Middle Names, Surnames, and Nicknames
Nickname Names
Across 44 pages
of 44
Tessel
Dutch diminutive of Theresa, Telse, or Tesselschade
"to harvest; pledged to god; damaged at Texel; Texel island"
Popular in The Netherlands back in the 2000s, Tessel is a diminutive of Theresa or Telse; a short form of the rare Tesselschade, or a place name, referring to the Island of Texel (said Tessel). It…
Telse
German diminutive of Elisabeth, contract of Sünt Else
"pledged to God; saint pledged to God"
One of many diminutive forms of the classic Elizabeth, Telse has its origins in German where it might have been given as a nickname to an Else (think like Polly for Mary via Molly, or Nancy for an…
Viekki
Diminutive of Vieno, Finnish
"gentle, mild, soft"
A sparky pet form of Vieno, combined with the Finnish suffix kki . It is rarely used as a given name.
Riff
English word and musical name
"a short repeated phrase in popular music"
Riff is the name of the leader of the Jets in West Side Story , drawn from the musical word for a repeated phrase in a song. A tragic character in the musical, but a jaunty sounding name with the…
Lib
Diminutive of Elizabeth or Liberty
"pledged to god; freedom"
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…
Sopiko
Georgian diminutive of Sopio and Sophia, Greek
"wisdom"
A spiky and unexpected diminutive form of Sopio and Sophia, Sopiko is predominantly used in Georgia. Also spelled as Sofiko and Sophiko, notable bearers include chess played Sopiko Guramishvili and…
Sophiko
Georgian diminutive of Sopio, Sophie, and Sophia, Greek
"wisdom"
This Georgian diminutive of Sophia can also be spelled as Sopiko and Sofiko and could be a way to make your Sophia stand out if Soph doesn't appeal to you as a nickname. Journalist, author, and…
Ulle
Diminutive of Ulrik, Swedish
"rich and noble heritage"
A soft but distinctive Swedish short form of the rugged Ulrik, not to be confused with the Estonian (feminine name) Ülle. It has appeared on characters in the game series The Witcher and in the TV…
Sebbie
Short form of Sebastian, Latin, Greek
"person from Sebastia"
A nickname style choice derived from the popular Sebastian, Sebbie feels like it could fit in with the likes of Teddy, Reggie, Billy, and Toby. Rarely used as a standalone name, it is borne by a…
Sebbie
Short form of Sebastiane, Sebastia, and Sebastienne, Latin, Greek
"person from Sebastia"
A nickname style choice inspired by the popular boy name Sebastian, Sebbie has the zippy feel of Libby and Effie, the rugged charm of Stevie and Frankie, and the cutesy feel of Sunny and Mimi. Rarely…
Rilda
Diminutive of names ending -rilda
"battle"
With a hint of ruggedness and strength about it, but quirky, retro vibes too, Rilda is a rare nickname name. Similar to Tilda or Hilda, it comes from names ending -rild or -rilda , such as Serilda,…
Brosie
Short form of Ambrose, Ambrosio, or Ambrosius, Latin
"immortal"
A cozy short form of Ambrose and co., Brosie could make a sweet nickname for a kid, but as a stand alone, it might be best reserved for a pet.
Tassie
Diminutive of Anastasia, Tasmania, Natasha, Thomasina, Tamsin, or similar
"resurrection; bag maker; birthday of the Lord; twin"
A sparky short form of a variety of names with a similar feel to the likes of Hattie, Essie, Sasha, and Effie. Also used as a surname, it might make an interesting alternative to Stacey, Annie, or…
Aubie
Short form of Aubrey, Auburn, Aubin, or Auberon, English, French
"elf ruler; reddish-brown color; white, bright"
A playful short form with a similar sound to Toby, Augie, Albie, or Bobbie, Aubie might come from a variety of AUB- names, and may be pronounced AWB-ee or O-bee, depending on which long form you had…
Costeen
Anglicized diminutive of Konstantina, Greek
"constant, steadfast"
Derived from the Greek name Konstantina, Costeen is contracted and Anglicized form of the virtue-adjacent name. It is notably borne by social media influence Costeen Hatzi.
Rookie
Word name
"newcomer, beginner, new recruit, learner"
Comparatively modest in an age of Saints, Messiahs, and Chosens, Rookie has a sporty, energetic feel about it. Associated with being new to something, particularly in relation to the army, police, or…
Saffie
Short form or Saffron or Saffira, or a variation of Sophie, or Safiyya, from English, Greek, or Arabic
"orange-yellow color or spice; sapphire, blue; wisdom; pure, clear"
A vibrant nickname-style name, Saffie is predominantly used as a short form of Saffron, Saffira, or similar, though it might also be used as a form of Sophie or Safiyya. Occasionally used in the UK…
Ru
Short form of Rupert, Rudy, or Ruben, variation of Rue, variation of Ruadh, or Chinese
"bright flame; famous wolf; regret, herb; red; scholar"
Succinct but playful, the unisex and multicultural Ru fits in with the likes of Tru, Cru, Blu, and Bo. Typically used as a short form of Ruben, Rudy or Ruben, it might also be a form of the word name…
Marn
Norwegian short form of Maren, Danish
"of the sea; bitter, beloved, drop of the sea"
A short name with a warm but strong feel, based on the Norwegian pronunciation of Maren.
Thena
Short form of Athena, Greek
"from Athens"
Athena, the name of the Greek goddess of wisdom, warfare, handicrafts, mathematics, and courage, has become one of the most popular mythological namesakes in the contemporary Western world. On the…