Vintage Nicknames for Girls
- Lilibet
Origin:
Nickname of Elizabeth, HebrewMeaning:
"pledged to God"Description:
Lilibet is the fanciful short form of Elizabeth first noted as the childhood nickname of Britain's queen and now made contemporary as the name of the newborn daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex — aka Harry and Meghan. The nickname Lilibet originally derived from Elizabeth II's first pronunciation of her own name.
- Roxy
Origin:
Diminutive of Roxanne, PersianMeaning:
"dawn"Description:
Roxy, also spelled Roxie, is one of those high-stepping showgal names with plenty of moxie, among the many sassy nickname names on the U.K. popularity list--currently Number 398.
- Peggy
Origin:
Diminutive of Margaret, GreekMeaning:
"pearl"Description:
Just when we had written off Peggy as the eternal perky, pug-nosed prom-queen she projected from the 1920s into the fifties, along came Mad Men, with intriguing mid-century characters with names like Joan and Betty--and Peggy, causing a bit of a re-think. MM's proto-feminist Peggy Olson was followed by Amy Adams's strong Oscar-nominated Peggy Dodd character in The Master.
- Kay
Origin:
English, diminutive of KatherineDescription:
Kay, a cigarette-smoking, nightclubbing name of the 1930's, could be ready for a comeback along with cousins May/Mae and Ray/Rae.
- Lenny
Origin:
Diminutive of Leonard, GermanMeaning:
"brave lion"Description:
This old man nickname feels remarkably fresh when applied to girls. Use it as a short form of Lena, Helena, Magdalena, Lennon or Lennox. The pan-European Leni is identical in sound yet feels a little lighter and fresher, and is a fashionable favorite in Germany.
- Mitzi
Origin:
German, diminutive of MariaMeaning:
"bitter"Description:
Mitzi is a spunky German nickname name that might appeal to parents drawn to the genre of lively vintage chorus girl names that proliferated in 1930's musicals. Lively entertainer Mitzi Gaynor--who was originally named Francesca Marlene de Czani von Gerber--made the name notable in mid-century America.
- Emmy
Origin:
Diminutive of Emily and EmmaMeaning:
"work; universal"Description:
Long a nickname for all the Em-names, as well as an annual award, Emmy is now being given on its own, as are soundalikes Emme and Emmi. Might be too identified with the TV awards--though that doesn't seem to have hurt Oscar or Tony. We think Emmy is a little too cutesey, and is probably best kept as a nickname for something that ages a little better.
- Addie
Origin:
Diminutive of Adelaide or AdelineDescription:
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.
- Cia
Origin:
Diminutive of CynthiaDescription:
What's Cia short for? Cynthia or most any other C-name. Stylish in its sleek Mia-Nia minimalist feel, but may remind some of the Central Intelligence Agency.
- Flossie
Origin:
Diminutive of FlorenceMeaning:
"flourishing, prosperous"Description:
Flossie was an extremely popular Florence nickname that was used independently in the early twentieth century, given to over five hundred girls per year a century ago. Flossie was one of the younger twins in the iconic children's book series The Bobbsey Twins, first published in 1904. Appealing, if a little cutesy--sweet as candy floss. A similar name is Florrie.
- Tansy
Origin:
Flower name, from GreekMeaning:
"immortality"Description:
Tansy is a flower name rarer than Rose, livelier than Lily and a lot less teasable than Pansy.
- Zuzu
Origin:
Czech diminutive of SusanMeaning:
"lily"Description:
This sizzling nickname Zuzu is heard every Christmas as the name of Jimmy Stewart's little girl in "It's a Wonderful Life," but we love it all year round as a lively alternative to double names like Gigi and Bibi.
- Georgie
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"farmer"Description:
A spunky boyish diminutive in the vein of Frankie, Billie and Charlie, but far less popular in the US. Georgie could be a nickname for Georgia, Georgette, Georgina or Georgiana – or just use it as it is, as over 90 sets of American parents did in 2021.
- Ria
Origin:
SpanishMeaning:
"small river"Description:
Short and feminine, Ria has a rhythmic flow.
- Mamie
Origin:
Diminutive of Mary or MargaretDescription:
Mamie is back. Having finally shorn her Mamie Eisenhower bangs, this insouciant and adorable nickname name is perfect if you want a zestier way to honor a beloved aunt Mary. Meryl Streep's actress daughter, properly named Mary Willa, is called Mamie Gummer. You might think of Mamie as a sister of the stylish Maisie.
- Ollie
Origin:
Short form of Olive or Olivia, LatinMeaning:
"olive tree"Description:
Ollie is used less often as a nickname for the mega-popular Olivia or the stylish Olive than Ellie is for Eleanor or Allie for Allison. That may be because Ollie has a much longer use as a nickname for boys.
- Essie
Origin:
Diminutive of Esther, PersianMeaning:
"star"Description:
Cute short form of Esther, now associated with the iconic nail polish brand.
- Sosie
Origin:
Diminutive of SusanDescription:
Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon chose this unusual diminutive for their daughter.
- Bobbie
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"bright fame"Description:
Vintage nickname for Roberta or Barbara, most famously borne by Roberta "Bobbie" in Edith Nesbit's classic The Railway Children.
- Trudy
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"spear of strength"Description:
Innocent, sincere, and bright-eyed, and as outdated as its mother name, Gertrude.