Nickname Names

A bright and bouncy micro name, far rarer than Mia or Gia.

You may never have known a Nettie personally, but there well might be one hidden in your family history, considering that she was a Top 100 name until 1901 and stayed on the Social Security list until 1962.

The ultimate midcentury nickname, retaining a good measure of retro charm, was chosen for her son by Mira Sorvino.

Joining Lennon, Bowie, and Hendrix in the realm of classic rock-inspired names that feel fashionable today is Jovi — as in Bon Jovi. Jovi is a variation of the Latin Jove — another name for the Roman god of the sky, Jupiter.

Milly and her more popular sister Millie are adorable Old Lady nickname-names springing back to life. Nearly 100 baby girls were named Milly, just Milly, last year, and Millie is in the US Top 500. Milly is the Molly of the new generation.

The sidekick in almost every movie or TV show with an Italo-American setting.

A straightforward, down-to-earth nickname many Walters, from Whitman to Disney, have chosen to go by.

Tony, as in classy. Or To-nyyy, as yelled out a tenement window.

Buffy was a one-time sorority girl with a roommate named Muffy, then a fearless vampire slayer, though still basically fluffy. You might think of Buffy as the feminine version of Chip or Bud -- an all-purpose nickname now buried in a mid-century time capsule.

Nikki was the it-girl name of the 1970s and '80s as both a short form of Top 10 favorite Nicole and as a given name itself.

As this word is less often used to mean derriere, it becomes more possible to view Fanny as the kind of appealingly quaint nickname name, like Josie and Nellie, that many parents are favoring now.

The quintessential friendly fifties name, nearly epidemic in its day. Now many grownup Debbies have reverted to the full and lovely form of their name, which modern parents often avoid because of the name Debbie ringing too loudly in their ears.

Seems destined to be the preferred short form of this old French name, with its brief, modern, word name feel.

Short form occasionally used on its own, with an open and friendly androgynous quality.

Theo has a girls' name is used for only a handful of babies today. As a short form of Theodora, Theo is used much less frequently than Thea or even Teddy. One notable appearance was as the younger daughter in Sofia Coppola's film On the Rocks in 2020.

Once upon a time, in the 1930s, Huey (yes, just Huey) was a Top 250 name. Could the 100-Year Rule bring it back?

High-kicking cohort of Coco, Gigi, Fifi, Kiki, et al.

The most famous Vlad was nicknamed "the Impaler." Enough said.

A diminutive of Daniel that's been immortalized in odes ranging from 'Danny Boy' to 'Danny's Song.'