Let's talk about nicknames

Girl Names
1

I see on a lot of naming forums, and in real life too, that people generally dislike using “just” a nickname as a first name. People tend to say things like, “I don’t think it will age well” or “You’re limiting her options” or “It looks/sounds so unprofessional” etc. etc. etc. Most people can come up with an argument against a nickname as a given name.

I was always on team “I can’t imagine that aging well” but digging through old name lists I am realizing that it is not the modern phenomenon I assumed it was. When I think of “vintage” or “antique” names I picture [name_f]Alice[/name_f], [name_f]Clara[/name_f], [name_f]Hazel[/name_f], [name_f]Frances[/name_f], [name_f]Louise[/name_f], etc but nicknames were reigning supreme and much more so than today.

What is your take on nicknames as formal first names? Are certain names okay in your mind while others don’t work? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

These stats are from the top 100 of the years listed.

1900
[name_f]Annie[/name_f] #11
[name_f]Bessie[/name_f] #15
[name_f]Minnie[/name_f] #22
[name_f]Nellie[/name_f] #43
[name_u]Mattie[/name_u] #44
[name_f]Hattie[/name_f] #50
[name_f]Fannie[/name_f] #62
[name_f]Jennie[/name_f] #64
[name_f]Maggie[/name_f] #75
[name_f]Susie[/name_f] #80
[name_f]Sadie[/name_f] #84
[name_f]Effie[/name_f] #89
[name_f]Nettie[/name_f] #94
[name_f]Lottie[/name_f] #97
[name_f]Betty[/name_f] #100

1920
[name_f]Betty[/name_f] #11
[name_f]Annie[/name_f] #35
[name_f]Bessie[/name_f] #71
[name_u]Willie[/name_u] #74
[name_f]Nellie[/name_f] #76
[name_f]Minnie[/name_f] #87
[name_u]Mattie[/name_u] #96
[name_f]Jennie[/name_f] #97

1940
[name_f]Betty[/name_f] #5
[name_f]Judy[/name_f] #16
[name_f]Peggy[/name_f] #37
[name_f]Annie[/name_f] #56
[name_u]Patsy[/name_u] #57
[name_f]Sally[/name_f] #61
[name_u]Jo[/name_u] #72
[name_u]Kay[/name_u] #77
[name_f]Sue[/name_f] #81
[name_u]Connie[/name_u] #88

1960
[name_f]Kathy[/name_f] #21
[name_f]Debbie[/name_f] #25
[name_f]Cindy[/name_f] #30
[name_f]Tammy[/name_f] #31
[name_f]Cathy[/name_f] #45
[name_f]Tina[/name_f] #46
[name_u]Connie[/name_u] #47
[name_f]Judy[/name_f] #48
[name_f]Terri[/name_f] #49
[name_f]Betty[/name_f] #68
[name_f]Peggy[/name_f] #69
[name_f]Beth[/name_f] #72
[name_f]Vicki[/name_f] #73
[name_f]Vickie[/name_f] #100

1980
[name_f]Katie[/name_f] #44
[name_f]Carrie[/name_f] #46
[name_f]Tina[/name_f] #72
[name_f]Kristy[/name_f] #78
[name_u]Christy[/name_u] #83
[name_f]Tammy[/name_f] #96
[name_f]Gina[/name_f] #100

2000
[name_f]Molly[/name_f] #95
[name_f]Katie[/name_f] #97

2016
[name_f]Ellie[/name_f] #43
[name_f]Sadie[/name_f] #60

2

I’ve always been a firm believer in “name them what you’ll call them” - it’s always seemed redundant to me to use say, [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f], if I’m only ever going to call her [name_f]Jennie[/name_f]. I also have never really understood the “this doesn’t age well” argument, but to each their own!

I do think there’s a line between nicknames like [name_f]Kristy[/name_f], [name_f]Katie[/name_f], [name_f]Molly[/name_f], [name_f]Sadie[/name_f], [name_f]Bessie[/name_f], etc. and pet names like [name_f]Princess[/name_f], [name_f]Honey[/name_f] and [name_f]Pixie[/name_f] though. While I do like [name_f]Pixie[/name_f] and [name_f]Honey[/name_f] (and even [name_f]Princess[/name_f] a little), I’d never use them on a child because, while they do feel “nicknamey”, they’re more of a pet name (like naming your child Sweetheart).

3

I’m pretty firmly in the ‘name the kid what you’re going to call them’ camp. There are some names I see as exceptions, but there are a lot of nickname names I see people asking for longer forms for, and I just can’t understand why the name can’t be used in full. I think it might also have something to do with the fact I live in the UK where the vintage and nickname name trend is pretty popular. Names like [name_f]Elsie[/name_f], [name_f]Kitty[/name_f], [name_f]Betsy[/name_f], [name_f]Bonnie[/name_f], [name_u]Lexi[/name_u], [name_f]Macie[/name_f], [name_f]Dolly[/name_f], [name_f]Indie[/name_f], [name_f]Minnie[/name_f], even [name_f]Honey[/name_f] (the list goes on) are in the top 1000 and relatively popular. On the boys side [name_u]Charlie[/name_u], [name_m]Archie[/name_m], [name_u]Freddie[/name_u], and both [name_u]Theo[/name_u] and [name_u]Teddy[/name_u] rank higher than their common full name counterparts. To me nickname names are perfectly usable, normal, and I can very easily imagine them on adults in whatever profession.

I don’t dislike nicknames, in fact I quite like them, especially when I absolutely love the nickname too (which is a lot to be honest). But I’d rather they come naturally and preferably that the full name would be used a good deal of the time at least. From my own experience my mum does it really well I think. She calls me all manner of pet and nicknames (which aren’t even the most intuitive ones), enough that she jokes about not knowing my name. But at least half of the time she does use my full name.

4

I’m in favour of longer names, because I do like having many nickname possibilities. Personally I answer to a few different names myself, and I want my kids to have that chance too. There are several exceptions though, where I love short names. Nicknamey ones aren’t usually my style, but I do adore [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] or [name_f]Lucie[/name_f]. And in general, I have nothing against people who name their kids [name_f]Nellie[/name_f] or [name_f]Maggie[/name_f]. Your kids, your choice. Use the name you love.

5

@lawsonhaley - On naming forums I think “won’t age well” is sort of a euphemism for a name sounding undignified or low-class on an adult. People don’t want to come out and say “I think if you choose [name_u]Kenzie[/name_u] she will be assumed low-class and less distinguished than her counterparts, [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] and [name_f]Madeleine[/name_f].” I have a name that is often labeled on naming forums as “won’t age well” ([name_f]Kaylee[/name_f]) so I do feel a little paranoid about choosing a name that is referred to that way. I don’t share those feelings though, I just happen to have a difficult time picturing a CEO named [name_f]Fannie[/name_f] LOL

I agree about pet names. I went to school with a girl named Kisses and it was never not weird haha.

6

I’m British, nicknames are popular here and used excessively. Going off the top 100 names in the UK last year alone, there’s nicknames like [name_f]Evie[/name_f], [name_f]Millie[/name_f], [name_u]Ollie[/name_u], [name_f]Rosie[/name_f], [name_u]Alex[/name_u], [name_f]Molly[/name_f], [name_f]Maisie[/name_f], [name_u]Teddy[/name_u], [name_u]Frankie[/name_u], [name_f]Gracie[/name_f], [name_f]Lottie[/name_f], [name_m]Archie[/name_m], [name_u]Lexi[/name_u], [name_u]Alfie[/name_u], [name_u]Freddie[/name_u] and [name_u]Ronnie[/name_u].

I believe you should name your kid what you will call them (unless, obviously, you bounce between their birth name and their nickname). Unless they’re ‘pet’ names, so like [name_f]Honey[/name_f], [name_u]Boo[/name_u] or [name_f]Petal[/name_f], or adding these onto the ends of their names (e.g. [name_f]Daisy[/name_f] [name_u]Boo[/name_u]).

7

I like strong names on girls and women and most (not all) nickname names sound childish and weak.

I have a longer name that had a few nickname options and am called different things by different people in my life. Professionally, I can use my formal name and I like that option. My mother always calls be one nickname… it has been her pet name for me that no one else uses. My siblings and oldest friends use a different nickname and my husband and newer friends another.

I have many different roles in life and I like having a name that can vary across settings but still is me.

8

Also in the UK, and I know lots of adults who either have a nickname as their first name or go exclusively by a nickname. For me, I prefer a longer name with a nickname (or nicknames) so that the child has more choice over what they go by, but I think nickname names are perfectly normal and acceptable, and often rather lovely. That said, I do think a nickname name like [name_f]Millie[/name_f] or [name_u]Issy[/name_u] possibly ages a bit better than [name_f]Honey[/name_f] or [name_f]Pixie[/name_f], as they feel closer to terms of endearment than nicknames [name_f]IMO[/name_f].