedes, and that if THEY could be named after a car, why not their own daughter (apparently not knowing that the Mercedes car was named after a daughter of Daimler or Benz – I’ve forgotten which one)?
My question is about “John” and “Jack”. Why are John’s called “Jack”? They’re both one syllable. Doesn’t seem to make sense…
My impression was that the Jack Johns were usually John Jr.
I meant “Johns”; not “John’s”. I hat it when I do that.
What about people who name their kid after someone intending to call them JR. or Trey? I think that’s wierd.
Bubba’s better than Jr.
P.S. My grandpa named his daughter after one of his favorite hound dogs. She was not amused.
I recently just had an in-law name their daughter Aeowyn.
Yeah, that won’t cause any problems.
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I have an uncle who is Ivan Harold _______, II (his family didn’t like “junior”), and his son is Ivan Harold, III. Grandpa went by Ivan, uncle goes by Harold, and now his son goes by Ivan. He’s only about 14 or 15 now so we don’t know if he’ll ever have a son or if he’d be named Ivan Harold, IV. I’ll keep you posted 
“I hope life isn’t a big joke, because I don’t get it,” Jack Handy