Short Baby Names

  1. Dan
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "God is my judge"
    • Description:

      Often stands alone in Israel, but rarely here.
  2. Blaire
    • Origin:

      English variation of Blair, Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "dweller on the plain"
    • Description:

      Blair with a little something extra, which some parents may feel feminizes the name. The Blaire spelling was given to a surprising number of baby girls, with about a third of baby girls with the name given this spelling. The final e also is reminiscent of Claire.
  3. Josh
    • Description:

      Josh is a friendly, approachable masculine name that originated as a shortened form of Joshua, which comes from Hebrew meaning 'God is salvation.' While Joshua has biblical significance as the successor to Moses, Josh emerged as a standalone name in the 20th century, embodying a casual, down-to-earth quality. It gained significant popularity in the 1970s through the 1990s in the United States, ranking consistently in the top 100 names. Josh conveys an accessible, unpretentious character with its brief, one-syllable structure. The name suggests a straightforward, trustworthy personality and has maintained steady usage without seeming dated or trendy. Josh represents a perfect balance of familiarity and timelessness in contemporary naming practices.

  4. Kim
    • Origin:

      English diminutive of Kimberly; Vietnamese; Scandinavian diminutive of Joachima; Soviet name
    • Description:

      Kim was the coolest name... of the 1960s. Kim was popularized by actress Kim Novak, and its energy is still maintained by rapper Lil' Kim, but it holds lil' or no appeal for new babies. Parents who like Kim's short, sweet sound might look to a choice such as Sam, Lou, or Belle.
  5. Sloan
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Sloane
    • Description:

      Less popular than the Bueller-inspired Sloane but following on its coattails, this name ranks toward the middle of the Top 1000, but we see both spellings sticking around for years to come.
  6. Nick
    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Nicholas and Dominick
    • Description:

      The classic strong-yet-friendly nickname name, much used for charming movie characters.
  7. Fred
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Frederick or Alfred, German or English
    • Meaning:

      "peaceful ruler or wise counselor"
    • Description:

      Where have all the Freds gone? We haven't seen many since the days of Flintstone and Munster. But it could be time for a comeback--if you think more of the sophistication of Fred Astaire, and of other nice guy names like Jack and Charlie and Sam.
  8. Jen
    • Description:

      Jen is a short, crisp feminine name that originated primarily as a diminutive of Jennifer, though it can also be a nickname for names like Jenna, Jenny, or Genevieve. The root name Jennifer comes from the Welsh 'Gwenhwyfar,' meaning 'white wave' or 'fair spirit.' Jen gained independent usage during the 1970s and 1980s when Jennifer was at peak popularity, with some parents choosing to put just 'Jen' on the birth certificate. Its simplicity and directness appeal to those preferring unpretentious, straightforward names. While Jen's popularity as a stand-alone name has declined since the 1990s, it maintains appeal for its brevity and friendly, approachable quality. The name carries a casual confidence and remains recognizable without being overly common as a formal name.
  9. Steve
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Stephen or Steven
    • Meaning:

      "garland, crown"
    • Description:

      Some parents just use Steve on the birth certificate, but it doesn't have the breezy charm of trendy short forms like Max, Sam, and Jake. Regardless of how much you love Steve as a given name, it might be smart to give your son a longer option to fall back on.
  10. Zack
    • Origin:

      Short form of Zachary or Zachariah
    • Description:

      As the common short form of Zachary or, more unusually, Zachariah, Zack is less intuitive than Zach or Zac in terms of spelling but clearer in terms of pronunciations. Maybe because it rhymes with Jack and Mack, it also feels more complete as a name. Some people also use Zack and brothers as a short form of Isaac.
  11. Rick
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Richard, Frederick
    • Description:

      Last cool when Bogie roamed Casablanca.
  12. Liz
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Elizabeth
    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"
    • Description:

      Some might think a girl named Liz on her birth certificate would feel deprived of her full identity, but in a time when mini names like Liv, Kit, Tru, Kai, Lou, and Bea are in style, Liz feels substantial enough that its bearer won't feel bereft.
  13. Sue
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Susan
    • Description:

      Much-used midcentury diminutive, now fallen far from favor even as a middle name.
  14. Pam
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Pamela, English
    • Meaning:

      "all honey"
    • Description:

      This mild-mannered short form was Queen of the Prom in the fifties and sixties, but today is mostly heard on TV's The Office (and of course as one of the founders of Nameberry).
  15. Brad
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Bradley
    • Description:

      Pitt is the prototypical blond Brad.
  16. Lil
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Lillian and Lily, flower name
    • Meaning:

      "lily"
    • Description:

      Spunky old vaudeville era nickname name suddenly sounds new again.
  17. Page
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "page, attendant"
    • Description:

      Sleek and sophisticated single-syllable choice that has NEVER been in the Top 1000, though sister name Paige has ranked since the mid 1950s. Though off her peak, Paige is still in the Top 200. Along with Poppy, Patience, and Plum, Page is one of the girl names that start with P that are also words.
  18. Pat
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Patricia
    • Meaning:

      "noble, patrician"
    • Description:

      An early and still quintessentially gender-neutral name, now supplanted by thousands of fresher options. Hasn't been recorded as a given name since 1991.

The Nameberry App Is Live

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Find your perfect baby name together in our iPhone app, now available on the App Store.
  • Swipe through thousands of names with your partner
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  • Get personalized recommendations that learn based on your and your partner's preferences
  • Partner with friends and family to find names you all love
  • Backed by Nameberry's 20 years of data around name preferences.
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