A Steph by Any Other Name...

Annie

English, diminutive of Ann

"grace"

Annie is one of the most open and optimistic, the-sun'll-come-out-tomorrow type of name, having been celebrated over the years in song (Annie Laurie), comic strip (Little Orphan Annie), folklore…

Stevie

Short form of Stephanie, Greek

"garland, crown"

Stevie survives as a short form of Stephanie thanks to the immortal Ms. Nicks. After a little more than a decade out of the limelight, she rejoined the US Top 1000 in 2014. It is now leading the…

Evie

Diminutive of Eve or Eva, English or Latin

"life"

Evie was derived from the English Eve or the Latin Eva, which in turn come from Chawwah, a Hebrew name related to the concept of life. Evie can be used as a nickname for any name that starts with…

Stephanie

Feminine variation of Stephen, Greek

"garland, crown"

Stephanie is the feminine form of Stephen, derived from the Greek name Stephanos, associated with crowns and garlands It's been the name of several royal women throughout history, including the…

Fawn

Nature name

"a young deer"

The doe-eyed Fawn is as gentle and soft as the baby deer it represents. And much like that baby deer, it carries with it the potential of new life. Fawn was featured at the bottom of the Top 1000…

Sade

Finnish, Nigerian and Yoruba, diminutive of Folashade

"rain; honor bestows a crown"

The one-named singer clarified the confusing pronunciation on this one (in her case, it's shah-DAY), but a number of parents have looked for more phonetic spellings. The Finnish version means "rain."

Essie

English diminutive of Esther, Persian, or Estelle, French

"star"

Cute short form of Esther, now associated with the iconic nail polish brand.

Tenley

English

"burnt clearing"

This name is currently best known on The Bachelorette 's Tenley Molzahn. In the 1950s, it was attached to the Olympic figure skating champion Tenley Albright, and Jessica Biel played a Tenley in the…

Eppie

Eppie is a feminine name traditionally used as a diminutive of Euphemia, a Greek name meaning 'well-spoken' or 'words of good omen.' It gained literary recognition through George Eliot's novel 'Silas…

Effie

English diminutive of Euphemia, Greek

"pleasant speech"

Effie is the old-fashioned short form for Euphemia. It shares a vintage charm with Hattie and Letty although is much rarer than either. Effie is a character in The Hunger Games and Sisterhood of the…

Fanny

Diminutive of Frances, English from Latin

"from France; free man"

As this word is less often used to mean derriere, it becomes more possible to view Fanny as the kind of appealingly quaint nickname name, like Josie and Nellie, that many parents are favoring now.

Ettie

English diminutive or names ending with 'etta' or 'ette'

"little"

Ettie or Etty works as a nickname for any name with a prominent "et" sound, usually at the end: think Henrietta, Juliette or Colette. The -ette ending is a French diminutive suffix.

Steffi

Steffi is a charming diminutive of Stephanie, which derives from the Greek 'Stephanos' meaning 'crown' or 'garland.' This friendly, approachable nickname has gained independent usage as a given name,…

Panya

African, Swahili; or, Russian, diminutive of Stephania

"mouse, tiny one; or, crowned one"

Panya is a multicultural possibility with a sound that's pleasing to the English-speaking ear, though the Swahili translation, which might also be "rat," makes it less than savory as an African name.

Steph

Steph is primarily used as a feminine name, functioning as a shortened form of Stephanie, which derives from the Greek name Stephanos meaning "crown" or "garland." This concise nickname has grown to…

Fania

Anglicization of Irish Fainne

"ring"

Fania would make an interesting choice for a child of Irish Russian heritage, being a Celtic name with a Russian Tania-like feel.

Fanya

Slavic and Russian diminutive of Frances

"from France; free man"

Fanya might make an international and unusual short form for the classic Frances, or could stand as a full name on its own. Definitely classier than Tanya but with the same Eastern European flavor.