User-created list
Facade Player Names
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of 5
Matt
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…
Mel
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…
Nat
English, diminutive of Nathan or Nathaniel
Just the kind of old-fashioned nickname coming back into style.
Nick
English, diminutive of Nicholas and Dominick
The classic strong-yet-friendly nickname name, much used for charming movie characters.
Pat
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.
Rich
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,…
Rob
English, diminutive of Robert
"bright fame"
Rob has claimed Bob's turf.
Ted
Diminutive of Theodore or Edward, Greek or English
"gift of god; rich guard"
Like Ed, Eddie and Teddy, Ted is rarely used as an independent name – in the US, at least. In the UK, Eddie ranks just outside the Top 200, Teddy ranks just outside the Top 30, and Ted is a Top 200…
Tim
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.
Tom
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
Will
Diminutive of William
"resolute protector"
Will has definitely replaced Bill, not only as a nickname for William but as a stand-alone name as well, partly thanks to England's Prince William, also known as Wills. Currently outside the Top 1000…
Beth
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.
Brenda
Scottish
"blade of a sword"
First the heroine of Sir Walter Scott's 1822 novel The Pirate , then a glamorous 1940s debutante, then the troubled twin on Beverly Hills 90210, and now fading in favor of more modern Brenna, Briana,…
Carol
English, feminine variation of Charles
"free man"
A Caroline abbreviation that was wildly popular with Mom's generation...or Grandma's. At one time it was a name for baby girls born at Christmas . because of its association with Christmas carols.…
Cathy
English diminutive of Catherine, Greek
"pure"
One of the most popular nicknames of the fifties and sixties — and who could forget the romantic heroine of "Wuthering Heights"? — now largely ignored in favor of Cate or Kate.
Chris
English diminutive of Christina, Greek
"a Christian"
Chris is one of the longest-running and still most appealing unisex short forms, still used nearly equally for boys and girls. Though no longer fashionable, Chris still feels crisp and appropriate…
Ellen
English variation of Helen
"torch; shining light"
An medieval English form of Helen, the sensitive but clear-eyed Ellen has swung in and out of style for centuries, often alternating with the parent name. Ellen was the more common in medieval…
Genevra
Genevra is a feminine name with roots in the Latin name Juniperus, meaning "juniper tree." It's a variation of Geneva and Ginevra, sharing etymology with the name Jennifer. This elegant name combines…
Heather
English botanical name
"small shrub"
This flower name was one of the most popular in her class in the seventies and eighties, a fact reflected in the 1989 movie Heathers , in which every snobby girl in the high school clique bears the…
Janet
Diminutive of Jane
"God is gracious"
Janet started as a pet form of Jane but has long been used independently. Jane is a feminine form of John, which derived from the Hebrew name Yochanan. Janet can also be considered a variation of…