Names by Nickname

Waldo

German, pet form of names such as Waldemar

"to rule"

Its jaunty o-ending makes this name more appealing than most of its Germanic brothers, and we hope we're beyond the constant response to his name being "Where's Waldo?" The weighty reputation of…

Wally

English, diminutive of Walter or Wallace

A Leave It to Beaver/old comic-strip name, vacationing for years with the Griswolds in WallyWorld, but now back as WALL-E?

Ward

English occupational name

"guard, watchman"

Until recently Ward was, like Wally, a Cleaver name, but today's parents are seeing it as a cooler nickname for Edward than Eddie, and are also beginning to use it on its own.

Wash

Wash is a masculine name that originated as a diminutive of Washington, which itself began as an English surname meaning 'estate of a person named Wassa.' The name gained prominence in America due to…

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…

Win

Diminutive of Winslow, Winthrop, or Winston, English

"friend's hill or friend's village or wine town"

Win is an upbeat, can-do name that can be a short form of one of the buttoned-up British choices above or can stand on its own. Welsh Wyn is another possibility. Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell…