Nicknames, Can you stop them?

If #2 is a boy, we want to name him
Jack Ryan.

Do you think we can avert the JR nickname?

There's nothing wrong with being called JR, but I do not like nicknames at all, and I wouldn't want him called by that. I HATE being called Shelly, my name is Michele, no offense to anyone with that nickname, but I hated growing up not being called by my name and always corrected people for the nickname and of course I only spell my name with one "L".

Can I stop that from happening? Or should I just toss the middle name to something else?

What do you guys think?

DH thinks no one will call him JR, unless we refer to him with that name.

Re: Nicknames, Can you stop them?

I'm not sure. In spite of knowing that no one in our family is calling Andy "AJ" (he's Andrew Joseph) my best friend insists on calling him that. Her BIL is called that by the family and she thinks it's cute. It kinda annoys me, but not enough to make an issue out of.

Re: Nicknames, Can you stop them?

I'm not really certain you can prevent something like that from happening. I don't want Christopher to become "Chris", but I know once he's in school it's inevitable.

Re: Nicknames, Can you stop them?

My older son is Nicholas. Has always been Nicholas. Since the day he was born almost 5 years ago, all family and friends have called him Nicholas.

Then BAM...he went to school. Now my older son's name is Nick.

And...he likes it. Says it makes him feel older.

But we still always call him Nicholas.

Re: Nicknames, Can you stop them?

there is a boy in my dd's class his name is "john ryan", and thats what everyone calls him. parents, teachers, friends, schoolmates. i think it can be avoided as long as you call him by his full name, most people will follow your lead.

Re: Nicknames, Can you stop them?

Will you call him Jack Ryan? I think if you just refer to him as Jack, he won't necessarily get the nickname JR unless you started it.
So I say go for it, use that name

Re: Nicknames, Can you stop them?

We will not call him by his full name, so he will be referred to just as Jack

Ryan will be his middle name.

So I guess if I don't refer to him with his whole name, nobody else would right?

I am seriously thinking of tossing Ryan as a middle name just to avoid the possibility.

Re: Nicknames, Can you stop them?

They will only be called that if you alow people to call him that. My son is Andrew. He is not Andy. If anyone takes ut upon themselves to call him Andy, we correct them by saying that is not his name.

I still hate it to this day when I tell people my name is Patricia, and they turn it around and call me Pat. Yes, I go by Trish or even Patty, but I think people should call you the name you tell them, not assume they go by a nickname.

Re: Nicknames, Can you stop them?

I think with a name like Michael becoming Mike, or Christopher becoming Chris its harder. But my cousin's name is Michael and nobody in our entire family has ever called him Mike - he is always Michael. I dont know what his friends call him though. But Jack Ryan becoming JR, I think as long as you never call him that and always use his name it will be much easier. It would probably just shorten to Jack. Just don't let him ever watch Dallas.

Re: Nicknames, Can you stop them?

my ds is Jack Robert, it's only been 12 wks but everyone calls him Jack. I thought about the whole JR scenerio and I figured peple would call him what we call him. Besides, I don't think any of my friends even knew my middle name until I was in college.

Re: Nicknames, Can you stop them?

Posted by JD02

I think with a name like Michael becoming Mike, or Christopher becoming Chris its harder. But my cousin's name is Michael and nobody in our entire family has ever called him Mike - he is always Michael. I dont know what his friends call him though. But Jack Ryan becoming JR, I think as long as you never call him that and always use his name it will be much easier. It would probably just shorten to Jack. Just don't let him ever watch Dallas.

Message edited 12/12/2006 10:39:30 AM.

Re: Nicknames, Can you stop them?

Unfortunately for us, there are no nicknames for Noah...we call him all kinds of made up names, but there just isn't an acceptable one! What a shame! Noey is the most popular one at the moment!

eta I am a fan of the nickname really...my husband is called JJ, so nicknames don't bother us!

Message edited 12/12/2006 10:55:36 AM.

Re: Nicknames, Can you stop them?

I don't think you can really stop them once they go to school. Family and freinds should respect your wishes and call him Jack but beyond that, it might just be inevitable.
I know our son might become Jake once he leaves the house, but for now our family and friends call him Jacob because that is what we prefer/call him.

Re: Nicknames, Can you stop them?

Re: Nicknames, Can you stop them?

I had to reply to this one...one of my best friend's sons is named Jack Ryan. He is 3 years old and I have never once heard him called JR. I was surprised to hear that this is one of your concerns. I would not worry at all. Strangely, his father's name is Joseph Thomas, but he's strictly, JT, or Jay...hehehe...but that was his family's choice since he was little and he hates "Joseph."

I know what you mean though...I have an irrational fear of people thinking Katherine is "Kathy!" (No offense to any Kathys of course!)

I think Jack Ryan is Harrison Ford's character in Patriot Games, etc.

Re: Nicknames, Can you stop them?

Posted by Eireann

I had to reply to this one...one of my best friend's sons is named Jack Ryan. He is 3 years old and I have never once heard him called JR. I was surprised to hear that this is one of your concerns. I would not worry at all. Strangely, his father's name is Joseph Thomas, but he's strictly, JT, or Jay...hehehe...but that was his family's choice since he was little and he hates "Joseph."

I know what you mean though...I have an irrational fear of people thinking Katherine is "Kathy!" (No offense to any Kathys of course!)

I think Jack Ryan is Harrison Ford's character in Patriot Games, etc.

Re: Nicknames, Can you stop them?

Posted by sweetness

Posted by JD02

I think with a name like Michael becoming Mike, or Christopher becoming Chris its harder. But my cousin's name is Michael and nobody in our entire family has ever called him Mike - he is always Michael. I dont know what his friends call him though. But Jack Ryan becoming JR, I think as long as you never call him that and always use his name it will be much easier. It would probably just shorten to Jack. Just don't let him ever watch Dallas.

My name has been butchered my whole life since my mom chose to spell Michele with one "L", i've been called shelly, michshelly, shell, mich, michy, even friggin Michael!
It really bothers me! I am always correcting people, especially about the spelling.

Some family members still spell my name with 2 "L"s and I am 30 years old!

OMG is Jack Ryan a name on Dallas? I never watched that soap!

Re: Nicknames, Can you stop them?

I think as long as you call him Jack no one should automatically incorporate his middle name. Michael is Michael, not Mikey, however, my BIL calls him this once in a while - I cringe, but it's cute in a way. But I do know that once he's in school, it's pretty inevitable that his friends will call him Mike when he's older (bleh!)

I think family and close friends will honor your wishes but you'll always have someone on the outside who will do otherwise...

My brothers are Christopher (27 yrs) and Vincent (24 yrs) - both are STILL called by their full names by family and close friends of ours. But in school they became Chris and the other Vinny.

I think something like JR is something that is usually started by the parents. He may get a "Jackie" from people - that's the nickname that I think would become more common with him personally - people like to add IE's to the ends of kids' names for some reason!