User-created list
By Chrisinliberty · Updated May 2023
Across 40 pages
of 40
Diminutive of Timothy, Greek
"honoring God"
Tim is a boyish short form occasionally given on its own. There were 37 baby boys named Tim in the US last year, versus over 1700 named Timothy.
English diminutive of Katherine, Greek
"pure"
There are lots of Kathy moms and grandmas but very few babies, most of whom are now called Kate or Katie.
Diminutive of Kenneth; Japanese
"born of fire or handsome; healthy and strong"
In many minds this one belongs to Barbie, but with such positive meanings and international connections, can Ken make the transition to usability again?
Spelling variation of Brandon
The en ending is so fashionable these days, a lot of people prefer it even when the alternative as with Brandon has more heft.
Diminutive of Jeffrey, Jefferson
"pledge of peace"
The ultimate dad name.
English diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew
"pledged to God"
The sweetest and most sensitive of the pet names for Elizabeth, now also one of the most dated.
Diminutive of Nicole or Indian, Punjabi, Sikh
"people of victory; little one"
Nikki was the it-girl name of the 1970s and '80s as both a short form of Top 10 favorite Nicole and as a given name itself. As a Punjabi name, Nikki is usually a pet name for youngest daughters.…
Jimmie is a masculine name that originated as a diminutive form of James. Deriving from the Hebrew name Jacob (meaning "supplanter"), James became widely popular throughout the English-speaking…
English, diminutive of Tamara
Made famous in fifties movies as a wholesome backwoods gal, Tammy was a Top 10 choice from the mid-60s to early-70s, but is now given to fewer than 100 babies per year in the US.
Short form of Matthew
"gift of God"
Still one of the most appealing short forms, which goes a long way toward explaining the sustained popularity of Matthew. Matt is perennially the popular guy in high school, friendly, attractive, and…
English diminutive of Rebecca, Hebrew
"servant of God"
Down to earth and versatile, Becky is a popular diminutive of the classic Biblical name, Rebecca. In the US, it was most popular as a stand alone name back in the 60s, while in the UK, it remained in…
Rich is a masculine name that functions both as a standalone name and as a diminutive of Richard, which derives from Germanic elements meaning "powerful" and "brave ruler." As an independent name,…
Spelling variation of Caitlin
Kaitlin is a variation of Caitlin that's on a steep decline; it dropped out of the Top 1000 in 2013, after more than three decades on the list.
English diminutive of Christina, Greek
"a Christian"
Christy was one of the coolest girls in the class of '73, still cute but not quite as youthful.
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 Bradley
Pitt is the prototypical blond Brad.
Short form of Ronald, Norse
"ruler's counselor"
Ron is a masculine name that functions both as a standalone name and as a shortened form of longer names like Ronald, Aaron, or Byron. Ronald, its most common source, derives from the Old Norse…
Modern invented name, variation of Cherie, French
"darling"
As frozen in the pre-Beatles era as short white gloves.
Short form of Gabriel, Hebrew
"God is my strength"
Gabe ranked in the Top 1000 from 1880 until 1905, when it fell into obscurity. There are fewer than 100 boys named Gabe, just plain Gabe, each year in the US, compared with over 10,000 named Gabriel.…
German and Norwegian variation of Christina
A crystalline name that retains its loveliness far past its prime. Its biggest downside: Eternal confusion over spelling and pronunciation. Kristen? Kirsten? It can be so confusing that many parents…
