How to spell nickname?

[Anonymous]

When DD was about 1.5 she started calling herself ZaZa ("Zah-Zah"). Nearly everyone calls her this now and she asks people to call her it as well. She likes her real name, which does have "za" in it, but Zaza is what she wants. It really fits her personality, which is spunky and a bit wild, so I think that's why it has stuck so much. I figure when she's older she won't want it, but she does now.

She is starting a new school in the fall and wants to use it from the start and asked me how to spell it. DH and I have always texted each other ZZ when referring to her. I think writing it out always looks strange. So how would you spell her nickname?

Zaza?
ZsaZsa? (like the actress)

[Anonymous]

Zaza or ZaZa, not Zsa Zsa.

[Anonymous]

Zaza

ZsaZsa was pronounced differently (Zha-zha), is more complicated for a kid to spell, and carries associations with the actress which your DD doesn’t need. Just keep it simple for her and for those who interact with her and will appreciate something straightforward (although you may be surprised how they try and complicate it).

[Anonymous]

Zaza

[Anonymous]

Another vote for Zaza

[Anonymous]

ZaZa

If I saw Zaza, I'd not be sure if it should be pronounced Zah-Zah or Zay-zuh. The capitalization is subtle, but indicates to me that both syllables should have the same pronunciation with equal emphasis.

[Anonymous]

Zaza

[Anonymous]

So it's not pronounced like the actress?

How does she spell her actual name, or can you give us just the syllable? Is the end of her name -za

All signs point to ZaZa.

[Anonymous]

Ask your kid

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Zaza or ZaZa, not Zsa Zsa.

+1 Zsa Zsa is pronounced differently and will confuse other kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ask your kid

OP here- she asked me!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So it's not pronounced like the actress?

How does she spell her actual name, or can you give us just the syllable? Is the end of her name -za

All signs point to ZaZa.

OP here. It's a pretty common name like Zelda, Izabella, Elizabeth, Suzanna. She was named after a great grandma who has the same name.

I'm not great with phonetic spelling, but it's like Zaaah,Zaaah. I think the person above who said that both Z's should be capitalized is correct. It's not zuhzuh, which is how I think Zaza would be pronounced.

[Anonymous]

Zaza is what I would use.

I have a kid that self-named himself Cha-Cha, but we never write it out. This has not been an issue in kinder and 1st grade. He knows to answer to “Charles” when he has appointments or there is an adult with a list taking roll. He uses “Charlie” for his desk, cubby, school papers, name labels, etc. He answers to “Cha Cha” or “Chachi” and that’s how most teachers and peers address him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Zaza is what I would use.

I have a kid that self-named himself Cha-Cha, but we never write it out. This has not been an issue in kinder and 1st grade. He knows to answer to “Charles” when he has appointments or there is an adult with a list taking roll. He uses “Charlie” for his desk, cubby, school papers, name labels, etc. He answers to “Cha Cha” or “Chachi” and that’s how most teachers and peers address him.

I love that! Especially Chachi. I can see guy friends calling him that in college.

[Anonymous]

Make sure she does know her legal name as well! My son has a nickname that he goes by 99% of the time, but they used his legal name at the beginning of school. Now he sort of goes back and forth using both but there was a little bit of “who are you talking to? Me?” At the beginning of kindergarten.

For what it’s worth, I’d say Zaza. Super cute!