Vintage Nicknames for Girls

  1. Thirza
    • Origin:

      Hebrew; diminutive of Theresa, English
    • Meaning:

      "delightful; harvest"
    • Description:

      This rarely used Old Testament name will inevitably set off a connection to thirst. Thirza was historically used as both an independent name and as a nickname for Theresa.
  2. Rilla
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "small brook"
    • Description:

      Rilla dropped out of the US Top 1000 in 1915, but it's starting to feel like an intriguing possibility again in this age of short, sweet, a-ending names for girls. It is traditionally a short form for names ending in -rilla, like Marilla from the Anne of Green Gables books (Anne's youngest daughter is Bertha Marilla, called Rilla for short). Rilla may also derive from the German word Rille, meaning "brook; stream".
  3. Tallie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Talia, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "gentle dew from heaven"
    • Description:

      Tallie is a seldom-heard nickname name that, with the ascendance of Hallie and Callie, we might just be hearing more of.
  4. Doe
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "a female deer"
    • Description:

      Doe is a soft and gentle-eyed middle name possibility and, like Fawn, one of the few animal names open to girls.
  5. Lulie
    • Origin:

      Short form of Lula or Louise, German and French
    • Meaning:

      "renowned warrior"
    • Description:

      One of the few Lu- names that you've probably never heard of, Lulie could prove a good alternative for Luna, Lucy, and Lula.
  6. Jeanie
    • Origin:

      Short form of Jean or Jeanne
    • Description:

      Jeanie is a midcentury bobby soxer kind of nickname that might almost be so old it's new again.
  7. Angie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Angela
    • Description:

      Cute nickname of Angela and other angelic names, Angie is now being used on its own, although its popularity has fallen in recent years. That said, Angie is one of those surprising classics, hanging on in the girls' Top 1000 continuously since its inception in 1880.
  8. Teddi
    • Origin:

      Short form of Theodora, Greek
    • Meaning:

      "gift of God"
    • Description:

      Now that Theodora (and Dorothea) are back, the adorable Teddi might work again for a baby girl. Teddi fits the rising trend of boyish nicknames for girls - alongside picks like Leni and Charlie.
  9. Lennie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Leonard, German
    • Meaning:

      "brave lion"
    • Description:

      This old man nickname feels remarkably fresh when applied to girls. The cutesy -ie spelling makes it feel very feminine. 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.
  10. Immy
    • Origin:

      Celtic
    • Meaning:

      "maiden"
    • Description:

      Diminutive of Imogen, rarely given as a standalone even in the UK, where Imogen is a Top 50 pick.
  11. Mellie
    • Origin:

      Short form of Melissa, Amelia, Melanie and related names
    • Description:

      Mellie is not Millie and it's not Nellie, though it will forever be confused with those too more familiar nicknames. It's cute, too, and while some of the names it's usually short for may be sailing into the sunset (so long, Melody!), others like Amelia are rising through the ranks and may give Mellie a new chance to shine as a cute girls' nickname. Just be prepared for endless confusion.
  12. Nonie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Joan, English
    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"
    • Description:

      A Colonial-era nickname for Joan.
  13. France
    • Origin:

      Place-name
    • Description:

      This geographic name has lots of Gallic elan. France Nuyen is a French-Vietnamese actress who starred in the Broadway hit The World of Suzie Wong.
  14. Mago
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Margaret, Greek
    • Meaning:

      "pearl"
    • Description:

      So many short forms of Margaret, from Peggy all the way through Maggie and Megan, are outdated now that Mago has value simply by being undiscovered. But still, not very appealing.
  15. Gussie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Augusta, Latin
    • Meaning:

      "great, magnificent"
    • Description:

      Gussie fits the growing trend of boyish nicknames for girls - alongside Charlie and Frankie. But Gussie is a bit fussy — try Gus.
  16. Lollie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Charlotte, French
    • Meaning:

      "free man"
    • Description:

      A sweet (literally) and rare nickname for Charlotte. Lollie would also work as a short form of other names with a strong L sound, such as Elizabeth, Lauren, Lola, Lorelei, and Louisa.
  17. Margie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Margery
    • Description:

      Prime pert-teenager name in midcentury TV shows, replaced by Maggie.
  18. Sudie
    • Origin:

      Variation of Susanna, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "lily"
  19. Maida
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "maiden"
    • Description:

      Old English name as outmoded as the use of the word maid for a young girl.
  20. Tib
    • Origin:

      English diminutive of Isabel
    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"
    • Description:

      Tib and Tibb originated in the 13th century as nicknames for Theobald (for boys) and Isabel and Isabella (for girls). As Isabel grew in popularity, Tib(b) was used more often on girls. By the 16th century, Tib was a term for a young girl, much like Tom was for young boys.