Nickname Names

Barb is a midcentury nickname name that, like Deb and Sue, feels terminally dates now. But with the revival of Barbie, Barb may not be far behind.

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

This classic Robert nickname is starting to sound sweet again, along with ultra-retro Bobby.

Tay is occasionally used on its own, or as a nickname for the now fading Taylor.

Bobo was the name of one of the most famous clowns in American circus history, who performed from the 1920s until the 1970s. But that's not the only reason this makes a less-than-optimal nickname.

This grandpa-esque nickname traditionally short for masculine names like Osmond, Oscar, or Oswald is starting to get traction on its' own, thanks to its cool, zippy sound. In the Top 1000 for boys in the UK and the US, 2023 saw it given to almost 600 American babies — 70 of which were girls.

A once-popular nickname for Albert and Bertram now being polished up by hip Brits, but still hibernating in the Land of Nerd over here.

Trish was a cool -- in every sense of the word -- nickname back when Patricia was one of the most popular names in the US, primarily in the 1960s and 1970s. Trish is actually kind of a nickname of a nickname, Tricia, best known as Tricia Nixon, the daughter of President Richard who named after her mother, who was called Pat. Trish, along with almost every other name related to Patricia including Pat, Patti, Patsy, and Tricia, is seriously out of fashion today.

Cindy for the 21st century.

Like a blend of vintage-style Edie and popular Katie, Keedie is either an invented name, a variant of the Scottish surname Keddy, or possibly a short form of Katherine.
In the case of Soprano singer Keedie Babb, her name was a creation of her father's, inspired by his love of pop star, Kiki Dee. As a variation of the Scottish surname, Keedie would ultimately derive from the Gaelic Mac Adaidh, meaning "the son of Adam" or "son of the red earth". As a diminutive of Katherine, Keedie likely draws inspiration from Kitty, Katie, Kadie, or Kiki.

This snappy nickname may remind some of the 1985 Chevy Chase movie of the same name.

A simple, international name extremely popular in India. The word, meaning "song", also appears in the name of the Bhagavad Gita, a Hindu sacred text. Geeta is a spelling variant.

Has a dotty, antic feel via dotty, antic Auntie Mame.

More modern nickname for Victoria than Vicky. Better known as Tori spelling.

Minda is a simle, even familiar-sounding name that is nevertheless completely unknown. It might be a contraction of Melinda but it is a genuine Indian name with an appealing meaning.