Vintage Nicknames for Girls

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,…

Retta

Retta is a feminine name with multiple origins. Most commonly, it serves as a diminutive of names ending in "-retta" such as Henrietta, Loretta, or Margaretta. The name has Italian roots as well,…

Ria

Spanish

"small river"

Short and feminine, Ria has a rhythmic flow.

Rilla

German

"small brook"

Rilla dropped out of the US Top 1000 in 1915, but it's starting to feel like an intriguing possibility again in this age of short, sweet, a-ending names for girls. It is traditionally a short form…

Roxy

Diminutive of Roxanne, Persian

"dawn"

Roxy, also spelled Roxie, is one of those high-stepping showgal names with plenty of moxie, among the many sassy nickname names on the U.K. popularity list--currently Number 398. The fictional…

Sally

Diminutive of Sarah

"princess"

Sally is a cheerful, fresh-faced girl-next-door name that was originally a nickname for Sarah, but has long been used independently. Sally was popular in the eighteenth century and then again from…

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;…

Sudie

Variation of Susanna, Hebrew

"lily"

Sukie

Diminutive of Susan

This centuries-old nickname feels fresher and more modern today than Susie or Sue. A good short form if you're tempted by Susan, Susanna, or Susannah; another spelling is Sukey.

Tabby

Diminutive of Tabitha, Aramaic

"gazelle"

Feline nickname for Tabitha — a bewitching vintage choice.

Tacy

American invented name

Looks very much like it lost its first initial.

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.

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…

Teddi

Short form of Theodora, Greek

"gift of God"

Now that Theodora (and Dorothea) are back, the adorable Teddi might work again for a baby girl. Teddi fits the rising trend of boyish nicknames for girls - alongside picks like Leni and Charlie.…

Tess

English, diminutive of Theresa

"to harvest"

Cosy and warm but with plenty of substance and strength, Tess is a literary diminutive that works perfectly well as a stand-alone name. Stylish in the Netherlands, it currently sits outside the Top…

Thirza

Hebrew; diminutive of Theresa, English

"delightful; harvest"

This rarely used Old Testament name will inevitably set off a connection to thirst. Thirza was historically used as both an independent name and as a nickname for Theresa.

Tib

English diminutive of Isabel

"pledged to God"

Tib and Tibb originated in the 13th century as nicknames for Theobald (for boys) and Isabel and Isabella (for girls). As Isabel grew in popularity, Tib(b) was used more often on girls. By the 16th…

Tibbie

Diminutive of Elizabeth

"pledged to God"

An old-fashioned nickname that hasn't been heard in ages--Cute and unusual, but lacking the legs to stand on its own. Maybe save it for your kitten.

Tilda

Estonian and Spanish diminutive of Matilda, German

"battle mighty"

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

Tillie

English, diminutive of Matilda

"battle mighty"

A surprise recent hit revival with cutting-edge British, Tribeca and Malibu parents; Tillie, also spelled Tilly, is cute, frilly, and sassy all at once. Tilly features in the England and Wales Top…