Current Events > People that go by a shortened or different name - how did you decide?

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Let's say your parents named you Benjamin. How does one decide that they want to go by Ben, Benny, Benjamin, etc.? I even had a friend growing up where their name was John, but they went by Jack. My name isn't one that's typically messed with, so I guess I'm intrigued how people land on different names.

I didn't. At my second high school, someone who had the same first name as me went by a shortened form, so when my teacher introduced me to everyone she automatically used that shortened form and it's stuck since

I prefer Mike

Shit, I go by a lengthened name

It was basically the default for the longest. Nowadays I get called by either the short or long version.

I correct people when they try to shorten it

I usually go by the shortened form of my name. It's what I remember most people calling me since I was little but I also think it's just easier. It doesn't bother me though if someone uses my full first name since it's still my name.

You tell others your preference.

My given name is too linked to my deadbeat father so really want nothing to do with it, unfortunately I'm kind of forced to go by it in my day to day since not actually publicly out

That said I'm public interactions I despise the shortened version of my name since it's what my father went by so full name plz

Chosen name I always liked and started using it in online spaces, naming characters in games, giving it as my name for forums etc. now I feel a really deep affinity for it overall

I have like a dozen nicknames, almost half are just shorter versions of my full name. Only my parents really use my full name.

I went by my shortened nickname before I can remember.

My parents evidently went through my family tree looking for some asshole they've never heard of before who had a name that I guess sounded good at the time, then evidently decided it wasn't bullyable or teacher confusing enough and effed it up further, then they gave me a shortened nickname of it anyway.

I should ask them what the hell they were thinking.

Anyway, as the Bobs and Williams of the world see no problem with making every fast casual/fast food place demand your name, and I have long grown weary of arguing with cashiers about it, I just tell them my name is Bill.

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lol, this is great

__starsnostars posted...

You tell others your preference.

This. My name is Elizabeth Jane, I go by Eliza Jane. And I tell people that when I first meet them. However I do say "You can call me Eliza Jane, but Elizabeth Jane is fine also." If they ask what I prefer (and they usually do) I say "Eliza Jane". Most definitely not "Eliza" or "Jane".

As a teen one of my friends added on "son" to the end of my name once

And since it rhymed with "Jetson" it was pretty much set in stone after that

Some shortened names are just assumed. If I see Benjamin written Im just saying Ben with some exceptions for formal things

I went through most of my using the short version of my name because I was too lazy to learn how to spell the full version when I was a little kid.

Now I go by the full name just because I decided I liked it more.

I'm probably going to start going by my middle name though.

ReturnOfDevsman posted...

Anyway, as the Bobs and Williams of the world see no problem with making every fast casual/fast food place demand your name, and I have long grown weary of arguing with cashiers about it, I just tell them my name is Bill.

I have a short and fairly normal name so I've never had to do actual nicknames or anything, but I do this sort of thing sometimes if the environment is loud because I'm bad at pronouncing my own name and it often gets misheard :/

We purposely gave our kids names that can't easily have a nickname.

I am also of the mind that if you have a kid and you intend to call him Ben that you should just name him Ben, not Benjamin

Derwood posted...

We purposely gave our kids names that can't easily have a nickname.

I am also of the mind that if you have a kid and you intend to call him Ben that you should just name him Ben, not Benjamin

I think it's good to have a casual version of your formal title. It's an immediate, if small, factor of being approachable. And then when you need to be formal and authoritative, well, you have that.

Derwood posted...

We purposely gave our kids names that can't easily have a nickname.

I am also of the mind that if you have a kid and you intend to call him Ben that you should just name him Ben, not Benjamin

They're just gonna be the first syllable regardless, I'm afraid.

Maybe with a long e sound at the end.

My parents just always used the shortened name. So everyone else did too.

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I've known a handful of people who do this when their names are uncommon here in the US or use sounds that English doesn't have. One I was actually a good enough friend with in college that I took to calling him by his real name as a sort of odd reverse-nickname, lol.

Cornmuffins posted...

I prefer Mike

this. its short and to the point

One syllable is more convenient than multiple syllables. I dont care either way though.

My name is Shawn. The only nickname I've had from friends was Shawnie. I'm named after my biological father so I don't have any attachments to my name at all.