Middle Names, Surnames, and Nicknames
Nickname Names
Across 44 pages
of 44
Ali
Short form of Alison or Alice or Arabic
"supreme, exalted"
One of the sweet simple unisex names balanced enough to stand on its own. Ali can either be used as a shortening of Al- beginning names. For example, comedian Ali Wong is an Alexandra. Ali is also an…
Alvie
English
"noble friend; friend of the elves"
Diminutive of Alvina, and a cute boyish retro nickname we can see making its way back onto a few birth certificates today.
Anita
Spanish diminutive of Ana; Sanskrit
"grace; unguided"
Once a Top 100 name, this Spanish diminutive of Ana still retains some of her Latin flair. A notable namesake is noted attorney Anita Hill, another is the great jazz singer Anita O'Day. Plus there's…
Anja
Scandinavian; Finnish; Slovene; Croatian; Serbian, from Russian
"grace"
Anja is one of the most international of several versions of Ann/Anna now being imported, also including Anya and Annika. Anja is heard in several European cultures, including Germany, the…
Art
Diminutive of Arthur
"noble one; bear man"
Though short and brisk, no nickname name could have a more creative image. Comic actor Chris O'Dowd named his son Art, as in his native Ireland it's used as a name on its own, separate from Arthur.,…
Artie
Diminutive of Arthur, Celtic
"bear"
Artie is a cute short form rarely given on its own, unlike the more grownup Art. But for a young Arthur, it's adorable.
Ash
Diminutive of Ashley, English
"ash tree"
Ash is a gender-neutral choice that calls to mind the '80s favorite: Ashley. But view it as a nature name -- as in the tree, not the charred bit of soot in the fireplace -- and it makes a cool choice…
Ash
Diminutive of Asher, English
"ash tree"
Ash has Southern charm plus the arboreal-nature appeal. Plus your little boy will prize Ash as the name of the hero of the Pokemon cartoons. Ash can also be a dashing short form of Asher, Ashton, or…
Auggie
Short form of August and variations
Auggie, a variation of the more common Augie, is an adorable and, at this point, fresher sounding short form than Gus of the rising August and all its variations, from Augustine to Augustus.
Babe
Word name or diminutive of Barbara
You can call your baby "babe," but don't name her that.
Babs
Nickname for Barbara or Babette
"foreign woman"
Babs is an old-fashioned nickname for Barbara, itself an old-fashioned name that was hugely popular in the 20th century but that's not (yet) on its way back in. If you really want a vintage-y…
Baby
English word name, diminutive of Barbara, Latin
"foreign woman"
Baby is rarely seen as a given name — or even nickname — these days, although it did rank in the Top 1000 from 1989 to 2003. These instances can be accounted for in two ways. Firstly, infants whose…
Barb
English diminutive of Barbara, Greek
"foreign woman"
Barb is a midcentury nickname name that, like Deb and Sue, feels terminally dates now. But with the revival of Barbie, Barb may not be far behind.
Barbie
English diminutive of Barbara, Greek
"foreign woman"
Despite the voluptuous doll's various career choices, from astronaut to doctor, her name still remains a euphemism for "bimbo".
Barney
Variation of Barnabas
"son of comfort"
The name Barney is hot among hip Londoners and it has been above the Top 500 in the UK since 2012. You can see why - it's got a friendly happy sound and a lovely meaning and is more easily worn than…
Barry
Irish
"spear"
This Anglicized form of Bearach or short form of Finbarr was in the Top 200 in the USA for 50 years until the early 80s when it rapidly fell out of favor. Barry has not yet found popularity in the…
Bart
Diminutive of Bartholomew, Hebrew
"son of the earth"
Permanent property of that devilish little Simpson kid.
Bas
Dutch, diminutive of Bastiaan and Sebastian
"person from the city of Sebastia"
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…
Bastian
Diminutive or variant of Sebastian, Latin, Greek
"man of Sebastia"
A name that sounds both arty and rough-and-tumble, Bastian can be used as either a short form or a stand-alone variant of elegant Sebastian. Also spelled as Bastien, Bastiaan, and Bastían, it notably…
Baz
Diminutive of Sebastian or Basil; Kurdish
"regal; falcon"
As Bas, it's a popular name in The Netherlands, but Baz, as in director Luhrmann, has potential for independent life too. Curiously, Australian-born Moulin Rouge director Luhrmann was born neither…