Reader Lisa is pretty set on the name Joseph for her son—but is looking for something other than Joey as a nickname. Here’s the scoop:We are having a boy due early April and my husband is pretty set on naming him Joseph, after himself. I’m okay with that but I don’t like the nickname Joey and that’s what everyone is going to call him.
If I give him a middle name I like I could use that for a nickname. But then I run into the problem of people calling him by two different names, any suggestions on ways around that?
The name I like is Joseph Lincoln and call him Linc. Or we’re thinking of Michael, after my grandfather. But since Joey/Mikey are equivalent in my book, I would probably end up calling him Joe (not thrilled about that either).
Do you like Joseph Lincoln even though I will call him Linc? Or do you think a strong family name will have more importance to the family and my son, and should I suck it up and just name him Joseph Michael? Also, another curve ball, my grandfather’s nickname is Roman and my maiden name is Romanelli so we could also go with Joseph Roman.
I totally get wanting to pick your child’s nickname—we picked our daughters’ names and nicknames long before we met them. Your influence can play a part in what your child’s called, at least until he hits school. So if you and your husband both agree to call him Linc (or whatever name you pick), that’ll be what he’s called. Of course, once they hit school, all bets are off—as my aunt discovered, when the boy she insisted upon calling Matthew became Matt sometime in elementary school.
I really love the name Lincoln—it was picked by Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard for their daughter, but it’s much more popular for boys. And Linc is a super cute nickname.
Your son’s going to have a name with significance, since you’re naming him after his father. So don’t feel obligated to use Michael or Roman, unless it’s a name that floats your boat. Of the two family names, I like Roman best—and it also gives you another unique nickname option: your son’s initials. (JR, anyone?)
What do you think? Is Lincoln a great pick? What would you do in this situation?
If you’re still looking for a name for your child, you can e-mail me at lamilbrand@gmail.com, or start searching on Parents.com’s Baby Name Finder. Happy hunting! (And don’t forget to keep watching In Name Only for the latest in baby names!)
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