Nickname Names

Jaunty Jancey hails from the United Kingdom, where it appeared in England as a surname and in Scotland as a nickname for Janet. It's extremely uncommon in the US, given to fewer than five baby girls in the most recent year on record. You'll be hard-pressed to come across another Jancey in your life, so if unique names are a priority for you, this jolly and accessible choice belongs on your list.

Reduces and lightens up the Job connection even further, sounding like a lively, Jody-like nickname name.

Short for Samantha or long for Sam, Sammy is a sweet midcentury nickname name that we can see coming back.

Tib was a unisex nickname in the 13th century, used as a short form of Theobald and Isabel. As Theobald waned in popularity, it became far more associated with girls, so much so that Tib was a term for young girls by the 16th century.

One of the coolest girls in the class of '73, still cute but not quite as youthful.

Cosy is a, well, cozy name, whose only downside is people forever making that dumb joke. Cosy can be short for Cosima or Cosette but can certainly stand on its own as a word name. Another plus: Sounds like Posy, Josie, and Rosie.

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.

A Robert nickname out of use for hundreds of years, but now sounds cooler than Bob or Rob for a modern boy.

During the heyday of Deborah, Debra, and Debra -- the late 1950s and early 60s -- there were enough baby girls named Deb, just Deb, for it to make the Top 1000.

Actress Leelee Sobieski's real name is Liliane, after her French grandmother -- a better choice for any baby-namer.

Elzie was given to 16 baby girls in the US last year, almost certainly as a spelling variation of the increasingly popular sweet nickname Elsie, a diminutive of Elizabeth.

See WILLIE.

Uncommon choice too reminiscent of "bidet". Try Bridie instead.

Watts is a patronymic surname derived from Watt, a popular Middle English nickname for Walter. Today, Watts makes a contemporary and stylish way to honor a Walter in your life.

Hy was once a nickname for Hyman, a Jewish Anglicization of Chaim. Today it has gone extinct, for obvious reasons.

So-old-it's-cute-again short from of Harriet, reminiscent of Patsy and Betsy but fresher and more appealing than either of those choices. Hattie is another adorable short form.

Cute, old-world nickname virtually unknown outside of the Jewish community.