I don’t know why, but I like the idea of calling a little girl “z” or “zee.”
Aside from the obvious starts-with-z approach (zoe, zinnia, zelda) what else could be shortened to z?
I really really really want to like [name]Esme[/name]- love the meaning, love the “z” potential, but it just doesn’t roll off my tongue like it should…I don’t know.
Any other ideas?
[name]How[/name] about [name]Hazel[/name]?
My first idea was actually [name]Azalea[/name]. It has a fairly prominent “Z” sound, and I think that really any name with a “Z” in it could work. I also know someone who was planning on naming her first daughter [name]Zia[/name] [name]Elisabeth[/name]–maybe [name]Zia[/name] could work? Of course, it does start with a “Z”, but I figured I would suggest it. 
Good luck!
My first thought was [name]Maisie[/name] because of the “zee” sound at the end of the name! I agree though as well that any name starting with Z would work!
Good [name]Luck[/name]
[name]Zelie[/name]! Or Azalée, Azeline, [name]Aliz[/name]é
I really don’t think Z/[name]Zee[/name] works as a nn for [name]Esme[/name]. I just don’t get it.
I love [name]Aziza[/name], though, and that’s very obviously got a “zee” sound in it. Also: [name]Grazia[/name], Berezi, [name]Mackenzie[/name],[name]Tiziana[/name], [name]Fabrizia[/name], or [name]Terezia[/name].
I love [name]Esme[/name]! Also I think [name]Daisy[/name] would work to get the nn ‘Z’ and I love the suggestion of Azélie!
[name]Hazel[/name]
[name]Ceres[/name] (See-reez)
Briseis (bree-say-eez)
[name]Mercedes[/name]
I think [name]Mackenzie[/name] fits best on your criteria.
[name]Zea[/name] / Zeah
[name]Zita[/name] could work well. This is an [name]April[/name] saint.
Thanks for the suggestions!
I think I’m adding [name]Hazel[/name] and [name]Azalea[/name] to the list. And I’m keeping [name]Esme[/name] too in hopes she’ll grow on me. I think part of the problem I have with her is that I grew up with an [name]Esmeralda[/name] in school who frequently went by [name]Esme[/name] (Ez-mee). Now that I know the French version is pronounced more like Ez-may, I just keep getting tripped up. Erg.
Any other ideas welcome!
My thought was just an ‘isa’ name… you know, or another one which could have the nickname ‘[name]Izzy[/name]’. What about:
[name]Isabel[/name]
[name]Isabella[/name]
[name]Isadora[/name]
[name]Isabeau[/name]
[name]Isaline[/name] (I only heard this the other day, and I think it’s gorgeous)
Isanna
[name]Isolde[/name]
[name]Eliza[/name]
[name]Elizabeth[/name]
I actually want the same nickname you are going for! I’m about 13 weeks pregnant, and we’ve decided if this is a girl we are naming her [name]Elizabeth[/name] [name]Zinnia[/name]. We plan to call her, Z, ZeeZee, Zinny, or the traditional [name]Eliza[/name]/[name]Libby[/name] “[name]Elizabeth[/name]” inspired nicknames. We don’t care that [name]Elizabeth[/name] is so popular, since she’ll most likely get a creative nickname out of the two names together. I’m just hoping it’s a girl so I can use it!
I think the nn “Z” or “[name]Zee[/name]” or however you spell it could work for any name that has a z in it…
Like ashthedreamer said, [name]Azalea[/name] seems like a logical choice. In fact, it was the first name that came to my mind…
Also, I really like c@29’s suggestion of [name]Mackenzie[/name].
Other possibilities…
[name]Zara[/name]/[name]Zarah[/name]
[name]Zelda[/name]
[name]Zeta[/name] (pronounce it zay-tuh or zee-tuh…up to you)
[name]Zoe[/name]
[name]Zarina[/name]
[name]Zinnia[/name]
[name]Suzanna[/name]/[name]Suzannah[/name]
[name]Azar[/name] or Azara
[name]Azure[/name]
Aliza
Beatriz
Charlize
Elizabeth, Eliza
Inez
Izabelle/Izabella
Keziah/Kezia
Roza/Rozanne/Rozanna
Suzette
Topaz
Tirza
Zahara
Zena
Zera
elizabeth zinnia is super sweet! and i really like eliza too! i’m also really thinking about the rose names now-rose, rosie, rosalie, rosemary…
leo and:
hazel
esme
rose/rosie/rosalie
zinnia
eliza
[name]How[/name] about [name]Beatriz[/name] or [name]Inez[/name]?
I nannied a little girl named [name]Zalia[/name] which is a varient of [name]Zelia[/name], nn Z would work for either of these names.
My daughter’s friend [name]Lizzie[/name] (short for [name]Elizabeth[/name]) goes by Z.
I know a [name]Katarzyna[/name] (Polish for [name]Katherine[/name]) who we called “Z” or “[name]Zyna[/name]/[name]Zeena[/name]”
I read an article yesterday on the name Alizon. I though it was interesting. I agree that any name that contains the letter Z could get you to your desired NN. [name]Azalea[/name] and [name]Hazel[/name] are my faves.