What's in a nickname?

I love my children, and I love the names Shane and I carefully and lovingly picked out for our children. Each my children's names was picked after much thought, consideration, and vetoing. What do I mean by vetoing? Both Shane and I hold the power to veto name suggestions the other parent makes, because sometimes, there is such a thing as a bad idea.  Although, I am pretty sure Shane has vetoed way more of my ideas than I have. If anyone needs ideas for baby names, I have quite the collection of names I love and Shane hates. Maybe he's just picky. Maybe I just have weird taste in names. Who knows, Okay, I know. I fall in love with some pretty weird names, sometimes.

We found it was easiest to stick to a formula for names. First name: Biblical. Middle name: Family name (from either side is acceptable). Last name: Milne (obviously). After all this hard work to pick out the perfect name for each of our children, do you think we ever actually call them by these names we worked so hard to create? Of course we don't!

Our family is full of nicknames. It came pretty naturally to both Shane and I call our kids by cute or silly nicknames, because both our parents did the same with us. I am still rarely called "Chyan" by my parents. Because Chyan is pronounced "shy-ann", most of my nicknames start with the "sh" sound. I will respond to many names: Shiney, Shiney-Shoes, Shinerella (my mom called me that when she wanted me to do chores), Shy-Shy (my little sister called me this, and it stuck), Shiner, Toots (my dad calls all three of his daughters Toots, so it can get confusing), and She-ann (my brother used to call me this when he was mad at me, now everyone uses it). This is not an exhaustive list, but you get the idea.

Anyway, when Shane and I had babies, it seemed natural for us to start calling them by silly nicknames. Every child responds to a variety of names. It's pretty awesome Here are some favorites

Jude-Jude

Gidster

Abs (or Absmatazz, or Abs of Steel)

Judetastic-bombastic

Giddy-up

Abby-dooby-doo

Schmuchacho (it started out a Muchacho, but Jude and Giddy are both so smooshy! It's a hybrid)

Applegail (This is how Jude first pronounced Abigail's name)

The list really could go on and on. Now that I'm looking at some of these names, I am realizing it would probably be faster to just call them by their full birth names. It's a wonder my kids know their real names at all. Oh well, nicknames are fun!


Anyone out there have a really bizarre nickname?

Chyan