Nickname Names

Sam as a name standing on its own was given to only 18 girls in 2021, versus over 400 boys. But as a short form it's appealing and down-to-earth for both sexes, and heard far more often: There were over 2500 baby girls named Samantha in the US in one recent year and more than 8500 boys named Samuel, so you will hear the name Sam a lot more often than you might guess judging by the numbers for this short form. Like the wildly popular Charlie, Sam is a nickname that works equally well as a girls' name as a boys'. All forms considered, Sam is still one of the most popular names that start with S.

Tavi has been catapulted into the spotlight by teenage fashion blogger Tavi Gevinson. This cute name, previously not on anyone's scope, could be a way to honor an ancestral David or a short form of the luscious Octavia or could stand as a perfectly stylish name all on its own.

Much-used midcentury diminutive, now fallen far from favor even as a middle name.

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

Concise and cool, Kota is a name with multiple origins, making it a versatile choice that travels well.

This short form has been pretty much replaced by Franny, Fanny. and especially Frankie.

The quirky nickname Tig is exceedingly rare, but historically has been used as a short form of Antigone. Today, many people are familiar with the name via comedian Tig Notaro. Notaro was born Mathilde — she was dubbed Tig by her brother Renaud when he had difficulty pronouncing her given name.

In the US, the multicultural surname Roe is primarily associated with the landmark Supreme Court case Roe vs. Wade, which granted the federal right to abortion. It's never been popular as a given name for either sex but is seen as a nickname for names such as Monroe and Rowan.

Though it looks, to the untrained American eye, like a yoonek spelling of Jordy, Geordie actually refers to people from Tyneside in Northeast England and the local dialect there. To give you a sense of what it implies to Brits, Geordie Shore is British MTV's long-running answer to Jersey Shore.

Liza's heyday was the mid-1970s, following on the heels of super-popular sister Lisa. But thanks to the fact that it never became superpopular, Liza remains a name not especially tied to one generation or style.

Nickname name hep in the era of Grease.

Originally a short form of Odell, a place name turned surname that hails from England.

Modern, mini nickname for Rebecca, much fresher than Becca or Becky.

Lissa might be an abbreviation of Melissa, but it's more substantial in its own right: Lissa is the name of a supreme mother goddess in African mythology and an Arabic symbol of rebirth.

Apt choice for an architect's child, honoring German-born Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, a central figure in modern design, and universally referred to as Mies.

It's difficult to imagine anyone using the first name Jonesy -- and in fact, in the most recent US tally, there were nearly 100 babies named Jones but none named Jonesy. Still, this is a name that many people with Jones for a name, last or first, end up being known by, and as a nickname, it's sorta cute in a Skip, Chip, Bitsy kind of way.

Sweet old-fashioned nickname name that could make a comeback in the wake of Sadie et al. Famous bearers include author Dodie Smith, who wrote The Hundred and One Dalmatians and I Capture the Castle.

Although she declared her independence as far back as the reign of Elizabeth I--Good Queen Bess, Bess now sounds less passé than Beth or Betsy.