Honest opinion on siblings named Joey and John (Johnny)

[Anonymous]

DCUM, I don't even care if I am outing myself, I just need advice! I have a son Joey, his brother is going to be born in a few weeks and the only name we can agree on is John which will likely be nicknamed Johnny. How terrible is it to have 2 kids, Joey and Johnny? I am afraid it will look like we are trying to be cutesy and matchy-matchy when the reality is, I'm mortified that anyone would think that when they see my kids names.

Husband says "how often are you going to say their names together like that anyways, who cares" and I'm hoping he has a point? Any advice? Should I just assume I'm being hormonal and name the kid John, or are my fears correct?

[Anonymous]

I knew a family with a Joey, Jimmy, and Johnny, and then they had a fourth boy. His name was something like Daniel. I always thought he must feel left out!

But I think it's fine. I assume they'll have formal names that sound a little more different (e.g. Joseph and John). Both are such great names!

[Anonymous]

Why the need to add the -y? No need to cutify things. Sound ok for a little kid but not a nickname for older kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why the need to add the -y? No need to cutify things. Sound ok for a little kid but not a nickname for older kids.

Presumably the kid will be little when he's born. That's a pretty common situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I knew a family with a Joey, Jimmy, and Johnny, and then they had a fourth boy. His name was something like Daniel. I always thought he must feel left out!

But I think it's fine. I assume they'll have formal names that sound a little more different (e.g. Joseph and John). Both are such great names!

Thank you! Yes, they will officially be Joseph and John. I just keep imagining the Duggars when I say "Joey and Johnny" in my head... but I'm hoping it's just pregnancy anxiety nonsense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why the need to add the -y? No need to cutify things. Sound ok for a little kid but not a nickname for older kids.

Well yes, I'm assuming my son will want to go by Joe or Joseph at a certain age (although I actually know an adult who goes by Joey so who knows). And if the second one is John, I'm assuming he will wish to outgrow the nickname Johnny at a certain age too. But I just find it natural to nickname little kids and I just know we'll call him Johnny until at least age 5-6 or so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I knew a family with a Joey, Jimmy, and Johnny, and then they had a fourth boy. His name was something like Daniel. I always thought he must feel left out!

But I think it's fine. I assume they'll have formal names that sound a little more different (e.g. Joseph and John). Both are such great names!

Thank you! Yes, they will officially be Joseph and John. I just keep imagining the Duggars when I say "Joey and Johnny" in my head... but I'm hoping it's just pregnancy anxiety nonsense.

If you are expecting to have 19 more kids, then I'd reconsider going down the "J name road" because that's how you run out of names and are so sleep deprived you pick "Jinger".

But assuming that you are planning to have a one digit family, then I think you're fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why the need to add the -y? No need to cutify things. Sound ok for a little kid but not a nickname for older kids.

Presumably the kid will be little when he's born. That's a pretty common situation.

But nicknames stick for a while. I still remember a teacher in high school telling a kid it was time to go by rob not robbie? if she did that these days she’d be crucified.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why the need to add the -y? No need to cutify things. Sound ok for a little kid but not a nickname for older kids.

Presumably the kid will be little when he's born. That's a pretty common situation.

But nicknames stick for a while. I still remember a teacher in high school telling a kid it was time to go by rob not robbie? if she did that these days she’d be crucified.

I think it's rude no matter what decade this was said to a kid/teen/adult! Can you imagine a teacher telling Abby that it was time to start going by Abigail because she wasn't a baby anymore? I mean of all the things that are none of a teacher's business, a kid's name is pretty high on that list.

[Anonymous]

I have two brothers Joe and John. We called them Joey and Johnny when they were little.

[Anonymous]

Neither is an uncommon name, and they get paired often enough in families. If you don't like how matchy they sound, what about Jack as a nickname for John instead?

[Anonymous]

Yes, totally fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why the need to add the -y? No need to cutify things. Sound ok for a little kid but not a nickname for older kids.

Presumably the kid will be little when he's born. That's a pretty common situation.

But nicknames stick for a while. I still remember a teacher in high school telling a kid it was time to go by rob not robbie? if she did that these days she’d be crucified.

I’m pushing 60, and I still can’t rid of my cutesy childhood nickname that ends with an “i”.

[Anonymous]

Totally fine.

But if you're looking for an alternative "nickname" for John, I've known a lot who went by "Jon Jon" growing up.

[Anonymous]

I have a John but NEVER called him Johnny. Jack can be an alternative (but please no Jackie).