User-created list
By Chrisinliberty · Updated May 2023
Across 40 pages
of 40
Diminutive of Margaret, Greek
"pearl"
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…
Diminutive of Susan
Much-used midcentury diminutive, now fallen far from favor even as a middle name.
English, diminutive of Robert
"bright fame"
Kids love Bob the Builder, but do they want to be Bob the Builder? Bob and Bobby have been out of style since the 1960s, but as vintage nickname-names -- Fred, Archie -- come back into vogue, Bob may…
English, diminutive of Theresa
"to harvest"
Terry hit the Top 30 in the fifties when it was seeen as a cool, sleek gender neutral name , but it's long since lost that edge. Today's Terry would probably be Tess or Tessa.
Rob has claimed Bob's turf.
Short form of Stanley
"near the stony meadow"
One of the old-school nicknames -- think Ray, Vince, Frank -- that's on the brink of coming back into style. Name him Stanislav or Constantine and he'll have a groovier long form to fall back on.
Baily is a feminine name with Old English origins, traditionally a surname derived from 'bailiff,' describing someone who served as a court officer or land manager. As a first name, it gained…
Mitch is a masculine name that originated as a diminutive of Mitchell, which itself began as a surname derived from the name Michael, meaning "who is like God?" in Hebrew. Mitch emerged as a…
Greek
"green bough"
Phyllis has been used by classical poets for the idealized pastoral maiden. A Greek mythological name of a woman who was turned into an almond tree, Phyllis was in the Top 100 from 1916 to 1958,…
Sheri is a feminine name with multiple potential origins. It emerged primarily as a diminutive form of Sheryl or Cheryl, which themselves derive from the French name Chérie, meaning "beloved" or…
Diminutive of Richard
"dominant ruler"
Dick was a once-common short form of Richard; replaced by Rick or Richie, and finally by the full name itself. Rude meaning -- make that two rude meanings -- pretty much knocks this one out of…
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).…
Diminutive of Edward et al
"wealthy"
The most minimalist of names, Ed is decidedly out -- though that usually means it's due to swing back in. More stylish these days: Ned or even Ted.
Neale is a masculine name with Celtic origins, representing an anglicized form of the Gaelic name Niall, which possibly means 'champion' or 'cloud.' This spelling variant adds a distinctive touch to…
Diminutive of Patrick
"noble, patrician"
As seen on SNL, Pat is the ultimate androgynous name . Stick with long form Patrick, and make sure everyone calls him Patrick.
English, diminutive of Roderick and Rodney
Macho-er than thou.
Diminutive of Pamela, English
"all honey"
This mild-mannered short form was Queen of the Prom in the fifties and sixties, but today is mostly heard on TV's The Office (and of course as one of the founders of Nameberry). While about 100 baby…
