Naming a Boy PJ?

Updated on April 23, 2013
K.B. asks from Concord, NH
29 answers

We are expecting our newest addition in early July. If it is a boy, my husband wants to name him, Payton James, but call him PJ. I think that it is cute, but I was just wondering, is it ok to give a baby a nickname that they might use for their whole life?

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Thanks for the input! I really appreciate it!

Featured Answers

T.F.

answers from Dallas on

I know an older lady named PJ and when she introduced herself, my first thought was pajamas.

This past basketball season at daughter's high school, the boys team had an AJ, CJ, DJ who were all starters.

I also know a girl and a boy BJ..... "snicker"

4 moms found this helpful

C.M.

answers from Washington DC on

I'm not too fond of it honestly. It reminds me of pajamas and other kids might make fun of that. I do like the name Payton James, but I just wouldn't call him PJ

2 moms found this helpful

S.G.

answers from Grand Forks on

It's cute, and he can always decide he prefers to be called Payton. I know a PJ who is Patrick James, and a couple of JP's, Jean Pierre and Jacob Peter. I also know a girl called MJ and a men called DJ and LJ.

2 moms found this helpful

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H.L.

answers from Houston on

If you introduced your baby to me as "PJ", I would likely call him "Pajamas".

I think that nicknames should be determined once the kid is here and you have looked into his eyes. This is coming from a family where we don't do nicknames. We name the babies what we want to call them. There is the occasional pet name, but it's never predetermined.

I know a grown man who is "PJ", and it seems to suit him fine.

3 moms found this helpful
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M.W.

answers from San Francisco on

I personally don't like PJ

But I LOVE,LOVE,LOVE the name Payton James.

Sorry to burst your bubble...but you asked.

Congratulations on your upcoming bundle of joy!!

3 moms found this helpful
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A.G.

answers from Houston on

Don't do initials!

My brother had initials for his name. He's in his 30s and he still has to explain his name. All his school and doctor files and anything legal he had to sign his first name, never his initials, and it got frustrating for him and my parents. It still is because its extra effort for him or my parents to give his nickname on any forms, but then have to turn around and have to write his real name anyway. My mom said it was too much work and she always wishes they named/called him something else.

Good luck whatever you decide.

3 moms found this helpful

L.A.

answers from Austin on

I adore the name Payton.. I would totally go with his real name.

Maybe PJ can be Blanket Jackson's friend?

Go with your heart and Brain. Who cares what anyone else thinks?

3 moms found this helpful
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M.S.

answers from Seattle on

I say go for it, and that if you have a son, he will change it if and when he's ready and if he wants to.

I have a friend who named her son Phillip John. When he was little everyone called him PJ. About the time he hit 3rd grade he decided he wanted to be called Phillip. His reasoning? PJ sounded too "little boy" and he was "a big kid at school now". We chuckled quietly to ourselves but respected his decision. Phillip is now in high school, and I must say, the name fits him!

2 moms found this helpful
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L.R.

answers from Washington DC on

My gut reaction was "pajamas." I've always heard them called PJs. Sorry but he might get teased about that at some point. Now, that's not a reason NOT to call him PJ, of course; there is a well-known writer called PJ O'Rourke.

Just something to think about!

2 moms found this helpful
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K.P.

answers from Miami on

I sure hope so because our John David has been "JD" since he popped out!

Actually... when he started Pre-K, he had to start using "John" because he needs to know how to spell and recognize his "real name", but for the first month of school the teacher would say "John" and he would just go on playing because he didn't know she was talking to him!!

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A.B.

answers from Pittsburgh on

There is nothing wrong with that. My nickname from day one has be AJ, and still going but it 31 years later. All my friends and family call me that but of course when it comes to bills or anything professional I go by my real name A.. It takes me awhile to actually answer when someone who doesnt know me says it but the choice has and still is there when it comes to what I go by.
As for in school the teachers of course will call by the given name but by week 2 they called me AJ. The kids in class would usually correct the teacher for me :)

As others have said there is no problem with it.

2 moms found this helpful
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S.E.

answers from Wichita Falls on

My grandpa was a PJ. Never heard a single snicker or joke about it.

I wouldn't worry about the nickname for life thing though. My brother went from Bobby to Bob to Robert over the course of growing up. He'll either grow in to PJ or out of it.

2 moms found this helpful
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M.O.

answers from New York on

PJ is cute. It's darling on a baby / little boy. There are some men who can pull a nickname like that off all their lives and some who can't, but he'll have an option to switch to his full name if he wants.

In other words, absolutely fine.

2 moms found this helpful
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M.L.

answers from Colorado Springs on

Your son (assuming you have a son) will be the one to decide, eventually, what he wants to be called! If he likes PJ, he'll call himself PJ. Or he may decide on Payton, or James, or Jimmy, or something else. Writer C.S. Lewis, as a boy, insisted that his family and friends call him Jack because he didn't like his real name, Clive.

I know a man who calls himself EJ. That's because he was *literally* named EJ. He's a successful and respected man, and if any eyebrows are raised at what he calls himself, it's only because "EJ" doesn't stand for anything else.

2 moms found this helpful

M.J.

answers from Milwaukee on

My sons initials are PJ but no one calls him PJ. He is 9 so it could happen in high school. I think you can call your kid anything you want :)

2 moms found this helpful
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J.K.

answers from Wausau on

Go for it. If he doesn't like it when he is older, he will tell you so and stop using it.

You may find yourself not even using it. My kids nicknames have changed over time and are ridiculous with no connection to their actual names or initials. :-D

2 moms found this helpful
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S.L.

answers from Dallas on

We have no issue with it. We named our son Alexander James, but pretty much called him AJ from birth. He is now 4 and loves his name. I have tried calling him Alexander or Alex and he tells me "No Mommy, I'm AJ!" lol

1 mom found this helpful
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C.R.

answers from Kansas City on

I went to school with a guy that went by PJ. I do not recall him being teased about his name at all, in fact he was one of the more popular kids because he was nice to everyone! I think it is fine to use the nickname PJ, and if he wants he can always ask to be called his first name when he is older. There is no rule that he has to go by PJ his entire life. I think you should do it.

1 mom found this helpful
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C.N.

answers from Baton Rouge on

Most people give their babies nicknames of some sort. Whether or not the child uses the name their whole life is entirely up to the child.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.T.

answers from New York on

There are plenty of adult PJ's! Even one or two famous ones!

1 mom found this helpful
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B.B.

answers from San Antonio on

I don't think it is a problem. My best friends name is Donald John (first name is a family name), and he has been called DJ since he was born. He still goes by DJ 35 years later.

On the flip side of that, my son's name is Jackson, but we called him J from the day he was born. Two years ago he came home from pre-school on his second day there, and when we asked him a question where we said his name, he replied "My name is not J, it's Jackson". I'm sure the teachers called him by his given name, and since then he has been Jackson. As your son gets older, he may choose to go by his given name, or the nickname, or something else.

Good luck and God Bless your family and new addition!

1 mom found this helpful
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❤.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

I like PJ as long as his initials actually stand for names.
I like Payton James. I'm sure you can call him this nickname as a baby.
If he decides he doesn't like it, he can tell ppl he doesn't want to be called that.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.C.

answers from Washington DC on

Of course it's okay!
I had several classmates in HS that went by PJ.

My own daughter was given a nickname by our sitter that has become the family name for her. Some people only know her by her nickname.

1 mom found this helpful
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C.J.

answers from Dallas on

cute name, nice nickname, too. Totally ok to give a nick name that they use. My husband's family called his sisters by their middle names forever until the oldest one said she wanted to go by her first name in 2nd grade and so she has been called ever since. :)

1 mom found this helpful
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K.G.

answers from San Diego on

I think it's cute. I think it works for childhood years and for the adult years and I really like the actual name Payton James too.

1 mom found this helpful

X.O.

answers from Chicago on

Sounds good to me! I have an older cousin who is named Paula Jean, and we still call her PJ. She's in her mid-40s now.

My kids all have names that COULD be abbreviated to:
MJ
JJ
AJ
and if our next baby's a girl, she'll be an EJ

1 mom found this helpful
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S.K.

answers from Bangor on

As a teacher for over 30 years, I would like to comment that I always joke about kids with only initials. This is partly the truth, and part tongue-in-cheek. In a joking way, I say that the "initial kids" are usually more disruptive and class clowns because they have no real name, only initials, or that because they only have initials, people say, "Oh, TJ, PJ, JR, CJ, JT, etc., you're so cute." So now they've gotten more attention, and thus become what I call "attention seekers." In a more serious way, in all these years of teaching, I've had only about 5 out of 30 students with initials who were not the "wild" children, so that's where the idea came from. It's also very difficult to deal with made-up spellings of names. While I am all for individualization, don't stick a child with a name that's so unusual, and then also hard to spell. The nickname, if used, should also have a strong full name that can be used as they become adults. Naming a child is a big decision, but of course, if they hate their names, they can always change then themselves later!

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J.C.

answers from New York on

PJ was what we were going to call a boy (Peter Justin) but we had a girl.

I think it's cute. I don't like BJ though. Too much to make fun of.

Nothing wrong with an adult PJ.

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M.P.

answers from Portland on

I saw a name in writing on a legal document that read Pink P. J. Holder. Holder was the last name, P. J. his/her given name and Pink their nickname or so it seemed. I didn't know the person. Just think it's interesting and goes to show that any name can happen.

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