Vintage Nicknames for Boys

Marsh

English nature name

Soft and mellifluous nature-surname name, situated miles away from the dated Marshall.

Wills

Diminutive of William

"resolute protector"

The cute short form gained prominence when it was used for young Prince William of England.

Llew

Welsh

"lion, leader"

Welsh for "lion", or a nickname for Llewelyn. Could make a cooler substitute for the blander Lou.

Lon

Diminutive of Alonzo

"noble, ready"

For older generations this still summons silent horror star Chaney; for others it's a pleasant if slight nickname name.

Cager

Short form of Micajah, Hebrew

"Who is like God?"

Sounds a bit like a nickname in a Dickens novel, but this short form was used in New England a few centuries ago, back when names like Micajah were popular. Both short and long forms are now ripe for…

Kiah

Short form of Hezekiah, Hebrew

"God gives strength"

Drawn from old record books, Kiah is an antiquated nickname that feels perfectly appropriate for modern times -- maybe more so than father name Hezekiah.

Lum

Diminutive of Columbus, English from Latin

"dove"

A forgotten nickname for Columbus, which itself is becoming ever rarer. Radio comedy program Lum and Abner , which ran for over two decades beginning in 1931, featured a character named Columbus…

Lye

Diminutive of Elijah, Hebrew

"Yahweh is God"

Once upon a time, Lye was used as a nickname for Elijah. These days it feels too deceitful — try Eli as a nickname, or if you prefer something truly vintage, Lige.

Kiah

Short form of Hezekiah, Hebrew

"God gives strength"

Drawn from old record books, Kiah is an antiquated nickname that feels perfectly appropriate for modern times -- maybe more so than father name Hezekiah.

Brose

Diminutive of Ambrose, Latin

"immortal"

A thoroughly old-school nickname for Ambrose — one that lightens up the serious full form.

Des

Diminutive of Desmond

The cool clipped Des may be the part of the name wave of the future, with midcentury names like Des and Vic and Stan riding back into style on the heels of big brothers Max and Sam and Ray.

Mano

Italian

"hand"

A nickname that sounds like a nickname.

Mart

Diminutive of Martin, Latin

"warlike"

Fresher and snappier than Marty and Martin, could Mart be successful as an independent baby name? It certainly has in the Netherlands, where it featured in the Top 300 in a recent year, outranking…

Jonty

Diminutive of Jonathan

"gift of Jehovah"

Jaunty, to say the least, Jonty might be an option if Johnny feels too old school. It has been noticed most often on the playing fields, as in U.K. rugby player Jonty Parkin (born Jonathan) and South…

Maso

Italian, diminutive of Tomasso

"twin"

Appealing, lively, and distinctive.

Jock

Scottish variation of Jack

This is a Scottish pet form of John, the equivalent of Jack in England. Has long been used as a generic name for a Scotsman, here it's a generic name for a--well--jock.

Mo

English diminutive of Maurice and Morris

"dark-skinned"

An exceedingly friendly every-guy nickname that could rise alongside the likes of Ike, Sid, and Ned.

Jem

Diminutive of James or Jeremiah

This name of the ten-year-old boy in the much loved and acclaimed modern classic To Kill a Mockingbird could find favor along with that of the character's sister, Scout.

Nat

English, diminutive of Nathan or Nathaniel

Just the kind of old-fashioned nickname coming back into style.

Bix

Modern nickname

Bix is a cool and jazzy nickname name, thanks to that final x. It's largely associated with the legendary and influential cornet player (and inspiration for the novel Young Man With a Horn ), Bix…