Is Max a proper name?

[Anonymous]

It is if you put it on his birth certificate.

I generally don't like nickname-y names as given names but in this case, I agree w/ you that I think Max sounds much better than Maximus, Maxim, Maxwell, Maximilian, or any of the other examples of names it could be short for given in this thread. I think it would be sillier/weirder for you to use a given name such as one of the above that you don't even like than to just use Max. If the point of having a more formal name is that he might use it when he is an adult, I don't think it applies in this case since all the long form versions of Max are so bad IMO, that most people wouldn't want to use them.

[Anonymous]

I think you should probably pick a different name. It seems you have come to a standstill on this one. Don't give your kid a long version of Max just because Max is not formal if you don't even like the long versions. Don't give your kid the name Max if your husband is not OK with this being his full name. Find a different name.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Max is a nickname. You can opt to give a child that as his given name, but historically, it is a nickname, not a given name.

As has been pointed out, the trend of naming kids just nicknames has become common. I'm of the school that short nicknames are good for common use, but that they shouldn't be used as given names. But then, I only really care about my family. What other families do is really up to them. I know a ton of kids that were given nicknames as their full given name and it doesn't really make a difference to me.

So in a way, both of you are right. Your husband is right that traditionally Max is a nickname and not a given name. You are right that many people do name their children using nicknames as the given name. What really matters is that you come to a compromise agreement of what you both want to do.

+1. Perfectly said.

+2. I don't think your husband is being "silly"-- he is entitled to his opinion without being belittled. (Not saying that you are belittling him, OP-- just some of the PPs who are completely dismissing his opinion.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Max is a nickname. You can opt to give a child that as his given name, but historically, it is a nickname, not a given name.

As has been pointed out, the trend of naming kids just nicknames has become common. I'm of the school that short nicknames are good for common use, but that they shouldn't be used as given names. But then, I only really care about my family. What other families do is really up to them. I know a ton of kids that were given nicknames as their full given name and it doesn't really make a difference to me.

So in a way, both of you are right. Your husband is right that traditionally Max is a nickname and not a given name. You are right that many people do name their children using nicknames as the given name. What really matters is that you come to a compromise agreement of what you both want to do.

"Historically," perhaps it's technically a "nickname," but I find that an odd sticking point b/c it evolved at least a century ago in to a stand alone name and can be a shorter version of a longer name. Just like Beth, Lisa, Eliza are variations on Elizabeth.
http://www.biography.com/people/groups/famous-named-max

It's not the same as naming a kid "Scout." Yes, that's a nickname and not a proper first name, but people can still name their kid this. With the "given name" rule or you Catholic by any chance? Are you adhering to some rule like it has to be a Saint's, e.g., "proper" name?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is a nickname. You can used it as a name, but it is a nickname. Here are some other names that could have Max as a nickname:

Maxton
Massimo
Maddox

Or a surname name like Maxford or Maxfield (like the artist Maxfield Parrish).

My husband was named after the artist- he really enjoys making people guess what Max is short for in regards to his name, cause no one guess Maxfield!

[Anonymous]

My grandpa was Max. His real name? Mac.

[Anonymous]

My probably elitist and judgmental assumption is that people who make their kids things like Jack, Kate, Ben, etc., without a full/proper name it back it up are lower SES and likely not as educated. I obviously know this is not true for many, but that is my initial assumption or prejudice. Just like how if I meet someone named Israel Abramowitz, I assume they are Jewish or of Jewish origin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My probably elitist and judgmental assumption is that people who make their kids things like Jack, Kate, Ben, etc., without a full/proper name it back it up are lower SES and likely not as educated. I obviously know this is not true for many, but that is my initial assumption or prejudice. Just like how if I meet someone named Israel Abramowitz, I assume they are Jewish or of Jewish origin.

+1

[Anonymous]

I love max!

You might consider that it is used as a pet name extremely often.

Fwiw, I think it's wrong and stupid of pet owners to take human names for their pets. You can name your pet anything in the world, and you choose the name I intended for my next child. Great.

See this info graphic for max: http://laughingsquid.com/an-amusing-new-york-city-map-showing-where-the-dogs-with-the-most-popular-names-in-2015-live/

[Anonymous]

I think it's fine as a proper name, in the same way that I think Sam would be.

I will say, noticing a lot of people appropriating Max or Maxwell as a girl's name lately. It might start swinging in that direction, who knows.

[Anonymous]

It's a proper name for a dog.

[Anonymous]

Fwiw, I think it's wrong and stupid of pet owners to take human names for their pets. You can name your pet anything in the world, and you choose the name I intended for my next child. Great.

Well, if my dog came first than it's your problem not mine! Seriously, what are we supposed to call dogs..Spot, Fido? Sometimes a name is just a name. Our dog is the same name as my daughter's best friend. When we both found out we said, "we have good tastes in names!"

[Anonymous]

Absolutely!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fwiw, I think it's wrong and stupid of pet owners to take human names for their pets. You can name your pet anything in the world, and you choose the name I intended for my next child. Great.

Well, if my dog came first than it's your problem not mine! Seriously, what are we supposed to call dogs..Spot, Fido? Sometimes a name is just a name. Our dog is the same name as my daughter's best friend. When we both found out we said, "we have good tastes in names!"

Keep telling yourself that.

[Anonymous]

I generally prefer formal names to nicknames. For example, while I love the nickname Will, I'd put William on the birth certificate.

But there are certain names that are, in my opinion totally legit names, and also happen to be used as nicknames for other names. In those cases, if I liked the shorter version, I'd use it. If I liked the longer version, I'd use that.

Examples for girls

Rose/Rosemary (or Rosalie, or other names)

Eve/Genevieve

Eva/Evangeline

Anna/Adrianna (or Annaliese any other name that ends or starts with Anna)



Examples for boys

Luke/Lucas

Mark/Marcus

Eli/Elijah

Leo/Leonardo

Max/Maximillian (and other Max names)