User-created list
Ace Short Names!
Across 3 pages
of 3
Bo
Norse nickname
"to live"
A popular name in Denmark, in this country Bo has some cowboy swagger and a lot of substance in its minimal two letters. In Mandarin Chinese, Bo means "wave".
Asa
Hebrew; Japanese
"healer; born in the morning"
A short but strong biblical name with multicultural appeal, Asa is enjoying new visibility thanks to hot young actor Asa Butterfield of Hugo fame. Asa was the name of an important biblical king of…
Cal
Diminutive of names including Cal
"dog; the whole of; dove; bald; war-strife; beautiful"
Cal is a nickname style name that feels as friendly and calm as it does cool and breezy. While its longer forms have proved more popular over the years, Cal as a stand alone has dropped on and off of…
Cali
English diminutive of any Cal- name
A short form that is given on its own to a good number of baby girls each year — Cali has been on trend in recent years along with sister names Callie and Kali, as the popular 90s and early 2000s…
Cleo
Greek
"glory"
Cleo, one of the few girls' names to boast the cool-yet-lively o ending, is of course short for Cleopatra, the name of one of the most powerful women in history. Cleo was most popular in the early…
Remy
French from Latin
"oarsman"
Remy is one of those rare names that combines ancient roots with modern sleekness. Boys outnumber girls with the classic Remy spelling, girls named Remi outnumber those named Remy. With either…
Rudy
German, diminutive of Rudolph
"famous wolf"
Rudy is one of those names that has been consistently in the US Top 1000 since the early 20th century without ever becoming overwhelmingly popular. It peaked back in the 1930s, when it briefly…
Indy
Short form of Indiana
Indie — as in indie films — is the more girlish version of the name, but earthy, gender-neutral Indy is catching up slowly and steadily. Indy entered the Top 1000 for girls for the first time in 2023…
Teo
Diminutive of Teodoro or Mateo, Spanish
"gift of God"
An international take on Theo that would be easily wearable for a child in the US or any European culture, Teo is a simple but versatile choice. It's popularly used across a number of countries,…
Ty
Diminutive of various Ty-beginning names
As Tyler has begun to recede, a number of parents, including the Wayne Gretzkys, have cut straight to the livelier short form. One thing that may be holding the name back is the tarnished legacy of…
Etta
English and Scottish, short form of any name ending with -etta: Henrietta, Loretta etc.
Thanks to the surprise hit revival of Etta James' song At Last and because of recent interest in vintage style nicknames, Etta has established herself as a possible successor to Emma and Ella. While…
Ash
Diminutive of Asher, English
"ash tree"
Ash has Southern charm plus the arboreal-nature appeal. Plus your little boy will prize Ash as the name of the hero of the Pokemon cartoons. Ash can also be a dashing short form of Asher, Ashton, or…
Cy
Diminutive of Cyrus, Persian
"sun"
This evocative short name is suddenly chic — it was recently chosen by Jennifer Lawrence for her baby boy. JLaw's son's name honors Cy Twombly, the influential mid-century American artist. Born Edwin…
Elam
Hebrew
"distant"
Elam is the name of no fewer than eight Old Testament figures. The most notable was a grandson of Noah whose followers were dubbed the Elamites. Elam is commonly used in Amish communities today.
Jed
Diminutive of Jedidiah, Hebrew
"beloved of the Lord"
Cowboyish short form that's both macho and cool. Got prime time exposure on The West Wing .
Kit
English, diminutive of Christopher
"bearer of Christ"
Actor Kit Harington, aka the dreamy Jon Snow on Game of Thrones , has given this nickname-name new style and appeal for boys. Actress Jodie Foster used it for her son back in the 2000s, while actor…
Neve
Rafe
Variation of Ralph, English
"wolf-counsel"
A top ranking choice in England and Wales, making frequent appearances on the Telegraph Announcments, Rafe feels equal parts rugged, amiable, and posh. Traditionally seen used a variant of Ralph…
Rhet
Rhet is a masculine name with roots possibly connected to the Welsh name Rhett, meaning 'ardent' or 'zealous.' It's also speculated to be a simplified spelling of the Greek-derived 'rhetoric,'…
Roux
French from Latin
"russet"
Roux is the name of the dashing Johnny Depp character in Chocolat . Roux is French from a Latin word meaning russet or brownish red; it's also a cooking term for a mixture of flour and butter that…