Nickname Names

This somewhat boisterous Celtic name would be at home in a noisy pub or out walking on the moors. In Scotland, it was originally a nickname for someone with dark hair or a swarthy complexion.

One of those casual down-home names last popular in the 1960s.

Ddiminutive of Montague or Montgomery that has long been used as a standalone for boys – and for a few girls too, especially during the middle years of the 20th century.

A cute diminutive of Jack, already technically a nickname for John, famously borne by Hong Kong actor, director and martial artist Jackie Chan.

Sprightly and engaging nickname for human, full name for pet. Author Jojo Moyes and dancer/singer Jojo Sliwa have propelled the name into the public eye.

A feminine multicultural nickname name perfectly able to stand on its own.

Pronounced a la Bette (Betty) Davis or Bette (Bet) Midler, a twentieth-century relic. Though if the equally vintage Betty comes back, Bette may be close behind.

Bas is a fashionable name in its own right in the Netherlands, where it's been in the Top 10. Used throughout Europe, it may have a future here as a straightforward-but-charming nickname name. Baz is another, similar and more appealing possibility.

The archetypal diminutive, in every sense of the word. Bitsy enjoyed some use as a nickname in the era when children were named after family members and then called by a cute pet name: Chip, Skip, Babe, Bitsy. As a full name, it has made the US list only three times: in 1943, 1958 and 1962.

Last cool when Bogie roamed Casablanca.

With Tillie a new favorite of avant-garde parents, the British music-hall Tessie might conceivably follow.

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.

Ties to the unfortunate Mama are now unraveling, leaving Cass or Cassie to stand on its own as a fresher sounding Cathy or Kate. But with so many lovely long forms, we'd advise keeping this as a nickname.

Many variations of Jessica, including Jessie and Jessa, are used on their own, but Jess is an exception, given to only a handful of baby girls last year. But Jess is certainly the name that many Jessicas are called.

Flo is an antiquated nickname not often used these days, possibly because "Aunt Flo" is a euphemism for a period.

This short form of Robert was borne by famous figures from Robbie Williams to Robbie Coltrane to Robbie Robertson. At one point, Robbie was the cool new Bobby, but now Robbie is cool only for girls.

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

Related to the powerful South African warrior people, sometimes chosen by African-Americans to celebrate their heritage.