I personally am a little irritated by the nicknames that are totally different from the first names. My son has a friend with that situation, and it took me a while to figure out how to contact him for parties, play-dates, etc., because he was listed in the directory and class lists by his given name, which my son had never heard of. He kept insisting there was a boy named X in his class, and I was like, well, I have no idea who he is.

I imagine that people have similar problems with things like resumes, background checks, mail, airline tickets, etc. (Small similar example, which is that I know someone who uses a slightly different name for professional purposes. She had an airplane ticket bought for her for a conference by the sponsoring organization, and she wasn't able to board the plane because the ticket did not match the name on her driver's license.)

Clearly you can do whatever you want. But I think that the purpose of a name is to know what to call someone. And if you're not going to call them that, then why name them that?

Anonymous wrote:I don't think Neil is becoming popular with girls. I think it's just a few families. I think it's like Evan, or James, or Wesley or August. A solidly male name that a few people, for whatever reason, give to their daughters.

I think Neil is OK, and Nathaniel is fantastic, so i'd never use Neil as a nickname for Nathaniel, but I don't see any reason why you couldn't. However, I don't really follow your reasoning for not just naming him Neil.

+1. Also, I know someone who recently gave her daughter the middle name Howard. Not a family name just she said she liked the name Howard for a girl or boy.

I don't think Neil is becoming popular with girls. I think it's just a few families. I think it's like Evan, or James, or Wesley or August. A solidly male name that a few people, for whatever reason, give to their daughters.

I think Neil is OK, and Nathaniel is fantastic, so i'd never use Neil as a nickname for Nathaniel, but I don't see any reason why you couldn't. However, I don't really follow your reasoning for not just naming him Neil.

I don't like the name Neil but I agree w others that you can use whatever nickname you want. You could name him Gregory or Dennis or any other completely unrelated name and nn him Neil if you wanted. Also, i know a girl named Neely but not Neil.

Anonymous wrote:I've never heard of any girl called/named, Neil.

DD8 has a girl named Neil in her class at school.

Name your kid Neil. You’re going to confuse the heck out of everyone by using it as a “nickname” for a completely unrelated name.

Anonymous wrote:If Neil is what you're after, why complicate it? Neil is a good, solid name that is never overly popular.

This. And passes the Supreme Court justice test.

That said, if you are looking for opinions, I far prefer Nathaniel. And even more if it's spelled the old-fashioned way, Nathanael.

If Neil is what you're after, why complicate it? Neil is a good, solid name that is never overly popular.

My cousin is Nathaniel called Neil. My grandfather was Nathaniel called Nat.

Anonymous wrote:Another who has never heard of a girl named Neil. I've heard Nell, Natalie and Nettie, but not Neil.

Maybe OP is misreading Nell as Neil.

You CAN do whatever you want. And in this case, I don’t think there’s any harm in it at all!

Another who has never heard of a girl named Neil. I've heard Nell, Natalie and Nettie, but not Neil.

I much prefer Nate or Nathan to Neil.

I was curious, so I checked the SSA website, and Neil as a girl's name has never made the top 1000. I have never heard of a girl named Neil.

If you want to call your kid Neil, name him Neil.

Yea, that's real random.