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So Much for First Syllable Nicknames

We all know these names but maybe with a different set of nicknames. Think beyond Liz, Chris, and Ben!
  1. BethHeart
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Elizabeth
    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"
    • Description:

      The sweetest and most sensitive of the pet names for Elizabeth, now also one of the most dated.
  2. ColeHeart
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "swarthy, coal black"
    • Description:

      Cole -- a short name that embodies a lot of richness and depth -- has long been associated with the great songwriter Cole Porter. It's quite popular in Scotland.
  3. GinnyHeart
    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Virginia, American place-name and Latin
    • Meaning:

      "virginal"
    • Description:

      Ginny was more common before Jenny and its myriad variants came along.
  4. GretaHeart
    • Origin:

      German, diminutive of Margarethe
    • Meaning:

      "pearl"
    • Description:

      Greta is an Old World name long tied to the iconic Garbo. Along with other Old Hollywood glamour names, Greta seems to be showing slight signs of a comeback; it was chosen by David Caruso and by Phoebe Cates and Kevin Kline for their daughters.
  5. LiamHeart
    • Origin:

      Irish short form of William
    • Meaning:

      "resolute protection"
    • Description:

      Liam is the top boys' name in the US, holding the Number 1 spot for the past five years and also ranking as one of the most popular boys' names around the western world.
  6. MillyHeart
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Millie or short form of Camilla, Millicent, Mildred etc.
    • Description:

      Milly and her more popular sister Millie are adorable Old Lady nickname-names springing back to life. Nearly 100 baby girls were named Milly, just Milly, last year, and Millie is in the US Top 500. Milly is the Molly of the new generation.
  7. NickHeart
    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Nicholas and Dominick
    • Description:

      The classic strong-yet-friendly nickname name, much used for charming movie characters.
  8. NoraHeart
    • Origin:

      Irish, diminutive of Honora, or Greek
    • Meaning:

      "light"
    • Description:

      Nora is a lovely, refined name that conjures up images of Belle Epoch ladies in fur-trimmed coats skating in Central Park. Long seen as a quintessentially Irish name, Nora is a quietly stylish favorite tiptoeing up the popularity ladder.
  9. RickyHeart
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Richard or Frederick
    • Meaning:

      "dominant or peaceful ruler"
    • Description:

      Gone with Richard and Rick, Ricky has been falling since the turn of the 21st century. Probably still suffering from overuse in the 1990s.
  10. RonnieHeart
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "she who brings victory; true image"
    • Description:

      Androgynous nickname for Veronica, Rhonda or Rona.
  11. RoryHeart
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "red king"
    • Description:

      This spirited Gaelic classic, which became popular in Ireland via the illustrious twelfth century king Rory O'Connor, makes a highly energetic choice, now used for either sex. Rory's gender split is still trending boyward; it's one of the coolest boys' names starting with R.
  12. TillyHeart
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Matilda
    • Meaning:

      "battle-mighty"
    • Description:

      Tilly and twin Tillie are hot new nickname names, either short for the newly fashionable Matilda or standing all on their own.
  13. TopherHeart
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Christopher
    • Description:

      The new kid on the block in terms of Christopher short forms, it was introduced into the mix by actor Topher Grace, who didn't like Chris.
  14. ToriHeart
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Victoria or Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "victory; bird"
    • Description:

      A more modern nickname for Victoria than Vicky, Tori is used fairly frequently on its own, kept in the public eye by singer Tori Amos and actress Tori Spelling. Still, it's far from fashionable, sinking in the polls significantly since reaching a peak of Number 142 in 1994.
  15. XanderHeart
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Alexander, Greek
    • Meaning:

      "defending men"
    • Description:

      Xander is a diminutive of Alexander, the Latin variation of the Greek Alexandros. Its meaning, "defending men," is taken from the Greek roots aléxein, "to defend," and andros, "men." Zander, pronounced the same way, is an alternate spelling.