Middle Names, Surnames, and Nicknames
Nickname Names
Across 44 pages
of 44
The names
Caro
Diminuitve of Carol or Caroline, English, French ,"free man"
"free man"
Upper-crusty nickname occasionally used in Britain, particularly in 1930s novels featuring significant garden party scenes, but eclipsed here by Carrie et al.
Vicky
Diminutive of Victoria
"victory"
This once vivacious midcentury nickname is rarely used for modern babies.
Queenie
English
"queen"
Wisecracking waitress name stuck in the luncheonette. Started as nickname for girls named Regina -- queen in Latin -- now mostly a canine choice.
Janie
Diminutive of Jane, English
"God is gracious"
Will this old-fashioned nickname make a comeback, now that Jane has shed her "plain" image? Janie is cute and approachable, and would stand as well on the birth certificate as Josie and Jessie do…
Donnie
Short form of Donald, Scottish
"proud chief"
Infantilizing short form best reserved for toddlers and younger.
Roxie
Diminutive of Roxanne
Audacious offshoot of Roxanne, the wayward heroine of the musical Chicago.
Letty
English, diminutive of Letitia or similar
"joy, gladness"
Letty is a sweet vintage gem, playful and cosy and more unexpected than Lottie, the popular pet form of popular Charlotte. Originally used as a nickname for Letitia or Lettice, it could also work for…
Candy
English word name or diminutive of Candace, Latin
"white, pure, sincere"
Too sugary sweet and inconsequential for a modern girl.
Geri
Diminutive of Gerladine, feminine variation of Gerald, English and French
"ruler with the spear"
Out of fashion alongside the full form - Geraldine. But with boyish nicknames for girls rising, maybe Geri isn't so far out.
Will
Diminutive of William
"resolute protector"
Will has definitely replaced Bill, not only as a nickname for William but as a stand-alone name as well, partly thanks to England's Prince William, also known as Wills. Currently outside the Top 1000…
Ricky
English diminutive of Richard or Frederick
"dominant ruler; peaceful ruler"
Gone with Richard and Rick, Ricky has been falling since the turn of the 21st century. Probably still suffering from overuse in the 1990s.
Mike
English, diminutive of Michael
Unlike Jake or Sam, few parents put Mike on the birth certificate.
Lou
Diminutive of Louis or Lewis, French and German
"renowned warrior"
Lou, all by itself, is become fashionable for girls, which usually makes a name LESS fashionable for boys. But Lou, like Bill or Jim, is rarely used on its own for boys anyway. (You wouldn't name a…
Thad
Short form of Thaddeus or variation of Tad
Thad is a tad too slight to stand alone as a name, though as a short form of the imposing Thaddeus it's as serviceable as Ted or Ed.
Nicky
Diminutive of Nicholas or Nicole
Nicky is a forever-cute short form of Nicholas once used as a full name but now relegated to nickname (no pun intended) status.
Ned
English, diminutive of Edward
"wealthy guardian"
Ned is a gently old-fashioned Nancy Drew-Bobbsey Twins-era short form for Edward that sounds cooler than Ed and is enjoying a small style renaissance. Usage of Ned in literature goes back to a Ben…
Hans
German, Dutch, and Scandinavian, diminutive of Johannes
Though familiar to all via such childhood icons as Hans Brinker, Hans(el) and Gretel, and Hans Christian Andersen, few Americans have chosen this name for their sons because of its intractably Old…
Wylie
English
"from Wylye"
Wylie is a friendly, nonchalant rodeo name with an almost irresistible charm; parents may pick up on its pleasant similarity to the more popular, unisex Riley. Although more masculine, we see Wylie…
Sal
English, diminutive of Salvador or Salvatore, Latin
"savior"
The sidekick in almost every movie or TV show with an Italo-American setting, this once common name has now fallen onto the endangered list, given to fewer than 50 baby boys each year.
Phil
Phil is a masculine name primarily used as a familiar short form of Philip or Phillip, though it occasionally stands as an independent given name. Derived from the Greek name Philippos meaning 'lover…
