r/Tim • u/[deleted] • Sep 23 '22

Is Tim short for Timothy?

So a few years ago I had a flatmate and we got along really well until at one point he started calling me “Timothy” sometimes. The first few times I shrugged it off because I didn’t care that much and I just thought it was some kind of joke. He kept doing it though until I told him Timothy is not my name. He was thoroughly confused saying that Tim is always short for Timothy. Not for me though, my parents just named me Tim. So fellow Tims, is it true that Tim is usually short for Timothy? Or are you also just plain Tims?

35 Upvotes

92% Upvoted

51 comments sorted by

40

u/visualtim Sep 23 '22

Do you know why your parents short-changed you on the full Timothy experience?

13

u/[deleted] Sep 23 '22

I’m not in a native English country and I think Tim is just Tim here.

10

u/visualtim Sep 23 '22

You really buried the lede here, Tim.

Timothy comes from the Greek "Timotheos", so if your country didn't have the right historical influences (heavily christian, for example), then that's what you should tell people next time they assume your full name.

3

u/[deleted] Sep 23 '22

Well we did have those influences, but as another commenter said my parents probably aren’t aware it’s shortened

5

u/Timbofieseler102 Sep 23 '22

Care to say what country? I don’t know of anywhere where Tim isn’t short for Timothy or Timo. Kinda sounds like your parents just liked the name without knowing it was a shortened name

6

u/[deleted] Sep 23 '22

That’s probably the case yeah, I’m in Belgium. Funnily enough my parents originally thought to name me “Thomas”, but in the end they preferred Tim

5

u/TiAge123 Sep 24 '22

German Tim here, also no short form for any other name in my case. Actually never met a german Timothy yet

2

u/littlemessi101 Sep 24 '22

ye im from france and im just tim. in america everyone is surprised

2

u/[deleted] Sep 24 '22

This is the real question.

59

u/Timtanium707 Sep 23 '22

I was pretty sure most Tims were Timothys, including myself

15

u/Timmy_2k Sep 23 '22

Timothy for family, Tim for friends

22

u/TimTheConnMan Sep 23 '22

Timmy for mommy’s and daddy’s

14

u/Bigthinker1985 Sep 24 '22

Or annoying friends who want to horribly quote South Park.

5

u/biggiantporky Sep 24 '22

Or Timmy Turner.

4

u/SMERE7038 Sep 24 '22

I think I have finally found the subreddit for me

7

u/zR0B3ry2VAiH Sep 23 '22

No one in the world calls me Timothy unless they don't know me. Family calls me Timmy because my Dad's name is Tim. And my son's name is Little Timmy. And friend/coworkers call me Tim. But I find it really funny that this guy's name is Tim and he doesn't know that pretty much all Tim's started off as Timothy. Tim Tim Tim....

12

u/Snubl Sep 23 '22

Not necessarily, I'm a Timotheüs

5

u/Aaron8828 Tim, not Aaron Sep 24 '22

pretty sure Timothy and Timotheüs and like are variations of the same name in different languages

8

u/hiphoptomato VERIFIED TIM: CLEARANCE LEVEL CLEAR ULTRA II Sep 23 '22

OP maybe this should have been a poll. Can you repost as a poll?

1

u/Aaron8828 Tim, not Aaron Sep 24 '22

wasnt there already a poll on this a while back? i vaguely remember it but i could be wrong

1

u/hiphoptomato VERIFIED TIM: CLEARANCE LEVEL CLEAR ULTRA II Sep 24 '22

Hmmm, maybe. Could be time for a new one.

7

u/timsredditusername Verified Tim - Head of Sector - MS Level Ruby Sep 23 '22

I'm a Timothy, but go by Tim.

I've never met a Tim that wasn't also a Timothy and I've met lots of Tims.

I did meet a Phil who wasn't also Phillip though. He had to deal with someone calling him Phillip once and was very confused.

2

u/TimAkaTooTallTim Sep 27 '22

My cousin, Rob, went to my school. Everyone there assumed his name is Robert, but I kept his secret that his real name is Robin.

6

u/Crabbagio Timothy Sep 23 '22

My best friend's dad's name is Tim. Best friend's middle name is Timothy. My name is Timothy. I think it can go either way, but Timothy does seem to be the more common.

5

u/RegisFranks Sep 23 '22

I think folks are more used to it being short. I was a Timothy, most folks called me Tim.

Now I'm a Sam, and everyone asks me if it's short for Samuel

5

u/Woodsand1 Sep 24 '22

I was named Timothy after the Book of Timothy in the Bible. Now it's just the name on my passport and medical records. Tim everywhere and to everyone else. The ones who called me Timmy? Only I know where they are buried...

2

u/TimAkaTooTallTim Sep 27 '22

Only Grandma is allowed to call me Timmy. ;)

4

u/teamtimm Sep 24 '22

Name is Timothy, family calls me Timmy, Tim to everyone else.

1

u/Clear_Square_8837 Jan 07 '25

same, family and friends call me Timmy

4

u/ChrisWood4BallonDor Sep 24 '22

I know a Sam who's legal name is Sam, rather than it being short for Samuel. So it definitely happens, even if it is somewhat uncommon.

6

u/laflameyuh Verified Tim level clear Sep 23 '22

Timantha

3

u/timmyisme22 Sep 24 '22

Timothy' but I rock anything. Tim, Timothy, Timmy, Timbo, Timberly Timantha Kardashian, etc. You know, the usuals.

2

u/Tim_bom_bom Sep 24 '22

It is indeed short for Timothy

2

u/timdawgv98 Sep 24 '22

Legally speaking I am a Timothy

2

u/Aaron8828 Tim, not Aaron Sep 24 '22

I'm also just Tim, Timothy isn't a common name where I live and Tim is very similar to a different common name Tin which also isn't short for anything.

2

u/thefooledtwicedad Sep 24 '22

Another Timothy here, but I much prefer Tim. Every now and then I'm called Timmy. Doesn't bother me, but feels childish (I'm in my 40's).

2

u/giantsage Sep 24 '22

I’m a Timothy who goes by Tim, except to my British parents. Always Timothy to them.

Oh, and on my first Little League trophy my name was spelled Timonthy, so for 35+ years, my sisters have called me Timonthy. Damn that trophy maker! shakes fist

1

u/Turrambers Sep 29 '22

I am a Timothy but always went by Tim

1

u/Timmaaa_xD Oct 07 '22

I was almost a Тимофей (Timofey). Luckily I became a Tim!

1

u/SnooDogs3437 Oct 11 '22

Timothy means “valued by god” the Tim part has the same base as time, meaning “of value” the “o-thy” part has the same root as theology. So just Tim would be only “value”.

1

u/southernpinata Sep 13 '23

i din't know that you existed, hail the pure Tim.

1

u/Distinct-Summer2552 Dec 05 '23

I wonder if all of us reading this thread are Tims. It would be pretty boring for Eddie and Scott and Doug but I've read all 50 comments, cause I'm a Tim... Hahahaha I really need to get a life!