Short Baby Names
- Vic
Origin:
Diminutive of Victor, LatinMeaning:
"conqueror"Description:
This short form of classic Victor is popular in its own right in Belgium and the Netherlands.
- Meg
Origin:
Diminutive of Margaret, GreekMeaning:
"pearl"Description:
Meg, perennially one of the Little Women, is a Margaret short form that manages to be neither quite in nor quite out of style. Meg is sleeker and more sophisticated than Maggie, more contemporary than Peg, more stylish than Megan, and still one of the best diminutives of Margaret.Meg Ryan was born Margaret Mary Emily Anne.
- Aja
Origin:
Spelling variation of Aya or HindiMeaning:
"goat"Description:
Sounds like and is often confused with Asia, though it has an air of retro cool via the seminal Steely Dan album. Or, pronounced eye-ah, it can be an alternate spelling of the international favorite Aya.
- Al
Description:
Al is a masculine name that primarily functions as a shortened form of names beginning with 'Al,' such as Albert (meaning 'noble and bright'), Alfred ('wise counselor'), Alexander ('defender of the people'), or Alvin ('noble friend'). With its single syllable and straightforward pronunciation, Al projects a friendly, approachable quality that has made it enduringly popular as a nickname throughout the 20th century. The name peaked in popularity during the mid-1900s and carries associations with a generation of reliable, hardworking men. Al's simplicity gives it a timeless quality, though in recent decades it has become less common as a standalone given name, with parents more likely to use it as a familiar nickname for longer Al- names.
- Tor
Origin:
Norwegian and Swedish variation of Thor, Hebrew, EnglishMeaning:
"thunder; turtledove; victor; hill, rocky peak"Description:
An interesting and attractive multicultural choice, Tor packs a lot in to three letters. It may be used as a modern form of Þórr (Thor) , the name of the Norse thunder god or as a short form of Victor/Viktor and Hector, giving it the meaning "conqueror, victor" or "holding fast".
As a Hebrew name, it means "turtle-dove" and is a favorite choice for babies born in spring, when turtledoves arrive, especially as a middle, while as an English word name, it may refer to a rocky peak or hill, as in the Glastonbury Tor.
- Nat
Origin:
English, diminutive of Nathan or NathanielDescription:
Just the kind of old-fashioned nickname coming back into style.
- Ike
Origin:
Diminutive of Isaac, HebrewMeaning:
"laughter"Description:
Ike, once the quirky one-person nickname of President Dwight Eisenhower, has morphed into a cool kid nickname of the early 21st century.
- Gil
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"happiness"Description:
Pronounced zheel, it's a dashing conquistador; as gill, it's the nice and slightly boring guy down the street.
- Dee
Origin:
English diminutive of any girl name that starts with DDescription:
Dee is a slight midcentury nickname that might be short for Deanna or Denise, but might be too slight for today's strong, independent female.
- Pat
Origin:
Diminutive of PatrickMeaning:
"noble, patrician"Description:
As seen on SNL, Pat is the ultimate androgynous name. Stick with long form Patrick, and make sure everyone calls him Patrick.
- Vin
Origin:
Diminutive of Vincent, LatinMeaning:
"conquering"Description:
Minimalist nickname via XXX star Diesel (born Mark Vincent).
- Pam
Origin:
Diminutive of Pamela, EnglishMeaning:
"all honey"Description:
This mild-mannered short form was Queen of the Prom in the fifties and sixties, but today is mostly heard on TV's The Office (and of course as one of the founders of Nameberry).
- Cas
Origin:
Short form of Casper, PersianMeaning:
"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.
- Jeb
Origin:
Diminutive of Jebediah, HebrewMeaning:
"beloved friend"Description:
Both Jeb and Jed are very attractive Old Testament short forms with long and bright futures. Jeb's main current association is with the Bush brother and former governor of Florida, but the name was a mainstay on early TV westerns, and then went upscale as the nickname (his birth name being Josiah) of the President on "The West Wing."
- Dan
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"God is my judge"Description:
Often stands alone in Israel, but rarely here.
- Zeb
Origin:
Diminutive of Zebediah or Zebulon, HebrewMeaning:
"gift of God, exaltation, or little dwelling"Description:
Short and to-the-point, it turns an ancient biblical name into a friendly cowboy.
- Flo
Origin:
Diminutive of Florence, LatinMeaning:
"flourishing, prosperous"Description:
Flo is an antiquated nickname not often used these days, possibly because "Aunt Flo" is a euphemism for a period.
- Tau
Origin:
Indigenous Australian or Tswana, SothoMeaning:
"dusk, twilight; lion"Description:
Tau, rhyming with cow, is a simple straightforward name with roots in two languages and cultures, the Kaurna language spoken by indigenous Australian people or the African Tswana language, a Bantu language spoken by five million people.
- Via
Origin:
Nickname nameDescription:
Could be a short form of Sylvia, Olivia, or any other similar name. Or a vivid Italian word name.
- Per
Origin:
Scandinavian variation of PeterDescription:
So simple, yet so unique: a prime candidate for export. Pronunciation is like the English pair or pear.
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