Nick Names

I read the boys a book at bedtime called My Name Is Elizabeth, by Annika Dunklee and Matthew Forsythe.

It's a very cute book about a little girl who likes going by Elizabeth, not Lizzie, not Beth, not anything else.

As a Kathleen who actually goes by Kathleen in a world of Kathleens who go by Kathy, I can understand this, and I would like to remain sensitive to my boys, who may have preferences themselves. Which led to the following conversation after the book.

Me: You all have names that can be shortened. You could be called all sorts of different things. Like, Nicholas could be Nick, or Nicky... What do you like?

Nick: Nick.

Me: And Nathan could be Nate or... (pause as I try to think of another nickname for Nathan...) Nato-Potato... What do you like, Nathan?

Nate: I like Nate.

Me: OK, that's good to know. And how about Andy? Your name is Andrew, so we could call you that, or we could call you Andy, or we could even call you Drew. Sometimes people named Andrew go by Drew. What do you think? What do you like to be called?

Andy (taking his time, looking thoughtful): Ummmmm...  I think I like... Andy Potato.

And this is how nicknames are born.

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