Short And Lively

A spunky boyish diminutive in the vein of Frankie, Billie and Charlie, but far less popular in the US. Georgie could be a nickname for Georgia, Georgette, Georgina or Georgiana – or just use it as it is, as over 90 sets of American parents did in 2021.

With its cool -X ending, Jax is an update on the classic nickname Jack, likely inspired by the rise of Jackson. It garnered attention in the US thanks to the game, Mortal Kombat II back in the '90s, and was pushed up the charts when it was used in the show Sons of Anarchy, in which Jackson "Jax" Teller is the central character.

Long a royal nickname in England, it's coming back there along with Archie and Alfie. British singer Kate Bush calls her little boy Bertie.

Blue suddenly came into the spotlight, as the unusual color name chosen by Beyonce and Jay-Z for their baby girl Blue Ivy. Blue is also a starbaby middle name du jour, used for both sexes in different spellings and forms, from John Travolta and Kelly Preston's Ella Bleu to Alicia Silverstone's Bear Blu. Dave 'The Edge' Evans named his daughter Blue Angel back in 1989.

The original Pip was the main character in Great Expectations (full name Philip Pirrip). Cute for a tike, maybe too cute for an adult.

Though short and brisk, no nickname name could have a more creative image. Comic actor Chris O'Dowd named his son Art, as in his native Ireland it's used as a name on its own, separate from Arthur., coming from an ancient word for ""a bear,"" and used in the sense of ""outstanding warrior"" or ""champion."" A pagan High King of Ireland, Art’s rule was so honest that two angels hovered over him in battle.

Permanent property of that devilish little Simpson kid.

Sky may be a bit hippie-ish, but it's bright and sunny nonetheless. Sky rejoined the Top 1000 in 2013 after spending many years off the list. Sky was the choice of magician David Copperfield for his daughter, born in 2010.

Billie as a masculine name originated as a diminutive form of William, derived from Germanic elements meaning "will" or "determination" and "helmet" or "protection." While more commonly recognized as a feminine name today, Billie has historical precedence as a male name, particularly in the early to mid-20th century. Notable male bearers include jazz musician Billie Holiday (born Eleanora but adopted the masculine spelling) and various athletes and musicians. The name conveys a friendly, approachable quality with vintage charm. Though its popularity for boys has declined significantly since the 1960s, it maintains appeal for parents drawn to gender-neutral naming options with traditional roots and a casual, unpretentious character.

Homophonous with Mae and May, the beautiful (literally) Mei is poised to climb the charts. The hero of the 2022 Disney/Pixar film Turning Red is a Chinese-Canadian teen named Meilin "Mei" Lee, which may boost the name ever further.

Gently old-fashioned stand-alone nickname that owes its popularity to mega popular Abigail.

A thirteenth-century Tuscan saint, patron of homemakers, Zita is the kind of name that sounded really creative in an earlier era.

A warm and cuddly nickname name, although he famously "kissed the girls and made them cry" in the old nursery rhyme.

Viva la baby with this life-affirming name, one of the appealing group of girl names that mean life. Other related life-giving names on the rise: cousins Vida and Vita, and Vivian, Aviva, and even Zoe.

It's been shown that notable political figures often impact the use of their names, and the same can — sort of — be said about Bernie Sanders. His name increased in use by 47% between 2015 and 2016 (albeit, to a peak of only 21 baby boys given the name). By 2017, Bernie has decreased in usage by almost 60%.

Vivi is a short form of all the Vivian and Viveca forms that is sure to get a lot more attention now that a little Jolie-Pitt girl has been named Vivienne.

This British river name sounds sleek and strong but perhaps a bit too energetic.

Bernie is an old school unisex nickname name, on the order of Bobbie or Willie. But with Billie and her tomboyish crew coming back, it's time to get Bernie on your radar! Bernie has a certain vintage charm and is boosted by the funky clunky Bernadette long form.

Maddy is a feminine name that functions both as a diminutive and as a standalone given name. Most commonly, it serves as a nickname for longer names such as Madeline, Madison, Madeleine, or Matilda. Derived from Magdalene, which refers to Mary Magdalene in the New Testament, the name ultimately has Hebrew origins meaning 'tower' or 'elevated.' Maddy has a friendly, approachable quality that balances youthful charm with sufficient substance for adulthood. Its popularity surged in the late 1990s and early 2000s alongside the rise of Madison and other 'Mad-' names. The name offers the advantage of familiarity without being overly common as a legal name, striking a pleasant balance between unique and accessible.