Lettie

Lettie, also spelled Letty, is a nickname name that until recently, had rarely been heard since the 1950s. Now, this treasured antique is on the rise, fitting right in with the trend for old-fashioned, down-to-earth nickname, such as Lottie, Hettie, Hattie, Josie, and Maisie.

One of Joan Crawford's early hit roles was in 1932 as the eponymous heroine of the film Letty Lynton, in which she wore a dress--dubbed the Letty Lynton dress--that became a national fad. More recently, the name appeared on characters in the novel and film Howl's Moving Castle and in the musical, The Greatest Showman.

Originally used as a short form for Letitia (or Lettice), if that doesn't appeal and you don't want to use Lettie on the birth certificate, other names with the nickname include Loretta, Violette, Scarlett, Elisabeth, Colette, Juliette, Violetta, Arlette, and potentially Charlotte or Elliot/Elliette.

A rising number of parents having been choosing the name since 2015, and, as of 2024, it re-entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in nearly 80 years. In England and Wales, it made its debut in 2025

In a recent (US) count, the Lettie spelling was given to 358 babies, while Letty was chosen for 158. Combined, it ranks around the #580 mark, alongside Cleo, Mckenzie, Imani, and Sevyn.

Pronounced LEHT-ee.

As of October 2026, Lettie ranked #757 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #184 in 1881.