Girls' Nickname Names

Old-fashioned nickname with sweet turn-of-the-last-century charm that's become a favorite among the popular girl names starting with A of today. In fact, with all spellings of Adeline/Adalynn taken together firmly in the Top 10, and Adelaide and Addison also high in the charts, Addie is one of the most frequently-heard short forms around. But no matter how popular (or pandemic) it gets, Addie is undeniably one of the cutest names for baby girls. Little girls might like the fact that it's the name, though spelled Addy, of an American Girl series doll.

Allie is one short form that's gotten so popular it's often used as a name on its own. Cute, friendly, yet we'd recommend using one of the proper names such as Alice to give your daughter an option.

The currently preferred replacement for Becky, sometimes used on its own.

One of those casual down-home names last popular in the 1960s.

Everything ella, from Ella to Bella to Arabella, is red hot right now. Bella is one of the most, well, beautiful girl names starting with B. It carried a hint of a nice Old World grandmotherly veneer, until it became attached to Twilight's Bella Swan.

Although she declared her independence as far back as the reign of Elizabeth I--Good Queen Bess, Bess now sounds less passé than Beth or Betsy.

Bessy is a charming feminine name that originated as a diminutive form of Elizabeth or Bessie. With English and Scottish roots, it carries the warm, friendly quality of traditional nicknames while functioning as a standalone name. Elizabeth, from which it ultimately derives, means 'God is my oath' in Hebrew. Bessy peaked in popularity during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, reflecting an era when affectionate shortened forms were commonly used as given names. While less common today, it retains a sweet, vintage appeal that might attract parents seeking nostalgic names. The name also has rural associations through its connection to 'Bessy' as a traditional pet name for cows in British farming communities.

The sweetest and most sensitive of the pet names for Elizabeth, now also one of the most dated.

This Elizabeth nickname has a decidedly retro feel--think Betsy Ross and the Betsy Wetsy doll-- once seen as a perkier, younger-sounding alternative to Betty. But with Betty on the brink of a comeback, pigtailed Betsy could return as well.

Combine the popularity of Betty White and Mad Men's glamorous Betty Draper Francis, with the residual sweetness of Ugly Betty's Betty Suarez, and the result is an impending return of the name. It's got presidential cred via Betty Ford and feminist history through Betty Friedan.

Ties to the unfortunate Mama are now unraveling, leaving Cass or Cassie to stand on its own as a fresher sounding Cathy or Kate. With gender-neutral names abound and the growing trend of boyish nicknames for girls, Cass may be on the up and up.

Though not much in use, still retains a cozy Little House on the Prairie-type pioneer feel.

Chrissie is a feminine name that functions as a diminutive of Christina or Christine, both derived from the Greek 'Christos' meaning 'anointed one.' Popular throughout the 20th century, particularly in the 1950s-70s, Chrissie has a friendly, approachable quality that resonates as both youthful and timeless. The name gained visibility through notable bearers like singer Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders. While less commonly used as a formal given name than Christine or Christina, Chrissie often appears on birth certificates as the official name. In contemporary usage, Chrissie maintains a cheerful, vintage charm that balances familiarity with distinctiveness, making it recognizable but not overly common.

One of the coolest girls in the class of '73, still cute but not quite as youthful.

Cindy as a name in its own right made it into the Top 20 in 1957 and remained a Top 200 girls' name until the end of the 20th century. Although it's fallen precipitously since then and left the Top 1000 completely in 2015, Cindy remains a name commonly heard in the US. Today, though, it would more likely be attached to moms or grandmas than to babies.

The quintessential friendly fifties name, nearly epidemic in its day. Now many grownup Debbies have reverted to the full and lovely form of their name, which modern parents often avoid because of the name Debbie ringing too loudly in their ears.

Eliza is a name with a wonderful combination of streamlined zest and Eliza Doolittle charm and spunk. It's a classic that's popular right now -- but not too popular.

Ella is a sweet, simple name that owes much of its current popularity to the popularity of other names, from Emma to Bella to Emily to Ellie.