"It would be shortened anyway," parents say when asked why they chose nicknames as first names for their babies. Baby naming can get overwhelming, but nicknames as trending baby names hit two birds with a single stone. Parents no longer need to think of a nickname that will go with the first name. Plus, we all know the advantages of having shorter names when filling out forms and calling someone's name out.
Trending Baby Names: Nicknames Outrank Long Ones
Social researcher Ashley Fell observed an increase in short baby names previously perceived as nicknames, ABC Everyday reported. For baby boys, Max is a popular name that does not imply the first name is Maxwell or Maximillian on the birth certificate, but straightforward Max. For girls, the nickname Evie now outranks what it was used as a nickname for before, Evelyn. The cute nickname Ellie also outranked Eleanor and Elizabeth as first names.
Fell revealed that the trend towards shortening baby names has been growing for the past few years but has seen a more recent boom. Millennials, for one, who grew up with names like Sarah and Jessica, now revel in the distinctiveness of shorter baby names for their wee ones.
Going for nicknames can also be a way to stand out from the crowd. Nicknames as trending baby names are so because of the current focus of society on self-expression and individuality. Social researcher Kimberley Linco cited "the abundance of encouragement towards individualism and being true to yourself" as one of the largest factors of choosing a child's name that reflects such.
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Parents: No Point Switching Between Short and Long Names
33-year-old mom Melissa Patsuris explained why she named her daughter Indie, "not Indiana, not Indigo. We simply loved the name and knew it would be shortened straight up." The millennial mom observed that it did not make sense to choose the longer names when calling the child their nickname anyway. "I always wished my parents would have named me Tina instead of Christina. I have always gone by that name," reasoned the mom who chose a nickname for her child's first name.
39-year-old mom Grace Fastuca shared the same point of view. "We preferred the name that had the more chance our son would be called by," said the mom who chose Leo over the full first name of Leonardo. But the mom shared the downside of choosing a shorter first name, "We get odd looks when we say no, his full name is not Leonardo, as if it should be."
Celebrities Choose Nicknames Over Long First Names
"My mother always called me Dani, not Daniella, even when I got into trouble," said 31-year-old mom Daniella Foster. She now named her son Eli instead of Elijah, which brings to mind Eli — Chris Ivery and Ellen Pompeo's son.
Trending celebrity baby names include nicknames as first names, too. Keira Knightley abbreviated her child's name too; it is simply Edie. Drew Barrymore opted for Frankie, too, instead of Frances or Francesca. Bob Marley chose the baby name Ziggy, and Ashlee Simpson followed suit. Even the royals opted for a short name, like Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's son Archie, instead of Archibald.
Nickname as First Name Trending Baby Names
"Nickname as first name" trend is here to stay, Bounty revealed. They revealed the top 10 trending nicknames as first names for boys and girls. Think: Dex, not Dexter, Abe, instead of Abraham, and Bertie rather than Albert. The top nicknames as first names for baby girls are Bea, Izzy, Nell, and Lottie.
