Traditional Nicknames in Old Documents - A Wiki List

Alphabetical list of historic personal nicknames and what they may represent. This is a wiki list intended to be expanded by its users.

Genealogical Problem: We often find a nickname in an old source and need to know what real (more formal) name it represents. Or, we know the name, but wonder what possible nicknames and variant spellings might appear in an index or database.

Solution: Use a wiki list of historic nicknames. Add to it anytime you find additional historic nicknames and figure out what names they represent.

Value.Such a list will expand as users add to it. Also, it can be searched ([Ctrl] F) for the formal name in order to learn possible nicknames.

What Qualifies for the List
No unique nicknames. Some nicknames are random and unrelated to the regular name of their owner. For example, White Pine Sally as a substitute for Sophia may be a one-time nickname. Bugsy is a nickname in gangster movies, but has little to do with the owner's original name. Please do not add these kinds of random or unique nicknames to the following list.

Traditional nicknames only please. But many nicknames are traditionally used to replace a more formal name. For example, Molly may replace Margaret, Tom traditionally replaces Thomas, Polly for Mary, and Bill is commonly used for William. These traditional nicknames are exactly the kind you are invited to please add to the following list.

Rules: (1) Simply type the nickname on the left, an equals mark in the middle, and the formal name on the right, for example, Bill = William (2) Please keep the nicknames in alphabetical order.

How to Add Another Nickname
Step 1. Use the index to find the letter of the alphabet where the new nickname fits. Step 2. Click the [Edit] button on the right. Step 3. Click the Wikitext button on the editing tool belt. Step 4. Find the spot where the nickname will fit alphabetically. Step 5. Insert (type) "nickname = formal name   " (substitute the real nickname and formal name). Step 6. Scroll to the bottom of the editing page, and type the nickname again in the Summary: field. Step 7. Click the Save page button.

List of Traditional Nicknames in Historic Documents
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A
Nickname = Formal Name

Ab = Abner Abbie = Abigail Abby = Abigail Abe = Abel Abe = Abraham Abe = Abram Acer = Acera Ada = Adeline Addie = Adelaide Ag = Agatha Aggy = Agatha Agnes = Agatha Agnes = Inez Al = Albert Al = Alexander Al = Alfred Alec = Alexander Alex = Alexander Alf = Alfred Amy = Amanda Amy = Amelia Andy = Andreas Andy = Andrew Angie = Angeline Ann = Deanne Ann = Hannah Ann = Susanna Anna = Hannah Anna = Susanna Anne = Hannah Anne = Susanna Annette = Ann Annette = Anna Annie = Ann Annie = Anna Annie = Hannah Annie = Susanna Appy = Apollonia Archy = Archibald Arnie = Arnold Arny = Arnold Art = Artemis Art = Arthur Arty = Arthur

B
Nickname = Formal Name

Bab = Barbara Babs = Barbara Barb = Barbara Barney = Barnabas Bart = Bartholomew Barty = Bartholomew Bass = Sebastian Bea = Beatta Bea = Beatrice Beattie = Beatrice Becky = Rebecca Bella = Arabella Bella = Belinda Bella = Elizabeth Bella = Isabel Bella = Isabella Bella = Mirabel Belle = Mabel Belle = Sybil Ben = Benedict Ben = Benjamin Bert = Delbert Bert = Egbert Bertie = Albert Bertie = Gilbert Bess = Elizabeth Bessie = Elizabeth Beth = Elizabeth Beto = Alberto Betsy = Elizabeth Betty = Elizabeth Bev = Beverly Bill = William Bob = Robert Burt = Egbert

C
Nickname = Formal Name

Cal = Caleb Cal = Calvin Carol = Caroline Cassie = Cassandra Cathy = Catherine Caty = Catherine Cecily = Cecilia Charlie = Charles Chet = Chester Chris = Christian Chris = Christine Chris = Crystal Chuck = Charles Cindy = Cynthia Cindy = Lucinda Cissy = Cecilia Cissy = Clarissa Claus = Nicholas Cleat = Cleatus Clem = Clement Clem = Clementine Cliff = Clifford Cliff = Clifton Clo = Chloe Connie = Constance Connie = Cornelia Conny = Cornelia Cora = Corinne Corky = Courtney Cory = Cornelius Creasey = Lucretia Crissy = Christina Crissy = Christine Cy = Cyrus Cyndi = Cynthia

D
Nickname = Formal Name

Daisy = Margaret Dan = Daniel Danny = Daniel Dave = David Davy = David Deb = Deborah Debby = Deborah Dee = Deanne Deedee = Diedre Delia = Bridget Delia = Cordelia Delia = Fidelia Della = Delilah Derick = Frederick Di = Diana Di = Diane Dicey = Edith Dicey = Elizabeth Dicey = Eurydice Dick = Richard Didi = Diana Didi = Diane Doc = name given to 7th child Doctor = name given to 7th child Dodie = Delores Dolly = Dorothy Dolly = Margaret Dolly = Martha Dora = Dorothy Dora = Eudora Dora = Isadora Dotty = Dorothy Doug = Douglas Drew = Andrew

E
Nickname = Formal Name

Eck = Alexander Ed = Edmund Ed = Edward Edie = Edith Effie = Euphemia Elaine = Eleanor Eli = Elijah Eli = Elisha Ella = Eleanor Ella = Gabriella Ella = Luella Ellen = Eleanor Ellie = Danielle Ellie = Eleanor Ellie = Emily Ellie = Gabriella Ellie = Luella Elly = Eleanor Eloise = Heloise Elsie = Elizabeth Emily = Emeline Emma = Emily Eph = Ephraim Erma = Emily Erna = Earnestine Ernie = Earnest Ernie = Earnestine Etta = Loretta Ev = Evangeline Ev = Evelyn Eve = Evelyn Evie = Evelyn

F
Nickname = Formal Name

Fan = Frances Fanny = Frances Fanny = Veronica Fay = Faith Fina = Josephine Flo = Florence Flora = Florence Flossie = Florence Fran = Frances Frank = Franklin Frankie = Frances Fred = Frederick Freddie = Frederick Fritz = Frederick

G
Nickname = Formal Name

Gab = Gabriel Gabby = Gabrielle Gabe = Gabriel Gene = Eugene Genny = Gwenevere Geoff = Geoffrey Gerry = Gerald Gus = Augustus Gus = Gustaf

H
Nickname = Formal Name

Ham = Hamilton Hank = Henry Hanna = Johanna Hans = Johan Hans = Johannes Harry = Henry Helen = Eleanor Hester = Esther

I
Nickname = Formal Name

Ibby = Elizabeth Iggy = Ignatius Issy = Isabella Issy = Isadora

J
Nickname = Formal Name

Jack = John Jackie = Jacqueline Jake = Jacob Jan = Jennifer Jane = Janet Jane = Virginia Jed = Jedediah Jeff = Jeffrey Jennifer = Winifred Jenny = Jennifer Jeremy = Jeremiah Jerry = Jeremiah Jill = Julia Jim = James Jimmy = James Joe = Joseph Joey = Joseph Johnny = John Jon = Jonathan Josh = Joshua Josie = Josephine Joy = Joyce Judy = Judith

K
Nickname = Formal Name

Kate = Catherine Kathy = Katherine Kathy = Kathlene Katie = Katherine Kissy = Calista Kit = Christopher Kitty = Catherine Klaus = Nicholas

L
Nickname = Formal Name

Lana = Eleanor Len = Leonard Lena = Magdalena Leno = Felipe Lenora = Eleanor Leo = Leonard Leon = Leonard Lettie = Letitia Lew = Lewis Libby = Elizabeth Lila = Delilah Lisa = Elisa Liz = Elizabeth Liza = Elizabeth Lizzie = Elizabeth Lola = Delores Lorrie = Lorraine Lottie = Charlotte Lou = Louis Louie = Louis Lucy = Lucille Lucy = Lucinda

M
Nickname = Formal Name

Mabel = Mehitable Maddie = Madeline Maddy = Madeline Madge = Margaret Maggie = Margaret Maggy = Margaret Mame = Margaret Mame = Mary Mamie = Margaret Mamie = Mary Manda = Amanda Mandy = Amanda Mandy = Samantha Manny = Emanuel Manthy = Samantha Marcy = Marcia Marge = Margaret Marge = Marjorie Margie = Margaret Margie = Marjorie Marty = Martha Marv = Marvin Mat = Mathew Matt = Mathew Matt = Matthias Maud = Magdalene Maud = Matilda Maude = Magdalene Maude = Matilda Maury = Maurice Max = Maximilian Max = Maxwell May = Margaret Meg = Margaret Mel = Melvin Mena = Philomena Merv = Mervin Mick = Michael Mickey = Michael Midge = Margaret Mike = Michael Millie = Emeline Milly = Millicent Milt = Milton Mimi = Mary Mimi = Wilhelmina Mina = Wilhelmina Mini = Minerva Minnie = Minerva Mira = Elmira Mira = Mirabel Mischa = Michael Mitch = Mitchell Moll = Martha Moll = Mary Molly = Martha Molly = Mary Mona = Ramona Mort = Mortimer Mort = Morton Morty = Mortimer Morty = Morton Mur = Muriel Myra = Almira

N
Nickname = Formal Name

Nab = Abel Nabby = Abigail Nacho = Ignacio Nadia = Nadine Nan = Ann Nan = Hannah Nan = Nancy Nana = Ann Nana = Hannah Nana = Nancy Nate = Nathan Nate = Nathaniel Ned = Edmund Ned = Edward Ned = Norton Neely = Cornelia Neil = Cornelius Neil = Edward Nell = Cornelia Nell = Eleanor Nell = Ellen Nell = Helen Nellie = Helen Nelly = Cornelia Nelly = Eleanor Nelly = Helen Nessie = Agnes Nettie = Jeanette Netty = Henrietta Nicie = Eunice Nick = Dominic Nick = Nicholas Nicy = Eunice Nikki = Nicole Nina = Ann Nita = Anita Nita = Juanita Nora = Eleanor Nora = Elnora Norm = Norman

O
Nickname = Formal Name

Obed = Obediah Ollie = Oliver Ora = Aurillia Ora = Corinne

P
Nickname = Formal Name

Pablo = Paul Pacho = Francisco Paco = Francisco Paddy = Patrick Pam = Pamela Pancho = Francisco Pat = Martha Pat = Matilda Pat = Patricia Pat = Patrick Patsy = Martha Patsy = Matilda Patsy = Patricia Patty = Martha Patty = Matilda Patty = Patricia Peg = Margaret Peggy = Margaret Penny = Penelope Pepa = Josefa Pepe = Jose' Percy = Percival Pete = Peter Phelia = Orphelia Phil = Philip Polly = Mary Polly = Paula Prissy = Priscilla Prudy = Prudence

Q
Nickname = Formal Name

Quil = Aquilla Quillie = Aquilla

R
Nickname = Formal Name

Rafe = Raphael Randy = Miranda Randy = Randall Randy = Randolph Rasmus = Erasmus Ray = Raymond Reba = Rebecca Reg = Reginald Reggie = Reginald Rena = Irene Rich = Richard Rick = Eric Rick = Frederick Rick = Garrick Rick = Patrick Rick = Richard Rita = Clarita Rita = Margaret Rita = Margarita Rita = Norita Rob = Robert Rod = Roderick Rod = Rodney Rod = Rodrigo Rodie = Rhoda Ron = Aaron Ron = Reginald Ron = Ronald Ronnie = Veronica Ronny = Ronald Rosie = Rosalind Rosie = Rosemary Rosie = Rosetta Roxy = Roxanne Roy = Leroy Rudy = Rudolph Russ = Russell

S
Nickname = Formal Name

Sadie = Sally Sadie = Sarah Sal = Sarah Sally = Sarah Sam = Samuel Sandy = Alexander Sandy = Sandra Sene = Asenath Senga = Agnes Senie = Asenath Sherm = Sherman Si = Cyrus Si = Matthias Si = Silas Sibella = Isabella Sid = Sidney Silla = Drusilla Silla = Priscilla Silvie = Silvia Sis = Cecilia Sis = Frances Sissy = Cecilia Sol = Solomon Stacia = Eustacia Stacy = Anastasia Stacy = Eustacia Stan = Stanislas Stan = Stanly Stella = Estella Stella = Esther Steve = Steven Steven = Stephen Stew = Stewart Sue = Susan Sue = Suzanne Sukey = Suzanna Susie = Susan Susie = Suzanne Suzy = Susan Suzy = Suzanne

T
Nickname = Formal Name

Tad = Edward Tad = Thadeus Ted = Edmund Ted = Edward Ted = Theodore Teddy = Edward Teddy = Theodore Telly = Aristotle Terry = Theresa Tess = Elizabeth Tess = Theresa Theo = Theobald Theo = Theodore Tia = Antonia Tibbie = Isabella Tilda = Matilda Tilly = Matilda Tilly = Otilia Tim = Timothy Timmy = Timothy Tina = Albertina Tina = Augustina Tina = Christina Tina = Christine Tina = Earnestine Tina = Justina Tina = Martina Tish = Letitia Toby = Tobias Tom = Thomas Tony = Anthony Tracy = Theresa Trina = Katherina Trixie = Beatrice Trudi = Gertrude Trudy = Gertrude

U
Nickname = Formal Name

Ursie = Ursula Ursy = Ursula

V
Nickname = Formal Name

Vangie = Evangeline Vern = Vernon Vi = Viola Vi = Violet Vic = Victor Vicky = Victoria Vin = Galvin Vin = Vincent Vina = Alvina Vina = Lavina Vinny = Vincent Virg = Virgil Virgie = Virginia Viv = Vivian Vonnie = Yvonne

W
Nickname = Formal Name

Wally = Wallace Wally = Walter Walt = Walter Web = Webster Wendy = Gwendolen Wes = Wesley Will = William Willie = Wilhelmina Willy = William Winn = Edwin Winnie = Edwina Winnie = Winifred Woody = Woodrow

X
Nickname = Formal Name

Xina = Christina

Y
Nickname = Formal Name

Z
Nickname = Formal Name

Zac = Isaac Zach = Zachariah Zak = Isaac Zeb = Zebulon Zed = Zedekiah Zeke = Ezekiel Zena = Albertina Zeph = Zephaniah


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Online Resources

 * Judy Henley Phillips, "International Nicknames" on TNGenWeb.org - http://www.tngenweb.org/franklin/nickinter.htm
 * Judy Henley Phillips, "Nicknames and Naming Traditions" on TNGenWeb.org - http://www.tngenweb.org/franklin/frannick.htm
 * "Nicknames - Some Common, Others Not!" on GenealogyWorld/GenealogyToday - http://www.genealogytoday.com/genealogy/enoch/nicknames.html
 * Behind the Name: the Etymology and History of First Names - a search on a nickname often shows the formal name (but not in reverse) - http://www.behindthename.com/

Family History Library Resources
Barbara Jean Evans, A to Zax: List of Traditional Nicknames in Historic Documents, 3rd ed.(Alexandria, Va.: Hearthside Press, 1995), 293-300.[FHL US/CAN REF AREA 929.103 E15g]

Related Content

 * Abbreviation Lists for Personal Names (English)
 * Acronyms and Abbreviations
 * Spelling of Surnames and Given Names