Names That Mean Short

With the strong, succinct sound of Reign, Rein, Rain, and Rayne, Rijn is a Dutch name, used as both a stand-alone name and as a nickname. While it may look unfamiliar to English eyes, names ending in -ijn are familiar in The Netherlands.
 
Rijn may be considered a short form of the popular Marijn, a Dutch variation of Marinus or Marius, meaning "of the sea" or "of Mars, warrior, male" from Latin. Alternatively, it may be an alternative spelling to the Germanic Rein, meaning "advice, counsel, decision". 
 
Additionally, Rijn has a nature and place connection: it is the Dutch name for the River Rhine.

Rijn

The Steen, Steena, and Stina nicknames for Christina are much more common in Scandinavia than in the English-speaking world, which prefers the Chris variations.

Steena

Raz, like many similar names, is used for both girls and boys in modern Israel. Simple, sleek, memorable.

Ada, yes.  Ida, maybe.  But Oda, a Scandinavian version of Odelia, not really. To English speakers, it sounds too much like "odor".

An alternative to Courtney — a favorite of the 70s, 80s, and 90s — Courtley has that same aristocratic air, paired with the on-trend -ley ending. The name could be interpreted as meaning "Curtenus's meadow" (Curtenus being personal name meaning "short"), though more figuratively "short meadow" or "short clearing" may be more evocative. 
 
Alternatively, it may be refer to a court or a manor house, giving it the meaning "meadow by the court", or it may be a play on the word "courtly", connoting respectable and polite behavior.

Courtley

Rare as a given name but used predominantly in Brazil, the Philippines, and Mexico when it is given, Celda is either a short form of Griselda (or Gricelda), a Germanic name with an Medieval feel, or a feminine spin on Celdon, a Spanish form of the English Sheldon. It coincides with the Spanish word for "cell", as in, a prison cell, or a small, individual room. 

Celda

Light and bright, Lietta may be considered an elaborate Italian diminutive of Lia, which may in turn be variation of the Biblical Leah, or a short form of Rosalia and Giulia. Alternatively, it might be a nickname of Giulietta (or its anglicization, Julietta), or of Letitia, meaning "joy, happiness".
 
A name that may appeal to those who like nicknames Etta, Lettie, and Lotta, along with Louella, Liora, and Leona, Lietta notably appeared as a character in the 1974 film, Conversation Piece.

Lietta

Liska is a sweet but sharp name with a number of meanings and origins. From its Germanic, Swedish, Frisian, Polish, and Kashubian roots, it's a diminutive of Elisabeth, possibly inspired by Eliska, however, it also coincides with Czech and Slavic words meaning "fox" (liška) and "hazel" (líska.
 
A notable bearer was Liska March, a dancer in early motion pictures, and later a producer of Broadway plays.

Liska

Leesa is a feminine name that emerged as a variant spelling of Lisa, which itself derives from Elisabeth or Elizabeth, a Hebrew name meaning 'God is my oath' or 'consecrated to God.' This alternative spelling became popular in the mid-20th century as parents sought more distinctive ways to write familiar names. 

The double 'e' gives Leesa a softer, more melodic quality compared to the traditional Lisa. While never reaching the top-tier popularity of Lisa (which peaked in the 1960s-70s), Leesa has a familiarity that makes it seem less rare than it is..

Leesa

A succinct and charming short form of the Lithuanian Kazimieras, a variation of the stately and saintly names, Kazimierz and Casimir. Derived from the Slavic elements kaziti and miru, its long form means "destroyer (or proclaimer) of peace".
 
Notable bearers of the name include Lithuanian former president Kazys Grinius, writer and poet Kazys Boruta, and basketball player Kazys Petkevičius.

Kazys

Not to be confused with Marta, which is a variation of the Biblical Martha, this Swedish name is a diminutive of Margareta, in turn making it an international form of Margaret. It is a popular choice in Sweden and has appeared in the Top 100 since 2011.
 
Also spelled as Märtha, it has been used since at least the 14th century and has been borne by several members of Swedish nobility.

Märta

Actress Kirstie Alley popularized this short form that's been off the popularity register for a decade. 

Kirstie

Typically used as a short form of Martinus — or occasionally for Constantinus — Tinus is heard in the Netherlands and South Africa. While the long form may appear on the birth-certificate, Tinus could be used on a day-to-day basis. 
 
Notable bearers include rugby player Tinus de Beer and Olympic sprinter Tinus Osendarp.

Tinus

A playful short form of Johannes, predominantly heard in South Africa, Hansie could make an interesting alternative to Jan, Jens, Johan, and Jon. A notable bearer was cricket player Hansie Cronje. 

Hansie

Popular in its native Sweden, Lo doubles up as a nickname for the classic Lovisa and as an animal inspired choice, translating literally to "lynx". Pronounced as LOO, it entered the Swedish Top 100 in 2020. 
 
The name may also be used elsewhere however as pet form of Elodie, Eloise, Lauren, Lorena, Lorraine, Laura, Lorelei, Lola, and similar. In this case, it is more likely pronounced as LO.

A short name with a warm but strong feel, based on the Norwegian pronunciation of Maren. 

Marn

While Aussie is usually known as the colloquial term for people from Australia, some parents are considering it as a more feminine form of uber-cool nickname Ozzy. It might raise a few eyebrows at first, but, with Roman, Scottie, and Scott all well established choices and place names very much in use, perhaps Aussie isn't too odd?  And we suppose it could make a fun alternative to Gussie of Augie for a little Augusta, maybe?




Aussie

Nebra is the name of a town in Germany, notable for the Nebra Sky Disc, a Bronze Aged disc inlaid with gold symbols of the sun, the moon and stars, significant in revealing the astronomical knowledge of the period. 
 
It is also used as a Spanish short form of Ginebra, itself a variant of the Italian Ginevra, meaning "white shadow, white wave". As a surname, it may also derive from the Latin nebula meaning "fog" or "cloud" and given that the German word for fog is nebel, it is possible the town takes its name from this meaning too. This is not confirmed however.
 
As a masculine name, Nebra was borne by an early Egyptian pharaoh in around 2850 BC, and in this case, could mean "Lord of the sun".

Nebra

Croatian short form of Josip (Joseph) properly spelled Joško. This would make a fun alternative nickname for Joseph or even Joshua outside Croatia, too.

Josko

Associated with the Baudelaire siblings from Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events and with the poet Charles Baudelaire, this French surname is a bold literary choice, with a touch of Gothic flair. 
 
Derived from the name of a large dagger or short sword with a curved edge, the surname has yet to catch on as a given name.