Now on iOS & AndroidSwipe baby names with your partner — match on names you both love.

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play
Nameberry Logo
​
​

Jazzy Nicknames

vintageluvs
By vintageluvs
Updated Thu May 25 2023
  1. Sonny

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "son"

    • Description:

      Sonny is one of the generic boy nickname names making a surprise reappearance, and it was recently used by actor Jason Lee. Another surprise: It's been on the US Top 1000 list every year since 1927, and as of 2023, it entered the Top 400 for the first time. Laidback Sonny is also popular in the UK, New Zealand and Australia.
  2. King

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "monarch"

    • Description:

      King is a name that sends a mixed message. While some might think of it as more fitting for a canine, others see it as a strong name with offbeat style and a full court of rich associations, from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to Elvis.

      King Vidor was an important early Hollywood director; King Camp Gillette invented the safety razor.

      If it's king names you're after that aren't King itself, see our list of Names with Royal Meanings or other lists and blogs on royal names.
  3. Duke

    • Origin:

      English rank of nobility

    • Description:

      While John Wayne and Duke Ellington are worthy role models, the reason Duke is currently enjoying a revival and returned to the Top 1000 in 2013 as one of the year's fastest-rising boys’ names is more likely due to the name given to high-profile TV couple Giuliana and Bill Rancic. Christened Edward Duke, he has always been called by his middle name, just as Edward Duke Ellington was. Duke is just one of several aristocratic titles being increasingly used by ordinary citizens.
  4. Junior

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "young"

    • Description:

      The line should end with Junior Soprano. While most would expect this to be a nickname rather than an actual given name, Junior has always ranked in the US Top 1000, hitting its peak in 1925 at Number 116.
  5. Bud

    • Origin:

      English nickname

    • Meaning:

      "friend"

    • Description:

      An upbeat and friendly nickname, Bud is more often reserved as a term of endearment, though it was once a Top 500 choice in the US and remained in the charts right up until the 60s. While long-form Buddy may feel more wearable, it does have the vintage yet energetic feel of Teddy, Kit, or Scout.
  6. Buster

    • Origin:

      Modern nickname

    • Description:

      An old-fashioned nickname in the Bud/Buzz/Biff mold; this one's kind of belligerent. Michelle Hicks and Jonny Lee Miller moved outside the box when they used it for their son--given the safer middle name of Timothy.
  7. Nat

    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Nathan or Nathaniel

    • Description:

      Just the kind of old-fashioned nickname coming back into style.
  8. Buddy

    • Origin:

      English, nickname name

    • Description:

      Until recently it was rarely used as a proper name; Buddy Holly, for example, was christened Charles, and Salinger's Buddy Glass was born Webb. Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver did name his fourth child Buddy Bear Maurice--a fittingly named brother to Poppy Honey Rosie, Daisy Boo Pamela and Petal Blossom Rainbow, and singer Tom Fletcher has a double-nicknamed Buddy Bob.
  9. Baby

    • Origin:

      Word name

    • Description:

      Usually reserved as a term of endearment, Baby is likely used as a name when parents have yet to choose an official one but need to register their baby. For a girl, it can be considered a nickname for Barbara too.
  10. Lucky

    • Origin:

      English word name

    • Meaning:

      "having good fortune"

    • Description:

      Recently chosen by singer Elle King for her son. Lucky is a name that could see a considerable rise in the near future, as word names continue to heat up.
  11. Thad

    • Origin:

      Short form of Thaddeus or variation of Tad

    • Description:

      Thad is a tad too slight to stand alone as a name, though as a short form of the imposing Thaddeus it's as serviceable as Ted or Ed.
  12. Bessie

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"

    • Description:

      After a century of association with horses and cows, this name just could be ready for revival by a fearless baby namer -- after all, it did happen to Jessie and Becky.
  13. Chet

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Chester, English

    • Meaning:

      "fortress, walled town"

    • Description:

      Chet is an old-fashioned short form of Chester, that like Ned, Mac, Ted, and Wes, it has the potential to sound cool again. Country singer Luke Combs and his wife Nicole, certainly thought so as they chose Chet Wiley for their son in 2026, a sibling to Beau Lee and Tex Lawrence.
  14. Red

    • Origin:

      Color name

    • Description:

      Fiery but slight middle name choice; much more apt to be a redhead's nickname.
  15. Tad

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Thaddeus, Aramaic

    • Meaning:

      "gift of God"

    • Description:

      An approachable mini name that could go on the birth certificate, but may work best as a nickname. Full name options include Thaddeus, Theodore, and Thomas, which was the given name of Abe's son Tad Lincoln. Taddy is a rare alternative to Teddy.
  16. Bunk

    • Description:

      Bunk is an uncommon masculine name that likely originated as a nickname before occasionally being adopted as a given name. It may derive from the German 'bunke' meaning 'bone' or could be a short form of names like Bunker. The name has a distinct, punchy quality with its short, one-syllable structure. Historically, Bunk has appeared as a nickname in American culture, sometimes associated with rural or Southern communities. While not widely used as a formal given name, it has a friendly, unpretentious quality that some parents might find appealing. The name's brevity and hard consonant ending give it a masculine edge, while its informality projects a down-to-earth character.

  17. Gus

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Augustus, Angus, Gustave, Augustin, Augusten, Augustine, August

    • Description:

      Gus is a homey grandpa nickname name that can work as a short form for any of the above or stand on its own as a cutting-edge replacement for Max and Jake--though it was off the Top 1000 from 1978 until 2016, when it squeaked in at Number 999.
  18. Bix

    • Origin:

      Modern nickname

    • Description:

      Bix is a cool and jazzy nickname name, thanks to that final x. It's largely associated with the legendary and influential cornet player (and inspiration for the novel Young Man With a Horn), Bix Beiderbecke. He was born Leon Bismark Beiderbecke and his nickname derived from his middle name.
  19. Blue

    • Origin:

      Color name

    • Description:

      Among the coolest of the cool color names, particularly popular with celebs as a unisex middle name. While most famous as the name of Beyonce and Jay-Z's daughter Blue Ivy, more than 60 percent of the babies named Blue are boys.
  20. Bunny

    The Nameberry App Is Live

    Nameberry app screenshot
    Find your perfect baby name together in our app, now available on the App Store and Google Play.
    • Swipe through thousands of names with your partner
    • Names you match on are saved to your shared list
    • 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.
    Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play
    Nameberry app screenshot