Nickname Names For Boys

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…

Ed

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.

Skip

Skip is a casual, spirited masculine name that originated as a nickname rather than a formal given name. Traditionally, it emerged as a diminutive for various names, particularly Christopher, but…

Alvie

English

"noble friend; friend of the elves"

Archie, Albie, and Alfie are coming back into style, so naturally, we think Alvie could be next. Alternate spelling Alvy was used by Woody Allen for his character in Annie Hall .

Darry

Darry is a masculine name that typically functions as a diminutive form of names like Darrell, Darren, or Darryl. These parent names have Anglo-Saxon and Celtic origins, with Darrell meaning…

Montie

Montie is a masculine name that functions as a diminutive form of Montgomery or Montague, both names with Norman French origins referring to a 'mountain' or 'pointed hill.' It can also be a nickname…

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…

Dannie

Dannie is a masculine name that originated as a diminutive form of Daniel, meaning 'God is my judge' in Hebrew. While the spelling 'Danny' is more common for boys, 'Dannie' represents a less frequent…

Art

Diminutive of Arthur

"noble one; bear man"

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.,…

Rick

Diminutive of Richard, Frederick

Last cool when Bogie roamed Casablanca.

Ollie

Diminutive of Oliver, Latin

"olive tree"

Ollie is the versatile go-to nickname for the hugely popular Oliver, though the large majority of parents prefer to have the more formal name on the birth certificate. Even in the UK where nickname…

Benji

Diminutive of Benjamin

Benji is undeniably cute, much in the way of a — yes, an adorable movie mutt. Ben is the handsome traditional short form of Benjamin, but Benji makes a more unexpected nickname

Davie

Short form of David, Hebrew

"beloved"

The nickname Davie is very hot right now -- for girls. Most Davies these days are female, but this is still a natural short form of the classic David.

Rod

English, diminutive of Roderick and Rodney

Macho-er than thou.

Bob

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…

Marty

Short form of Martin, Latin

"warlike"

Marty is one of those Old Man nicknames that's just starting to sound cute again.

Bernie

Diminutive of Bernard, English

"strong; brave as a bear"

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…

Rickie

Rickie is a masculine name typically used as a diminutive form of Richard, though it can stand as an independent name. The name Richard, from which it derives, has Germanic origins meaning "powerful…

Donnie

Short form of Donald, Scottish

"proud chief"

Infantilizing short form best reserved for toddlers and younger.

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…