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Short Baby Names

  1. Flo

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Florence, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "flourishing, prosperous"

    • Description:

      Flo is an antiquated nickname not often used these days, possibly because "Aunt Flo" is a euphemism for a period.
  2. Dov

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "bear"

    • Description:

      Fierce meaning, gentle image. This name is very common in Israel, where an endearing pet form is Dubi.
  3. Bas

    • Origin:

      Dutch, diminutive of Bastiaan and Sebastian

    • Meaning:

      "person from the city of Sebastia"

    • Description:

      Bas is a fashionable name in its own right in the Netherlands, where it's been in the Top 10. Used throughout Europe, it may have a future here as a straightforward-but-charming nickname name. Baz is another, similar and more appealing possibility.
  4. Nat

    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Nathan or Nathaniel

    • Description:

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

    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Robert

    • Meaning:

      "bright fame"

    • Description:

      Kids love Bob the Builder, but do they want to be Bob the Builder? Bob and Bobby have been out of style since the 1960s, but as vintage nickname-names -- Fred, Archie -- come back into vogue, Bob may tag along. Charlie Sheen used it for one of his twin sons.
  6. Liz

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Elizabeth

    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"

    • Description:

      Some might think a girl named Liz on her birth certificate would feel deprived of her full identity, but in a time when mini names like Liv, Kit, Tru, Kai, Lou, and Bea are in style, Liz feels substantial enough that its bearer won't feel bereft.
  7. Dan

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "God is my judge"

    • Description:

      Often stands alone in Israel, but rarely here.
  8. Nev

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Yaniv, Hebrew; Neville, English; or Nevin, Irish

    • Meaning:

      "he will prosper; new town; holy"

    • Description:

      Short and strong multicultural option for a son. Nev Schulman (born Yaniv) is the creator of the MTV series Catfish.
  9. Lin

    • Origin:

      Chinese, Arabic, Burmese, Korean, English

    • Meaning:

      "forest; jade, green gem; soft, tender; clear, bright; neighbor; pretty, lake"

    • Description:

      Concise, multicultural, and well travelled, Lin is a deceptively simple looking choice with its roots in a variety of languages.

      As a Chinese name, it is a unisex option, pronounced as LEEN, and typically attributed either the meaning "forest" or "fine jade, green gem", associating the name with the color green in both its transcriptions. From its Arabic roots however, it is a variation of the pretty Lina, meaning "soft, tender". As above, it would be pronounced as LEEN.
  10. Ala

    • Origin:

      Igbo, Polish, diminutive of Alicja

    • Meaning:

      "nobility"

    • Description:

      Ala is the Igbo earth goddess whose symbol is the crescent moon. In a very different vein, Ala can be a diminutive for Alicja or Alexandra or really any other name with an A at both ends and an L in the middle. Ala is also an Arabic name meaning "excellence, supremacy"; could be confused as a homonym for Allah, or as part of a phrase like a la mode.
  11. Tor

    • Origin:

      Variation of Thor, also Hebrew for "Turtledove"

    • Meaning:

      "Turtledove"

    • Description:

      An interesting and attractive bicultural choice--the Hebrew version is used for babies born in spring, when turtledoves arrive--especially as a middle.
  12. Bix

    • Origin:

      Modern nickname

    • Description:

      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 Beiderbecke. He was born Leon Bismark Beiderbecke and his nickname derived from his middle name.
  13. Tea

    • Origin:

      Short form of Dorotea or Mattea

    • Meaning:

      "gift of God"

    • Description:

      As Theo and Thea get more popular, so do Teo and Tea, short forms of the Latinate variations of Theodore and Matthew -- which include Dorotea and Mattea. But like Theo and Thea, Tea can stand perfectly well on its own and blends seamlessly into any Anglophone or European culture, if that is your aim. Some may argue that the Tea version is the prettiest and it's certainly the sleekest.
  14. Bee

    • Origin:

      Animal name or English diminutive of Beatrice, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "she who brings happiness"

    • Description:

      We've seen Beatrice and Beatrix climb in popularity, along with traditional nickname Bea. And now there's Bee, giving it a buzzy nature world spin, plus a tie to popular late night TV''s Samantha Bee, not to mention Aunt Bee on the old The Andy Griffith Show TV show. Bee can theoretically be short for any girl names starting with B.
  15. Cas

    • Origin:

      Short form of Casper, Persian

    • Meaning:

      "Imperial"

    • Description:

      This short-but-strong name is popular for boys in The Netherlands. While Cass is usually a female name in the U.S., it feels just as right for boys.
  16. Cat

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Catherine, Greek

    • Meaning:

      "pure"

    • Description:

      May be the most modern, stylish Catherine nickname: more unusual than Kate or Cate, with an animal and word name edge. Cat Power is a trendy folksinger.
  17. Gal

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "wave"

    • Description:

      This unisex Israeli name, which rhymes with ball, is sure to receive more serious international attention now that actress Gal Gadot is the new Wonder Woman.
  18. Xen

    • Origin:

      Japanese

    • Meaning:

      "meditation"

    • Description:

      Xen and Zen, both pronounced the same way, are two hip new spiritual word names from Buddhist practice. Among the celebrity set, Corey Feldman has a Zen and Tisha Campbell Martin's son is Xen.
  19. Oma

    • Description:

      Oma is a feminine name with Germanic origins, literally meaning 'grandmother' in German and Dutch. The name carries warm associations of maternal wisdom and familial nurturing. While primarily known as a term of endearment for grandmothers in German-speaking countries, Oma has occasionally been used as a given name in the United States, particularly in communities with German heritage. The name peaked in limited popularity in the early 1900s but has since become quite rare as a first name. Oma also appears in Japanese, meaning 'horse,' and in some African languages with various meanings. The name's brevity and soft sounds give it a gentle quality, though its strong association with grandmotherhood in German culture may influence how the name is perceived.

  20. Dom

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Dominic, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "belonging to the Lord"

    • Description:

      A bit slight to put directly on the birth certificate, but Dom is a pleasant nickname for a boy or a girl.

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