Vintage Nicknames for Girls

Melia

Greek mythology name, diminutive of Amelia, or Hawaiian

"ash tree; honey; work; plumeria"

This is a rich, melodic shortening of the popular girls' name Amelia that can stand on its own. There are several figures in Greek myth named Melia, most notably a daughter of Oceanus. The Meliae are…

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…

Minnie

Diminutive of Wilhelmina, German

"resolute protection"

Minnie was wildly popular at the turn of the last century — it was the fifth or sixth most popular name throughout the 1880s — but is completely obscure in the US today. Blame Mickey's girlfriend.…

Mitzi

German, diminutive of Maria

"beloved; drop of the sea, bitter"

Mitzi is a sparky German nickname name that might appeal to parents drawn to the genre of lively vintage girl names that proliferated in 1930's musicals. Actress and entertainer Mitzi Gaynor (born…

Moll

Short form of Molly, diminutive of Mary, Hebrew or Egyptian"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"

"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"

Moll is one of those names that is used all the time as a nickname for a nickname, but rarely put on the birth certificate. Moll Flanders is an eponymous 18th century novel by Daniel Defoe, the…

Nan

English, diminutive of Nancy

Bobbsey Twins-era nickname name that could find new life via Nan, heroine of The Nanny Diaries. Nan was also the nickname of Annabel St George, the protagonist of Edith Wharton's novel "The…

Nelie

Nelie is a feminine name that likely originated as a variant of Nelly or Nellie, which themselves are diminutives of names like Helen, Eleanor, or Cornelia. With Greek roots, if derived from Helen,…

Nell

English, diminutive of Helen, Eleanor, et al

"bright, shining one"

Nell, once a nickname for Helen, Ellen, or Eleanor, is a sweet old-fashioned charmer that is fashionably used today in its own right. While Nell is perfectly in tune with contemporary vintage name…

Nettie

English, diminutive of names ending in -ette or -etta, or variation of Neta, Hebrew

"plant"

You may never have known a Nettie personally, but there well might be one hidden in your family history, considering that she was a Top 100 name until 1901 and stayed on the Social Security list…

Neva

Spanish

"white snow"

Has a pure, clean aura, but is also evocative.

Nonie

Diminutive of Joan, English

"God is gracious"

A Colonial-era nickname for Joan.

Ollie

Short form of Olive or Olivia, Latin

"olive tree"

Less used than Liv or Livvy, Ollie is a boyish nickname for girls, sometimes used for Olivia and Olive. Currently out of the US charts, you might be surprised to learn that Ollie actually ranked more…

Ouida

English diminutive

This Victorian pen name is the childish version of the novelist's real name, Louisa, but it has managed to gain a sophisticated image. Ouisa is a similar childhood nickname name.

Ouisa

Diminutive of Louisa

"renowned warrior"

Wheezy short form of lovely name, featured in the movie "Steel Magnolias", spelled as Ouiser. Similar, literary Ouida is less breathy, while Lou, Lulu, Lula, Lissy or Whizz might appeal instead.

Patia

English

"noblewoman"

An uncommon short form of Patricia – an innovative way to honor Great-Aunt Pat.

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…

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…

Pippa

English, diminutive of Philippa

"lover of horses"

Pippa, a peppy condensation of Philippa that turns it from serious to sprightly, has come into the public eye in a big way via the former Kate Middleton's sister. Pippa can and is given as a name in…

Polly

English variation of Molly, diminutive of Mary, Hebrew

"bitter"

An alternative to the no-longer-fresh Molly, the initial 'P' gives Polly a peppier sound, combining the cozy virtues of an old-timey name with the bounce of a barmaid. Associated with Tom Sawyer's…

Posy

English

"a bunch of flowers"

A sweet, nostalgic nosegay kind of name, Posy has been long fashionable in England, a country of gardeners, but this pretty bouquet-of-flowers name is still rarely heard in the US, though it could be…