I really think that a great deal of the time, when a name becomes dated, it’s partially because of the nickname that goes with it. If a [name]Deborah[/name] was a [name]Dora[/name], instead of a [name]Debbie[/name], or a [name]Christina[/name] was a [name]Rina[/name] instead of a [name]Christy[/name], would that make it “cooler?”
I just wanted to hear your thoughts and whether you know any names in serious need of a nickname-makeover—or ones that you already have a better nickname(s) for.
Thanks! (:
NameGoddess
[name]Margaret[/name]
dated: [name]Peggy[/name]
Now: [name]Maggie[/name]
[name]Future[/name]: [name]Greta[/name], [name]Daisy[/name]
[name]Barbara[/name]
Dated: [name]Barb[/name]
Cool: ?
[name]Catherine[/name]/[name]Katherine[/name]:
Dated: [name]Kathy[/name]
Now: [name]Katie[/name], [name]Kate[/name]
[name]Future[/name]: [name]Kit[/name], [name]Kay[/name]
[name]Elizabeth[/name]
Dated: [name]Bess[/name]
Now: [name]Liz[/name]
[name]Future[/name]: [name]Eliza[/name]
[name]Alexandra[/name]
Dated: [name]Sandy[/name]
Now: [name]Alex[/name]
[name]Future[/name]: [name]Lexi[/name]
[name]William[/name]
Dated/Now: [name]Will[/name]
Now/[name]Future[/name]: [name]Liam[/name]
Dated Names:
[name]Doris[/name], [name]Phyllis[/name], [name]Sharon[/name], [name]Karen[/name]
Well, I think that one of the reasons some “classic” names are so classic is due to their nickname flexibility. [name]Elizabeth[/name]'s were once [name]Lizzy[/name] and [name]Beth[/name], but now could be [name]Libby[/name], [name]Bess[/name] or [name]Eliza[/name], [name]William[/name] was once [name]Bill[/name] or [name]Willy[/name], but now could be [name]Liam[/name] or [name]Wills[/name], same is true for [name]Margaret[/name]–> [name]Greta[/name]/[name]Maisie[/name], [name]Alexander[/name] --> [name]Zander[/name], [name]Anders[/name], and [name]Katherine[/name]–> [name]Kit[/name], [name]Kate[/name], [name]Kat[/name]. I think a fun nickname can totally update a name! I know a young [name]James[/name] that goes by [name]Jem[/name], rather than [name]Jim[/name] or [name]Jamie[/name] and its so adorable and fresh on him. Some others (I tried to use more recently dated names, rather than vintage ones, since those are coming back into style!):
[name]Jennifer[/name] ([name]Jen[/name], [name]Jenny[/name]) - [name]Jinny[/name], Jinna
[name]Melissa[/name] ([name]Mel[/name]) - Lissy, [name]Ellie[/name]
[name]Stephanie[/name] ([name]Steph[/name], Stephi) - [name]Effy[/name], [name]Fanny[/name] (questionable, lol)
[name]Kristen[/name] ([name]Kristy[/name], [name]Krissy[/name]) - [name]Kit[/name], [name]Kiki[/name]
[name]Kathleen[/name] ([name]Kathy[/name], [name]Katie[/name]) - [name]Lena[/name], [name]Leni[/name], [name]Lia[/name], [name]Kat[/name]
[name]Theresa[/name] ([name]Terry[/name]) - [name]Tess[/name], [name]Reese[/name]
[name]Amy[/name] - [name]Mia[/name], [name]Mimi[/name]
[name]Sandra[/name] ([name]Sandy[/name]) - [name]Andy[/name], [name]Andra[/name], Sand/[name]Sander/name, [name]Sasha[/name]
Boys names are harder because they don’t seem to date as easily. The ones that immediately come to mind, like [name]Chad[/name], [name]Donald[/name] and [name]Justin[/name] aren’t really updatable. Here are the few I could come up with:
[name]Richard[/name] ([name]Rick[/name], [name]Dick[/name]) - [name]Richie[/name], Chard (uhh maybe not…)
[name]Philip[/name] ([name]Phil[/name]) - [name]Pip[/name], [name]Fin[/name] (questionable)
[name]Lawrence[/name] ([name]Larry[/name]) - [name]Law[/name], [name]Ren[/name]
[name]Fredrick[/name] ([name]Fred[/name]) - [name]Red[/name]
[name]Leonard[/name] ([name]Lenny[/name]) - [name]Leo[/name]
My name is [name]Nicole[/name], and I much more prefer to be called [name]Nic[/name] or [name]Cole[/name] than [name]Nikki[/name] which is the most common nickname. I’m just not a “[name]Nikki[/name]”… and I think that can go for a lot of names, some people may not a “[name]Lizzie[/name]” and try to think of cooler names. My dad, his name is [name]John[/name] but goes by [name]Jack[/name]. I do think some nicknames are way off though.
For the dated names…
[name]Doris[/name]: Riz (and Rizzo, if it isn’t too “Grease” for you), maybe [name]Dorie[/name]? (I like it, even with Finding [name]Nemo[/name]), [name]Dora[/name].
[name]Phyllis[/name]: Phia, Lissy, Phee, possibly [name]Ellis[/name]? [name]Lilly[/name]?
[name]Sharon[/name]: [name]Aro[/name], [name]Nora[/name] (if you take the last 4 letters and flip them…), Sha/[name]Shea[/name] (prn “[name]Shay[/name]”–I just don’t like that spelling much because of people I know, haha), Shore (word name-esque).
[name]Karen[/name]: [name]Kay[/name]/[name]Kaye[/name]/[name]Kae[/name], Karnie (if you like the vintage sound of [name]Marnie[/name]–a [name]Margaret[/name] nn, by the way–and the male [name]Barney[/name]. Oh, wait, carnival carnies. Maybe this isn’t all that useable), Renna.
[name]Barbara[/name]: [name]Bara[/name] (prn “bahr-uh”), [name]Bab[/name]/[name]Babs[/name] (if you’re confident), [name]Barbie[/name] (which I actually think is kind of cute), [name]Barry[/name] (like “berry”).
Suggested nicknames that I especially liked:
[name]Kit[/name]/[name]Kitty[/name] (what does anyone think of [name]Kit[/name] for [name]Christopher[/name]? Has it entirely gone feminine? I keep reading books set in the Regency era where Christophers are Kits and I really like it. Masculine enough?)
[name]Eliza[/name] (between Elizas [name]Bennet[/name] & Doolittle, this one’s classic.)
[name]Fanny[/name] (brilliant!)
[name]Tess[/name] (SOO much better than [name]Terry[/name]!)
[name]Law[/name] (I have this gut feeling that [name]Lawrence[/name] and names like that–[name]Walter[/name], etc.–are the next for a comeback. They go with the grandfatherly trend, after all, right?)
[name]Jack[/name]–do you think someone could get that nn out of [name]James[/name]? I mean, it shares more letters with that than with [name]John[/name]. I [name]LOVE[/name] [name]Jack[/name], plus my dad’s mn is [name]James[/name]…yes? No?
*Also: [name]Elsie[/name], [name]Liesel[/name], [name]Bette[/name] (a la [name]Davis[/name]), Zet, Bizza for [name]Elizabeth[/name] ([name]Lizzy[/name], [name]Beth[/name], etc.). [name]Wim[/name], Mill for [name]William[/name] ([name]Willy[/name], [name]Bill[/name], etc.). [name]Micha[/name], Chael for [name]Michael[/name] ([name]Mike[/name]). [name]Verina[/name]/[name]Verona[/name], [name]Nica[/name] for [name]Veronica[/name] (instead of the hideous [name]Ronnie[/name]). Imma, [name]Melly[/name]/[name]Millie[/name] for [name]Kimberly[/name] ([name]Kim[/name]). [name]Nellie[/name] for [name]Angela[/name] ([name]Angie[/name]). Tria for [name]Patricia[/name] ([name]Patty[/name]). [name]Niel[/name] for [name]Daniel[/name] ([name]Dan[/name]). [name]Aldo[/name] for [name]Ronald[/name]/[name]Donald[/name] ([name]Ron[/name]/[name]Don[/name]). [name]Amelie[/name] for [name]Pamela[/name] ([name]Pam[/name]). [name]Rory[/name] for [name]Robert[/name] ([name]Rob[/name], [name]Bert[/name]). [name]Nat[/name] for [name]Anthony[/name] ([name]Tony[/name]). [name]Park[/name], Trick for [name]Patrick[/name] ([name]Pat[/name], [name]Rick[/name]). [name]Russ[/name], Rull, Russe (“roohs,” like [name]Charlotte[/name] Russe) for [name]Russell[/name] ([name]Rusty[/name]). Renar for [name]Bernard[/name] ([name]Bernie[/name]). Bem for [name]Benjamin[/name] ([name]Ben[/name], [name]Benjy[/name]). [name]Sally[/name], [name]Sadie[/name] for [name]Sarah[/name] (which doesn’t really have a nn right now). [name]Just[/name] off the top of my head. (:
You guys have out-done yourselves, but I just wanted to say three things…
[name]Barbara[/name] - What about [name]Barbie[/name], or is it too branded (or dated) at this point. What else? [name]Berry[/name]? [name]Babs[/name]? That’s a bit too much Streisand for me!
[name]Elisabeth[/name] - What about Busy? Like as in Busy [name]Phillips[/name], whose name is [name]Elizabeth[/name]! She isn’t named Busy because of her first name, but I think it could work as a diminutive for [name]Elisabeth[/name], for sure!
[name]Susan[/name] - [name]Sosie[/name], anyone? It’s less cutesy than [name]Sadie[/name] and [name]Maisie[/name], but has that comfortable feeling of [name]Josie[/name] and [name]Maggie[/name]! [name]Love[/name] it!
[name]Lemon[/name] 
[name]Barbara[/name]: [name]Ari[/name]/[name]Ara[/name]
[name]Beverly[/name]: [name]Ever[/name]
[name]Diane[/name]: [name]Dia[/name]/[name]Anne[/name]/[name]Annie[/name] etc.
[name]Karen[/name]: [name]Ren[/name]
I think [name]Susan[/name] nn [name]Sunny[/name] is ADORABLE.
[name]Sosie[/name] is AMAZING! 
That’s a great nn!
I don’t know. I think the datedness might all be in the eye of the beholder as trends change so fast! For example, [name]Lexi[/name] to me sounds dated. [name]Dottie[/name] sounds dated to a lot of people, yet some find it refreshing. While I don’t like [name]Barbara[/name], I’m sure some would find appeal in [name]Bara[/name], or [name]Barry[/name]. Really, it all comes down to finding a name you love and to heck with everyone else. (unless it’s just an awful name- then it’s cruel). I like the rule “if you wouldn’t legally change your name to it and LIKE being called that, you shouldn’t use it”