Vintage Nicknames for Girls

Jeanie

Short form of Jean or Jeanne

Jeanie is a midcentury bobby soxer kind of nickname that might almost be so old it's new again.

Minka

Polish diminutive of Mina, short form of Wilhelmina, German

"resolute protection"

In the contemporary US, Minka attracted notice via actress Minka Kelly, who played the gorgeous Lyla on Friday Night Lights . This cute and lively nickname name can (and does) certainly stand on its…

Patsy

English, diminutive of Patricia

"noble, patrician"

This sassy, spunky name was used for the mostly Irish jump-roping pigtailed girls of the thirties and forties -- and some Irish and Italian boys as well. Its most noted bearer was iconic country…

Mamie

Diminutive of Mary or Margaret, Hebrew, Egyptian, Greek

"drop of the sea or bitter or pearl"

Mamie is back. Having finally shorn her Mamie Eisenhower bangs, this insouciant and adorable nickname name is perfect if you want a zestier way to honor a beloved aunt Mary. Meryl Streep's actress…

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.

Margie

Diminutive of Margery

Prime pert-teenager name in midcentury TV shows, replaced by Maggie.

Prue

Short form of Prudence, English virtue name

"caution"

After a long time in limbo, Prudence is now so clunky it'a cool, and it's starting to make a comeback, along with other Puritan virtue names like Mercy, Patience, and Constance. Its short form, Prue,…

Tilda

Estonian and Spanish diminutive of Matilda, German

"battle mighty"

Actress Tilda Swinton injected this dated nickname name with some modern charm.

Bessie

Diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew

"pledged to God"

After a century of association with horses and cows, this name just could be ready for revival by a fearless baby namer -- after all, it did happen to Jessie and Becky. Bessie has been in use since…

Mellie

Short form of Melissa, Amelia, Melanie and related names

Mellie is not Millie and it's not Nellie, though it will forever be confused with those too more familiar nicknames. It's cute, too, and while some of the names it's usually short for may be sailing…

Tansy

Flower name, from Greek

"immortality"

Tansy is a flower name rarer than Rose, livelier than Lily and a lot less teasable than Pansy. Tansy is a perennial herbaceous plant of the aster family that has clusters of small bright yellow…

Freddie

Short form of Alfreda or Frederica

Freddie, especially with the ie ending, is one of the old-school boy-names-for-girls that came into vogue at the turn of the last century. Freddie, all on its own, ranked among the Top 1000 girl…

Peggy

Diminutive of Margaret, Greek

"pearl"

Just when we had written off Peggy as the eternal perky, pug-nosed prom-queen she projected from the 1920s into the fifties, along came Mad Men , with intriguing mid-century characters with names…

Bertie

Diminutive of Albertine or Alberta, English or Germanic

"noble, bright"

So uncool it's cool! Bertie makes for a boyish nickname for Alberta, Roberta, Bertille, Albertine... or just use it on its own, à la Billie or Frankie. Old school unisex nickname names are back in…

Tallie

Diminutive of Talia, Hebrew

"gentle dew from heaven"

Tallie is a seldom-heard nickname name that, with the ascendance of Hallie and Callie, we might just be hearing more of. In Colonial times, Tallie was also a nickname for Natalie.

Sosie

Variation of Sosi, Armenian, or diminutive of Susan or Sophie, Hebrew, Greek

"palm tree; lily; wisdom"

Sweet and cosy but with substance too, Sosie is a rare, multicultural name. Used as a short form of Susan, Sosan, Sophie and Sophia, it could make a fresh alternative to Suzy, Izzy, or Josie;…

Zuzu

Czech diminutive of Susan

"lily"

This sizzling nickname Zuzu is heard every Christmas as the name of Jimmy Stewart's little girl in "It's a Wonderful Life," but we love it all year round as a lively alternative to double names like…

Jettie

Jettie is a charming feminine name with American roots, often used as a diminutive form of Henrietta or Juliet, though it now frequently stands on its own. Popular in the early 20th century,…

Cam

Diminutive of Cameron or Camilla

A Pam for the modern age, improved by a harder edge and a tad less prissiness.

Queenie

English

"queen"

Wisecracking waitress name stuck in the luncheonette. Started as nickname for girls named Regina -- queen in Latin -- now mostly a canine choice.