We all know how hard it can be to settle on the perfect name for your baby.
First of all, there are so many gorgeous names to choose from. Secondly, there is trying to find a name that is cute enough to give your adorable little baby, but that will also be grown-up enough to see them through college and land them their dream job in the future.
Is it any wonder name-picking can lead to all sorts of heated debates and full-out family fights?
But guys, how about this: Picking a name that, when spelled out in full, is perfectly grown up and classy, but that can, when they are little and cute (and can pull off having a cutesy name) be shortened into something sweet and snappy?
Here are our best picks:
Girls
1. Alexandra
Nickname: Lexie
Alexandra is a classy moniker that will never go out of fashion, and we are loving Lexie for short. Alex is of course another options for a shortened version for your little poppet.
2. Evelyn
Nickname: Eve
Beautiful both ways, we think.
3. Victoria
Nickname: Tori
Another absolute classic that have a couple of sweet options when it comes to making it short and snappy.
4. Isabella
Nickname: Bella
We love both of these. Bella, of course, meaning "beautiful" in Spanish.
5. Lilian
Nickname: Lily
Lily is of course a popular girls' name in its own right, but if you are looking for something slightly more serious, we think Lilian is a great first name.
6. Madeleine
Nickname: Maddie
Madeleine is a Swedish princess, for starters, which we think is a good enough reason to pick this name for your own little princess. And also; how cute is Maddie?!
7. Abigail
Nickname: Abi
Nice all around!
8. Matilda
Nickname: Tilly
We love this Australian classic, and think Tilly is too cute for words.
9. Genevieve
Nickname: Ginny
A seriously elegant choice in the full-length form, and also pretty darn cute as the shortened version.
10. Catherine
Nickname: Cat
Classic and simple.
Boys
1. Alexander
Nickname: Alex
Strong name for a grown man, while the short version actually works equally well for when they are both little and not so little anymore.
2. Alfred
Nickname: Alfie
How charming is Alfie?
3. Sebastian
Nickname: Seb
We love both versions of this name, to be honest.
4. Benjamin
Nickname: Ben
Another one that will work well for boys and men alike.
5. Edward
Nickname: Eddie
Edward? Slightly stuffy, but will no doubt look good on a a job application. Eddie? Scrumptious baby boy. Win-win.
6. Nicolas
Nickname: Nico
Nicolas is Greek and means "people of victory", meaning it is a name serious enough for a barrister or brain surgeon when your little man is all grown up. In the meantime; Nico is so cute and cool it will be the talk of your baby-group, dare we say.
7. Andreas
Nickname: Andy
Equally good either way.
8. Oliver
Nickname: Ollie
There is a reason Oliver keep topping the most popular lists for boys. This name is an all-out classic, and is equally fitting for a strapping man as it is a little boy.
9. Theodore
Nickname: Theo
We are obsessed with the name Theo, but if you are worried about it sounding too cutesy for a grown-up man, why not pick the more "adult" version of Theodore for his birth-cert.
10 Matteo
Nickname: Matt
We are loving boy names ending in 'o' and 'a' lately, and Matteo is no exception. For short, Matt is pretty sweet too!
Did YOU think about nicknames when naming your baby? Join in the conversation on Twitter with us at @Herfamilydotie and let us know!
