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Annoying name shortening trend

(107 Posts)
PollyDolly Tue 19-Jan-21 07:44:01

Where did this trend of shortening first names come from? I don't mean Peter to Pete or Susan to Sue, but the rediculous shortening of Abi or Abigail to ABBS, Phoebe to PHEEBS, Connie to CONS, Alan to ALS and countless more!

SpringyChicken Tue 19-Jan-21 08:11:37

Our kids were doing that over ten years ago when they were teenagers. Not worth stressing about, Pollz. ?

Maggiemaybe Tue 19-Jan-21 08:18:43

It’s been a while. Looking back I can recall colleagues calling me Mags over twenty years ago. I quite liked it. smile

Ladyleftfieldlover Tue 19-Jan-21 08:25:30

Always happened! Nothing new here,

growstuff Tue 19-Jan-21 08:26:17

I don't think it's a modern phenomenon. Even as a child, I remember that my mother hated it when anybody shortened her name.

dogsmother Tue 19-Jan-21 08:27:02

I agree, never been any different really. It’s just a continuation I don’t like the way young ones haves shortened mine with the zza but it’s livable and the way things are.

Witzend Tue 19-Jan-21 08:36:36

My dd1 has always done it with friends.

My maternal GM was Phoebe (which she hated). My DF always called her Phoeb, which she was happy with, but then she adored my father.

But it resulted in my brother when still quite small, beginning a thank-you letter with, ‘Dear Feeb,’
It was posted off uncorrected - I dare say she enjoyed it all the more.

yggdrasil Tue 19-Jan-21 09:41:38

I managed to foil anyone shortening my name by ignoring them. My sister is called Sheena, they can't mess with that my mother thought. She was known as Shee to all her friends, andthat was in the 50s!

jaylucy Tue 19-Jan-21 09:59:53

My mother chose all of our names so that they couldn't be shortened , so it's nothing new, just a slightly different way !

Barrygirl Tue 19-Jan-21 10:00:37

My daughter,Emily, is almost 43 and she has been Emz to her friends - not to me, I hasten to add - since she was a teen. So nothing new here. smile

Barrygirl Tue 19-Jan-21 10:00:38

My daughter,Emily, is almost 43 and she has been Emz to her friends - not to me, I hasten to add - since she was a teen. So nothing new here. smile

Barrygirl Tue 19-Jan-21 10:00:38

My daughter,Emily, is almost 43 and she has been Emz to her friends - not to me, I hasten to add - since she was a teen. So nothing new here. smile

LauraNorder Tue 19-Jan-21 10:05:03

I suppose I would be Laws, quite funny for LauraNorder.

henetha Tue 19-Jan-21 10:05:16

I quite like it really. Some of my grandchildren call me Neenz and I don't mind one bit.

Annanan Tue 19-Jan-21 10:05:38

I am blessed with a Christian name that cannot be shortened. It is timeless classless and nationless. However, my mother extended it when she was feeling kindly towards me to ANNANAN!

Rumpunch Tue 19-Jan-21 10:08:24

People will often change a name - its meant to show endearment!. My mum was called Joan so that it wouldn't be shortened according to my Nan. Many of her friends called her Joanie and so lengthening it!

Doug1 Tue 19-Jan-21 10:13:19

I thought I had given my kids names that couldn't be shortened but my older daughter calls her sister Jo instead of Jodie, Soph instead of Sophie and Chlo instead of Chloe. She carries on not matter how many times I pull her up.

hicaz46 Tue 19-Jan-21 10:13:59

It’s not shortening it’s more like lengthening. It’s just a phase and all youngsters like there own ‘lingo’

Twig14 Tue 19-Jan-21 10:15:42

My DD is CC due to my DS children unable to pronounce Catherine when they were v young (Catherine C). As they are half Japanese n found it difficult. The CC has stuck n she is v hsppy bout being Aunty CC.

eazybee Tue 19-Jan-21 10:16:31

I remember fellow teenagers lengthening names: all the Johns became Jonny, the Eds Eddie, Gilbert was Gilly until he insisted on Gil and the Ted was Teddy, which unsurprisingly, he hated . Ian defeated them so he was given a nickname linked to his surname. The main instigator was called Alison, and she went berserk if anyone called her Ally.

Janeea Tue 19-Jan-21 10:19:08

But my younger sister was christened Anne by my mother to avoid shortening was then called Annie or Annabelle by everyone including my parents!

Tabbycat Tue 19-Jan-21 10:20:03

When I first met my husband, he told me his name was David and that is what I've always called him. However, people who don't know him so well call him Dave, which he hates. One person at work tried to call him Daz - he totally ignored him!
His mother insisted in calling him Dave, even though he told her he didn't like it - he ignored her as well.
My first name can't really be shortened and no-one really tried until I worked as a catering assistant at a local high school. Everyone wore badges with their first name or derivative and they tried to call me MAZ shock.
I had mine printed with my title and surname smile.

Ellianne Tue 19-Jan-21 10:21:55

Our dogs all have proper names but they either get shortened or lengthened all the time!

tarakate Tue 19-Jan-21 10:23:58

Why are you so easily annoyed, is the respoonse that occurs to me.

NannyJan53 Tue 19-Jan-21 10:27:53

Funnily enough, my name can be shortened to Jan, but everyone always says the full name, it has never been shortened, by family, friends or work colleagues.