Traditional Nicknames in Old Documents - A Wiki List

Alphabetical list of historic personal nicknames and what they 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 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 learn about additional historic nicknames.

Value. The list will continue to expand. 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. Sign in to the FamilySearch website in the top right corner of the screen. If you do not have an account, you can create a free account here. Step 2. After signing in, click the "Edit" tab in the top right of the screen. You are now in the VisualEditor edit screen. Step 3. Scroll down the screen to find the spot where the nickname will fit alphabetically on the screen. Step 4. Put your cursor where you want the nickname and press enter to move the current entry down a line. Step 5. Type in the information using the following pattern, "nickname = formal name". Step 6. After adding the new nickname, click on the green "Save Page" button in the right corner of the screen. Step 7. A "Save your changes" dialogue box will appear. Type "added nickname" in the Summary box, then click on the "Save page" button on the dialogue box.

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

Ab = Abner Ab = Albert Abbie = Abigail Abby = Abigail Abe = Abel Abe = Abiel Abe = Abraham Abe = Abram Abram=Abraham

Acer = Acera Ada = Adeline Addie = Adelaide Ag = Agatha Aggie = Agnes Aggy = Agatha Agnes = Agatha Agnes = Nancy Agnes = Inez Al = Alan Al = Albert Al = Alexander Al = Alfred Al = Allen Alec = Alexander Alex = Alexander Alf = Alfons Alf = Alfred Amelia=Emilia*Emile Amy = Amanda Amy = Amelia Andrl = Andreas Andy = Andreas Andy = Andrew Angie = Angela Angie = Angeline Ann = Deanne Ann = Hannah Ann = Susanna Anna = Hannah Anna = Susanna Anne = Hannah Anne = Susanna

Anner = Hannah Annette = Ann Annette = Anna Anni = Anna Anni = Annika Annie = Ann Annie = Anna Annie = Hannah Annie = Susanna Anton = Antonin Anty = Anastasia Appy = Apollonia Archy = Archibald Arnie = Arnold Arny = Arnold Art = Artemis Art = Arthur Arty = Arthur

B
Nickname = Formal Name

Bab = Barbara Babe = Mary (or used as a name for the baby of the family) Babs = Barbara Barb = Barbara Barney = Barnabas Bart = Bartholomew Bartl = Bartholomew Barty = Bartholomew Bass = Sebastian Bastl = Sebastian Bea = Beatta Bea = Beatrice Beat = Beatrice Beattie = Beatrice Bebe = Beatrice Becky = Rebecca Bell = Isabell Bell = Isabella Bella = Arabella Bella = Belinda Bella = Elizabeth Bella = Isabel Bella = Isabella Bella = Mirabel Belle = Mabel Belle = Sybil Ben = Benedict Ben = Benjamin Ben = Ebenezer Beppe = Giuseppe Beppino = Giuseppe Bert = Delbert Beppl = Josefa Beppo = Josef Bern = Bernice Bert = Egbert Bertie = Albert Bertie = Gilbert Bess = Elizabeth Bessie = Elizabeth Beth = Elizabeth Beto = Alberto Betsy = Elizabeth Betty = Elizabeth Bev = Beverly Biddy = Obedience (f) Bill = William Bob = Robert Bobbie = Robert Brook = Brooklyn Bud = Jack Burt = Burton Burt = Egbert Butch = (Butch is a common nickname used to separate "Sr" from "Jr" mainly in cultures with German backgrounds. Typically the father (Sr) goes by his first name, while the son (Jr) will be referred to as "Butch" by family and friends.)

C
Nickname = Formal Name

Cal = Caleb Cal = Calvin Callie = Caroline Carrie = Caroline Carol = Caroline Cassie = Casalena Cassie = Cassandra Cathy = Catherine Caty = Catherine Cecily = Cecilia Charlie = Charles Cheri = Cheryl Cherie = Geraldine 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 = Conrad 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 Damerl = Thomas Dan = Daniel Danny = Daniel Dave = David Davy = David Deb = Deborah Debbie = Debra Debby = Deborah Dee = Deanne Deedee = Diedre Delia = Bridget Delia = Cordelia Delia = Fidelia Della = Delilah Della = Drucilla Della = Druzilla Derick = Frederick Dewey = Duane Di = Diana Di = Diane Dicey = Edith Dicey = Elizabeth Dicey = Eurydice Dicey = Laodicea Dick = Richard Didi = Diana Didi = Diane Dierk = Diedrich Doc = name given to 7th child Doctor = name given to 7th child Dodie = Delores Dolly = Dorothy Dolly = Idalia Dolly = Margaret Dolly = Martha Donnette = Donnetta Dora = Dorothy Dora = Eudora Dora = Isadora Dot = Dorothy Dotty = Dorothy Doug = Douglas Drew = Andrew

E
Nickname = Formal Name

Eck = Alexanr Ed = Edmund Ed = Edward Ed = Edgar Edie = Edith Effie = Euphemia Elaine = Eleanor Eli = Elias Eli = Elijah Eli = Elisha Eliza = Elizabeth Ella = Eleanor Ella = Gabriella Ella = Luella Ellen = Eleanor Ellie = Danielle Ellie = Eleanor Ellie = Emily Ellie = Gabriella Ellie = Luella Elly = Eleanor

Elly = Elizabeth Eloise = Heloise Elsie = Elizabeth Emily = Emeline Emma = Emily Eph = Ephraim Erma = Emily Erna = Earnestine Ernie = Earnest Ernie = Earnestine Essie = Esther Etta = Loretta Ev = Evangeline Ev = Evelyn Eve = Evelyn Evie = Evelyn

F
Nickname = Formal Name

Fan = Frances Fanny = Frances Fanny = Veronica Fate = Lafayette Fay = Faith Felty = Valentine Ferdie = Ferdinand Fern = Margaret Ferry = Frank Ferry = Franz Ferry = Xaver Fina = Josephine Fini = Josefine Flo = Florence Flora = Florence Flossie = Florence Fonzo = Alfons Fran = Frances Frances = Franziska Frank = Francis Frank = Franklin Frankie = Frances Franzl = Franz Fred = Ferdinand Fred = Fredrick Fred = Frederick Fred = Gottfried Freddie = Frederick Fritz = Frederick

G
Nickname = Formal Name

Gab = Gabriel Gabi = Gabriella Gabby = Gabrielle Gabe = Gabriel

Gatty = Gertrude

Gene = Eugene Gennie = Genevieve Genny = Gwenevere Geoff = Geoffrey Gerry = Gerald Gertie = Gertrude Girgl = Georg Gina = Virginia Glen = Glenys Greg = Gregory Gretl = Margaret Guiseppe = Joseph Gus = Augustus Gus = Gustaf Gus = Gustav Gwen = Gwendolyn

H
Nickname = Formal Name

Hal = Henry Ham = Hamilton Hank = Henry Hanna = Johanna Hans = Johan Hans = Johann Hans = Johannes Hansl = Hans Harley = Harlan Harry = Harold Harry = Harriet Harry = Henry Harry = Horace Hattie = Harriet Helen = Eleanor Heiner = Heinrich Heinz = Heinrich Hester = Esther

Hettie = Henrietta Hettie = Mehetabel Hetty = Mehetabel Hias = Matthias Hiasl = Matthias Hilda = Hildegarde

I
Nickname = Formal Name 

Ibby = Elizabeth Ibe=Hepzibah

Iggy = Ignatius Ike=Ira Issy = Isabella Issy = Isadora

J
Nickname = Formal Name

Jack = John Jack = Jackson Jackie = Jacqueline Jake = Jacob Jakl = Jakob Jamie = James Jan = Jennifer Jane = Janet Jane = Virginia Janet = Jane Jed = Jedediah Jeff = Jeffrey Jennifer = Winifred Jen = Jane Jennie = Jane Jenny = Genevieve Jenny = Jennifer Jennie = Virginia Jeremy = Jeremiah Jerry = Jeremiah Jerry = Jerold Jerry = Gerald Jill = Julia Jim = James Jimmy = James Jo = Joanna Joe = Joseph Joey = Joseph Johnny = John Jon = Jonathan Jos = Josef Josh = Joshua Joshua = Jasper Josie = Josephine Joy = Joyce Judy = Judith

K
Nickname = Formal Name

Karl = Charles Kata = Katarina Kate = Catherine Kathy = Katherine Kathy = Kathlene Kati = Katarina Katie = Katherine Katie = Katja Kay = Kathryn Ken = Kenneth Kenny = Kenneth Kissy = Calista Kit = Christopher Kitty = Catherine Klaus = Nicholas

L
Nickname = Formal Name

Lafe = Lafayette

Lana = Eleanor Larry = Lawrence Lawrey = Lawrence Len = Leonard Lena = Florina Lena = Magdalena Lena = Paulina Lena = Pauline Lance = LeRoy Lenny = Leonard Leno = Felipe Lenora = Eleanor Leo = Leonard Leon = Leonard Les = Leslie Lettie = Letitia Lew = Lewis Liam = William Libby = Elizabeth Liddie = Lydia Lila = Delilah Lilly = Lydia Lina = Frances

Lisa = Elisa Lisl = Elizabeth Lissa = Elizabeth Lissi = Elizabeth Liz = Elizabeth Liza = Elizabeth Lizzie = Elizabeth Lola = Delores Lora = Loretta Lorene = Florina Lorrie = Lorraine Lottie = Charlotte Lou = Louis Lou = Louise Louie = Louis Louis = Alois Lucy = Lucille Lucy = Lucinda Lula = Luella Lulia = Eulalia Luke = Lukas

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 Marce = Marcella Marcy = Marcia Marge = Margaret Marge = Marjorie Margie = Margaret Margie = Marjorie Mare = Maria Marty = Martha Marv = Marvin Mat = Mathew Matt = Mathew Matt = Matthias Mattie - Martha Maud = Magdalene Maud = Matilda Maude = Magdalene Maude = Matilda Maury = Maurice Max = Maximilian Max = Maxwell May = Margaret Meg = Margaret Mel = Melvin Mena = Philomena Merv = Mervin Meta = Margareta Michl = Michael Mick = Michael Mickey = Michael Midge = Margaret Mike = Michael Millie = Amelia Millie = Emeline Millie = Mildred Milly = Millicent Milt = Milton Mimi = Mary Mimi = Wilhelmina Mina = Wilhelmina Mini = Minerva Minnie = Minerva Minnie = Philomina Minnie = Philomine Mira = Elmira Mira = Mirabel Mischa = Michael Mitch = Mitchell Moe = Maureen Moll = Martha Moll = Mary Molly = Martha Molly = Mary

Molly = Magdalena Mona = Ramona Moni = Monica Morey = Morris 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 = Joanne Nan = Nancy Nana = Ann Nana = Hannah Nana = Nancy Nancy = Ann Nancy = Anna Nancy = Agnes Nancy = Frances Nannie = Nancy Nanny = Nancy Nate = Nathan Nate = Nathaniel Nazi = Ignazius 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 = Annette Nettie = Jeanette Netty = Henrietta Nicie = Eunice Nick = Dominic Nick = Nicholas Nicy = Eunice Nikki = Nicole Nina = Ann Nita = Anita Nita = Juanita Noni = Ione Noni= Nora Noni = Eleanor Noni = Elnora Nora = Eleanor Nora = Elnora Nora = Honora 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 = José Peppe = Giuseppe Percy = Percival Pete = Peter Pete = Petr Phelia = Orphelia Phil = Philip Phyl = Phyllis Polly = Mary Polly = Paula Pug = Raymond Prissy = Priscilla Prudy = Prudence

Q
Nickname = Formal Name

Quil = Aquilla Quillie = Aquilla

R
Nickname = Formal Name

Rafaelle= Rufus=Rafe=Ralph= Raphael Ran = Randall Randy = Miranda Randy = Randall Randy = Randolph Rasmus = Erasmus Ray = Raymond Reba = Rebecca Reg = Reginald Reggie = Reginald Rena = Irene Rene = Irene Rich = Richard Richie = Richard Rick = Eric Rick = Frederick Rick = Garrick Rick = Patrick Rick = Richard Rick = Roderick 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 Ros = Rosanne Rosie = Rosalind Rosie = Rose Rosie = Rosemary Rosie = Rosetta Rowena = Rhoana Roxy = Roxanne Roy = Leroy Rudi = Rudolf Rudy = Rudolph Russ = Russell

S
Nickname = Formal Name

Sadie = Sally Sadie = Sarah Sal = Sarah Sally = Sarah Sattie = Sarah Sam = Samuel Sandy = Alexander Sandy = Sandra Sarah = Susan Schorsch = Georg Seby = Sebastian Sena = Sarah Sene = Asenath Sena = Sarah Senga = Agnes Senie = Asenath Sepp = Josef Sepp = Joseph Seppl = Josef Sherm = Sherman Shirley = Charlotte Si = Cyrus Si = Matthias Si = Silas Sibella = Isabella Sid = Sidney Silla = Drusilla Silla = Priscilla Silvie = Silvia Sis = Cecilia Sis = Frances Sissi = Elizabeth Sissy = Cecilia Sol = Solomon Stacia = Eustacia Stacy = Anastasia Stacy = Eustacia Stan = Stanislas Stan = Stanly Star = Stella Stasi = Anastasia Steff = Stefan Steffl = Stefan Stella = Estella Stella = Estelle Stella = Esther Steve = Steven Steven = Stephen Stew = Stewart Stophel = Christopher Sue = Susan Sue = Suzanne Sukey = Suzanna Susan = Sarah Susan = Susanna 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 Tempie=Temperance Telly = Aristotle Tennie=Tennessee Terry = Theresa Terza = Theresa Tess = Elizabeth Tess = Theresa Thady = Thaddeus = Timothy 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 Tobi = Tobias Tobi = Tobiah Toby = Tobias Tom = Thomas Toni = Anton Toni = Antonia Tony = Anthony Tony = Anton Tracy = Theresa Trina = Katherina Trixie = Beatrice Trixie = Beatrix Traudl = Edeltraud Trudi = Gertrude Trudy = Gertrude

U
Nickname = Formal Name

Ursie = Ursula Ursl = Ursula Ursy = Ursula Uschi = Ursula

V
Nickname = Formal Name

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

W
Nickname = Formal Name

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

X
Nickname = Formal Name

Xander = Alexander Xina = Christina

Y
Nickname = Formal Name Yost = Josef

Z
Nickname = Formal Name

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


 * }

Online Resources

 * Judy Henley Phillips, "International Nicknames" on TNGenWeb.org - Link
 * Judy Henley Phillips, "Nicknames and Naming Traditions" on TNGenWeb.org - Link
 * "Nicknames - Some Common, Others Not!" on GenealogyWorld/GenealogyToday - Link
 * Behind the Name: the Etymology and History of First Names - a search on a nickname often shows the formal name (but not in reverse) - Link
 * Common Nicknames and their Given Name Equivalents - at About.com - Link
 * https://ctstatelibrary.org/access-services/nicknames/ A Listing Of Some 18th and 19th Century American Nicknames] (Connecticut State Library)

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

Related Content

 * Abbreviation Lists for Personal Names (English)
 * Acronyms and Abbreviations
 * Guessing a Name Variation

Abreviaturas y apodos comunes en los documentos antiguos