I'd go with Lottie. I know Dr Katie who never uses Kathryn an Dr Mandy who is NOT Amanda really. People either like their name or they don't and giving a child a name but never using it seems a bit of a waste of time to me. I use DS's full name - all six syllables (yes, those include his middle names) a lot, and not when I'm cross with him either! I love DH's name, but everyone else (including DH when not at work) uses a nickname. Not always DH's chosen one either (my grandad comes up with some corkers for him!). If you want the short name, use it.

Like the name Ellie. We liked that name. But DH wanted a "for long" name. He hated all the "for long" names I could find. Ellie was no longer girl's name #1 on the list. OK so Ellie Zaidie would have sounded a bit daft, one reason I wanted a "for long" too, but DH hated them all even if he was never going to say the name himself!