User-created list
By SunMum · Updated May 2023
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English, diminutive of Nicholas and Dominick
The classic strong-yet-friendly nickname name, much used for charming movie characters.
English, diminutive of Theresa
"to harvest"
Cosy and warm but with plenty of substance and strength, Tess is a literary diminutive that works perfectly well as a stand-alone name. Stylish in the Netherlands, it currently sits outside the Top…
Welsh
"hill"
Bryn is an up-and-coming gentle, yet substantial, Welsh name that would also be effective in the middle spot. In Wales it's a traditional boys' name, but it's far more popular for girls now in the…
English and Scottish, from French variation of Johanna
"God is gracious"
Originally a feminine of John, Jean was popular in Scotland long before it found favor elsewhere, and had its most shining moment here in the era of Jean Harlow (born Harlean), ultimate symbol of…
Diminutive of Thomas
"twin"
Just like Sam and Ben, Tom could be revived as a simple, well liked name on its own. Tom, just Tom, is one of the Top 100 Boy Names in France
Hebrew
"gift"
Shai is a name newly-used in the US for both boys and, slightly less often, girls. Though the correct pronunciation is "shy", many will say shay, which might be all right with you.
Yan is a concise, powerful masculine name with multicultural origins. In Chinese, it can mean "strict," "colorful," or "handsome," depending on the character used. It's also a Russian, Dutch, and…
Diminutive of Joanna or Josephine, Hebrew
"Jehovah increases"
The name Jo still evokes the spunky image of the character in Louisa May Alcott's Little Women . Its literary status makes Jo one of the OG boyish nicknames for girls, ala Frankie, Billie, and…
English diminutive of Kimberly; Vietnamese; Scandinavian diminutive of Joachima; Soviet name
Kim was the coolest name... of the 1960s. Kim was popularized by actress Kim Novak, and its energy is still maintained by rapper Lil' Kim, but it holds lil' or no appeal for new babies. Parents who…
Diminutive of Gillian or Juliana
"youthful"
Probably due to its nursery rhyme association, Jill has the perpetual air of a rosy-cheeked tot -- even though it is one of the oldest names on the roster, a medieval variation on the Roman Julia.…
English, diminutive of Melvin
"council protector"
Though most Mels are playing pinochle with Murray and Morris, there was a notable Saint Mel. He is one of the earliest Irish saints, a nephew of St. Patrick. He became a priest, then built a great…
Swedish, Danish variation of Louis
We get that the "s" in Louis is confusing if you want it to be pronounced "lewee" — which is why Louie exists. Losing the "e" gains it nothing.
English
"lives by the thicket"
Shaw is a streamlined and more modern-sounding Shawn, with many notable surname namesakes.
Feminine variation of John, Hebrew
Jan, not short for Janet or Janice but standing on its own, ranked in the Top 200 throughout the 1950s but dropped off the Top 1000 in the 1980s and now is a truly extinct name, given to fewer than…
Variation of Neve or Niamh or a diminutive of Nevin, Ginevra, or Nevaeh
"snow; bright; new; white phantom; heaven"
Short and crisp, Nev may be a number of things: an alternative spelling to Irish Niamh, Spanish Nieves, and Italian Neve; a nickname for Geneva, Ginevra, Nevaeh, or Ginevra; an English and Turkish…
English and Scottish occupational name
"ringer of the bell"
Simplicity and pleasant associations give the word Bell real possibility as a first name -- but somehow it seems better for a girl, a la Belle.
English diminutive of Emma or Emily
"universal; rival"
There are a lot of little girls called Em today, but not that many named Em, just Em. As a first name, it's a bit reductive, especially with all the children named Emma, Emily, Emilia, Emeline, and…
Diminutive of Florence, Latin
"flourishing, prosperous"
Flo is an antiquated nickname not often used these days, possibly because "Aunt Flo" is a euphemism for a period.
Jen is a short, crisp feminine name that originated primarily as a diminutive of Jennifer, though it can also be a nickname for names like Jenna, Jenny, or Genevieve. The root name Jennifer comes…
