Nicknames From YesterYear

  1. Peggy
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Margaret, Greek
    • Meaning:

      "pearl"
    • Description:

      Just when we had written off Peggy as the eternal perky, pug-nosed prom-queen she projected from the 1920s into the fifties, along came Mad Men, with intriguing mid-century characters with names like Joan and Betty--and Peggy, causing a bit of a re-think. MM's proto-feminist Peggy Olson was followed by Amy Adams's strong Oscar-nominated Peggy Dodd character in The Master.
  2. Pete
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Peter
    • Meaning:

      "rock"
    • Description:

      Sixties-style short form that sounds cool again -- though the unscrupulous Pete on "Mad Men" is not a character to emulate.
  3. Polly
    • Origin:

      English variation of Molly
    • Description:

      An alternative to the no-longer-fresh Molly, the initial 'P' gives Polly a peppier sound, combining the cozy virtues of an old-timey name with the bounce of a barmaid.
  4. Ron
    • Sandy
      • Origin:

        Diminutive of Sandra or Alexandra
      • Description:

        Nickname name in the era of Grease. Sandy fits well in the era of boyish nicknames for girls - a la Scottie and Stevie - or as an alternative to the rapidly rising Goldie. While it peaked in 1960, Sandy is still given to about 60 baby girls each year.
    • Vic
      • Origin:

        Diminutive of Victor, Latin
      • Meaning:

        "conqueror"
      • Description:

        This short form of classic Victor is popular in its own right in Belgium and the Netherlands.