User-created list
Names by Nickname
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Tripp
Word name
The extra p makes Tripp more of a name and less of a Trip. Usually a nickname of a boy who's a third, but Tripp is sure to get more attention in its own right now as the name of Sarah Palin's…
Roy
French or Celtic
"king or red-haired"
We've seen Ray regain his cool, but could this country/cowboy name epitomized by Roy Rogers (born Leonard Slye), Acuff, and Clark, do the same? Roy came into use in the late nineteenth century,…
Lottie
English, diminutive of Charlotte
"free man"
Lottie is a nostalgic great-grandma name that conjures up lockets and lace, and — like Nellie, Josie, Hattie, Tillie, and Milly — has considerable vintage charm. A Top 100 name at the end of the…
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…
Drew
Diminutive of Andrew
"strong and manly"
Drew, which projects a polished, somewhat intellectual impression, is rapidly becoming the Andrew nickname of choice, replacing the past favorite, Andy. It is fully capable of standing on its own,…
Della
English diminutive of Adela, Adele, or Adelaide, German
"noble"
Fresh, bright, and sunny, Della could be an alternative to Ella, Delilah, or Adeline. Familiar but not yet overused, it combines the elements of contemporary favorites with vintage charm. With its…
Lina
Arabic; Latin diminutive
"tender"
This pretty, succinct Arabic name is also commonly used as a nickname for names like Carolina.
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…
Jamie
Diminutive of James
"supplanter"
The cool form of James in the 1970s and '80s for both sexes. Still a more stylish short form than Jimmy, though many parents will want to call James by his entire, not-very-long name. In the UK, and…
Mina
Hindu equivalent of Pisces or diminutive of Wilhelmina, German
"resolute protection"
Most famous as a Dracula victim (where Mina is short for Wilhelmina), Mina is a name that can stand on its own or be a diminutive of any name ending in -mina, most usually Wilhelmina. This Old World…
Ari
Diminutive of Ariel, Hebrew
"lion of God"
In 2010, baby boys named Ari outnumbered baby girls 4 to 1; today, there are nearly equal numbers of boys and girls named Ari. And that's only counting the babies who receive Ari as a full name. Ari…
Goldie
Anglicized form of Yiddish Golde or Golda
"gold"
Goldie is a shimmering new addition to the nickname name lineup, and became one of the fastest rising girl names in 2023. After peaking at Number 114 in 1904-1905, Goldie slid off the list completely…
Indie
Short form of India, Indigo etc
Indie is an independent-sounding nickname name that is in the Top 100 in Wales. As a diminutive, it's growing in popularity -- along with indie films, indie publishing -- and the reason some parents…
Sam
English, diminutive of Samuel
"told by God"
Sam has long been used on its own for boys, as accepted standing by itself as it is as a short form of Samuel. Straightforward and down-to-earth, Sam is the name of the son of the co-stars of The…
Kizzy
Variation of Keziah
"cassia tree"
Kizzy was a character in Alex Haley's Roots ; this and other Keziah variations were widely used among enslaved people. In Roots the name is explained by the hero Kunta as 'you sit down' or 'you stay…
Shelby
English
"estate on the ledge"
Though Shelby was trendier ten years ago, it's still a widely used choice.
Andie
Diminutive of Andrea, Greek
"strong and manly"
Boyish nicknames for girls are all the rage — just look at the success of Charlie, Frankie, Stevie, Billie, and Scottie in recent years. Andie has history as a nickname for Andrea, popularized by…
Myra
Greek
"sweet-smelling oil"
As with many grandmother-y names, this choice may be coming back into style. Myra was invented in the seventeenth century by a poet called Fulke Greville as a short form of Miranda--or perhaps an…
Davis
Surname derived from David, Hebrew
"beloved"
Davis is a fresh way to say David. Some sources define it as "son of David," but we see it as a surname spin on the original. While David is an everyman name, Davis has some creative edge -- and…
Birdie
English
"bird"
Birdie was until recently a middle-aged Ladies' Club member wearing a bird-decorated hat --but now it's just the kind of vintage nickname (think Hattie, Josie, Mamie, Millie) that's coming back into…