Short Baby Names

With River and Ocean becoming mainstream, why not consider Sea?

Fans of the late Princess Diana might remember an early nickname, Shy Di. Di was more commonly heard in the middle of the last century, when Diane and sisters were in top vogue.

Along with Shem and Japheth, a son of Noah with a name that's almost never used -- for more obvious reasons than those of his brothers.

Short and to-the-point, it turns an ancient biblical name into a friendly cowboy.

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

This Dutch spelling of Mick, a diminutive of the classic Michael, has seen small but steady use in the Netherlands. The streamlined Mik variant has a cool edge over the friendly original.

So simple, yet so unique: a prime candidate for export. Pronunciation is like the English pair or pear.

This charming West African mini name fits in with the other similarly short names that are all the rage right now. Ayo is enjoying new visibility thanks to actress Ayo Edebiri, star of TV's The Bear.

Irv is a masculine name primarily used as a diminutive of Irving, which has Old English origins meaning 'green water' or 'sea friend.' This short, punchy name gained modest popularity in the early to mid-20th century, particularly in Jewish-American communities where Irving was more common. Irv carries a vintage, mid-century charm that evokes the era of its peak usage. While rarely used as a formal given name today, it maintains recognition as a nickname. The brevity of Irv gives it a straightforward, unpretentious quality that contrasts with longer, more elaborate naming trends. It represents a connection to earlier generations while offering simplicity.

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.

A concise and zippy short form of Elizabeth, Liberty or similar, used for the main character in the novel and film adaptation of Emma Donoghue's The Wonder about a nurse sent to observe a girl who is miraculously surviving without food, to check the validity of her parents' claim.

During the heyday of Deborah, Debra, and Debra — the late 1950s and early 60s — there were enough baby girls named Deb, just Deb, for it to make the Top 1000.

Kia is a sweet, simple name that is now, unfortunately, associated with a Korean car label. Better today: Nia, Thea, or Keira.

The most minimalist of names, Ed is decidedly out -- though that usually means it's due to swing back in. More stylish these days: Ned or even Ted.

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.

Too fiscal.

Skater Tai Babilonia brought this sleek modern name to the world's attention. Pronounced "tie."