User-created list
By coffeecoffeecoffee · Updated April 2023
Across 12 pages
of 12
Irish
"black stranger"
An Irish surname possibility for those who like Daley, Royal, Dougal, and Dolan, though it may sound too much like doily to catch on for modern boys. Nevertheless, it was fairly well used in the 20th…
English diminutive of Catherine
"pure"
Time was, even C-starting Catherines who called themselves Kate spelled it with a K, but Cate Blanchett changed all. Cate is now as acceptable as (but not as well used as) Kate. Cait might be short…
English
"wanderer"
Gypsy, long associated with the intellectual stripper Gypsy Rose Lee and the musical that was made about her life, was used by Drea de Matteo and Shooter Jennings as the middle name of their daughter…
Diminutive of Malcolm, Scottish
"devotee of St. Colomba"
A nickname for Malcolm that at one point ranked independently on the US Top 1000. It still exists as an affectionate pet form, but you’re unlikely to hear a Malcolm introduce himself as Mal.
Carole is a feminine name of French origin, derived from the masculine name Charles, ultimately from Germanic roots meaning 'free man' or 'strong.' Popularized in English-speaking countries during…
Diminutive of Frances, English from Latin
"from France; free man"
Francie is one of the most neglected nicknames for Frances, despite having more style value than Franny and Fanny and being more unique than Frankie. We'd love to see it get more use, whether as a…
Feminine variation of Edwin, English
"wealthy friend"
Edwina may still be taking tea in the parlor, but we can see her joining friends like Matilda and Josephine for a comeback, especially if pronounced like Edwin rather than Edween. She had a very…
Janel is a feminine name generally considered a variation of Jane or Janet, with French influences. Derived ultimately from the Hebrew name Yochanan meaning 'God is gracious,' Janel emerged as a…
Gregg is a masculine name that originated as a variant spelling of Greg, which itself is a diminutive form of Gregory. The name Gregory comes from Greek origins meaning 'watchful' or 'vigilant.'…
French diminutive of Barbara, Greek
"stranger"
A less common relic of the Claudette-Paulette-Annette era. Babette's Feast is a 1987 Danish film based on a Karen Blixen (Isak Dinesen) story about a cook who wins the lottery and prepares an…
Diminutive of Patricia
"patrician"
Replaced Patsy as the midcentury's popular, peppy babysitter.
American nickname
The quintessential midcentury nickname, famously found in Arthur Miller's play "Death of a Salesman." Biff is late 19th century slang meaning to "hit", so Biff may have originated as a nickname for a…
Breena is a feminine name with Irish and Gaelic roots. It's derived from the word 'braon' meaning 'drop of rain' or 'teardrop.' Sometimes considered a variant of Breanna or Sabrina, the name carries…
Cristine is a feminine name, a variant spelling of Christine, which derives from the Latin 'Christinus,' meaning 'follower of Christ.' This elegant name has been used across many European cultures…
Doug is a masculine name that originated as a diminutive form of Douglas, a Scottish surname meaning 'dark water' or 'dark stream,' derived from the Gaelic elements 'dubh' (dark) and 'glas' (water).…
