What are some of your favorite uncommon nicknames for common names?
Like my actual name is [name_u]Meredith[/name_u], but I often go by [name_f]Mara[/name_f]. (Pronounced [name_f]Mair[/name_f]-uh)
[name_f]My[/name_f] name is [name_u]Ashley[/name_u], and I’ve toyed around with going by [name_f]Lise[/name_f] or [name_f]Lela[/name_f] (both stretches, but I figure if [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] can get [name_f]Lola[/name_f], then [name_u]Ashley[/name_u] can get [name_f]Lela[/name_f] ([name_u]LEE[/name_u]-lah), and I figure [name_f]Lise[/name_f] makes enough sense with the “S” in my surname. 
I love the nn [name_f]Leni[/name_f] (like [name_m]Lenny[/name_m]) for names like [name_f]Gwendolen[/name_f], [name_f]Madeleine[/name_f], [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f], etc., too–I’m not sure that’s terribly unusual, though?
[name_u]Love[/name_u] this prompt, and the NB post that inspired it. I went down the Top 100 and tried to think of some solid, unusual options.
[name_f]Sophia[/name_f]: [name_f]Fia[/name_f]
[name_m]Jacob[/name_m]: [name_m]Coby[/name_m], [name_u]Jay[/name_u], [name_u]Jace[/name_u], [name_m]Obie[/name_m]
[name_u]Mason[/name_u]: [name_u]Sonny[/name_u], [name_m]Mace[/name_m]
[name_m]Ethan[/name_m]: [name_m]Thane[/name_m]?
[name_f]Isabella[/name_f]: [name_u]Izzy[/name_u], Izza, [name_u]Sabel[/name_u], [name_u]Ellis[/name_u], [name_m]Abel[/name_m]/[name_m]Able[/name_m] (not a fan of boy’s names on girls, but if you must, make it a nickname)
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f]: [name_f]Liv[/name_f], [name_u]Ollie[/name_u], [name_f]Iva[/name_f], [name_f]Vi[/name_f]
[name_m]William[/name_m]: [name_m]Wim[/name_m] (love), [name_f]Immy[/name_f]
[name_f]Emily[/name_f]: [name_f]Milly[/name_f], [name_f]Mila[/name_f]
[name_u]Jayden[/name_u]: [name_u]Jay[/name_u] (a vast improvement over the original, if you ask me)
[name_f]Abigail[/name_f]: [name_u]Gale[/name_u] (think of a strong wind, not someone’s great-aunt), [name_m]Abe[/name_m], [name_f]Ailsa[/name_f]
[name_u]Michael[/name_u]: [name_m]Cale[/name_m], [name_m]Mitch[/name_m], [name_m]Ike[/name_m], [name_m]Iker[/name_m], [name_u]Micah[/name_u]
[name_f]Mia[/name_f]: [name_f]Mimi[/name_f], [name_f]Mim[/name_f], [name_f]Mimosa[/name_f] (possibly more of a college nickname than a nursery nickname…)
[name_m]Alexander[/name_m]: [name_m]Xander[/name_m], [name_m]Zane[/name_m], [name_u]Lex[/name_u], [name_m]Alec[/name_m], Lexer, [name_m]Alexei[/name_m], [name_m]Anders[/name_m], [name_m]Sandor[/name_m], [name_m]Sanders[/name_m], [name_u]Sandy[/name_u], [name_u]Sascha[/name_u] (love this – I actually know a few male Saschas, and one of them is [name_m]Alexander[/name_m] on his birth certificate)
[name_u]Madison[/name_u]: [name_f]Addy[/name_f], [name_u]Addis[/name_u], [name_f]Ada[/name_f], [name_f]Dee[/name_f], [name_f]Dot[/name_f] (okay, that’s a bit of a stretch)
[name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]: [name_f]Bette[/name_f], [name_f]Betsy[/name_f], [name_f]Bettina[/name_f], [name_f]Beth[/name_f], [name_f]Liza[/name_f], [name_f]Lizbeth[/name_f], [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f], Lilybird, [name_f]Elsa[/name_f], [name_f]Bea[/name_f], [name_f]Ailsa[/name_f] (again), [name_f]Eilish[/name_f], [name_f]Elspeth[/name_f], [name_f]Libby[/name_f], [name_f]Liberty[/name_f],
[name_f]Chloe[/name_f]: Loie (LOW-ee)
[name_m]Anthony[/name_m]: [name_m]Anton[/name_m], Tonino (I’ve heard this one in a few Italian families)
[name_m]Benjamin[/name_m]: [name_u]Jamie[/name_u], [name_m]Benji[/name_m], Ames
[name_m]Andrew[/name_m]: [name_m]Anders[/name_m], [name_u]Rue[/name_u]
[name_u]Avery[/name_u]: [name_f]Avis[/name_f]
[name_m]David[/name_m]: [name_u]Avi[/name_u]
[name_m]Joseph[/name_m]: Seph
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]: [name_f]Carly[/name_f], [name_u]Arly[/name_u], [name_f]Lottie[/name_f], [name_f]Charla[/name_f]
[name_u]Addison[/name_u]: [name_f]Addy[/name_f], [name_u]Addis[/name_u], [name_u]Issy[/name_u]
[name_u]Aubrey[/name_u]: Beardsley?
[name_f]Natalie[/name_f]: [name_f]Talia[/name_f]
[name_f]Amelia[/name_f]: [name_f]Melita[/name_f], [name_f]Amelie[/name_f], [name_f]Mila[/name_f], [name_f]Milly[/name_f], [name_f]Lia[/name_f], Ames
[name_m]Christopher[/name_m]: [name_m]Topher[/name_m], [name_u]Christo[/name_u], [name_m]Christos[/name_m], Aristo
[name_f]Lillian[/name_f]: Lilette, [name_f]Lila[/name_f], [name_f]Lisette[/name_f]
[name_m]Gabriel[/name_m]: [name_u]Gale[/name_u] (love this)
[name_f]Samantha[/name_f]: [name_f]Amma[/name_f], [name_f]Anthe[/name_f] (AN-thee), Amaranth
[name_m]Caleb[/name_m]: [name_m]Cale[/name_m]
[name_u]Evelyn[/name_u]: [name_f]Evie[/name_f] (love), [name_u]Vinny[/name_u], [name_u]Ever[/name_u]
[name_f]Victoria[/name_f]: [name_f]Vika[/name_f], [name_f]Victory[/name_f]
[name_u]Brooklyn[/name_u]: Rook
[name_m]Landon[/name_m]: [name_u]Lane[/name_u]
[name_f]Hailey[/name_f]: Hail, [name_f]Ailsa[/name_f] (I’m really liking this as a short form of all sorts of names!)
[name_m]Jonathan[/name_m]: [name_u]Jory[/name_u], Jonnah, [name_m]Nate[/name_m]
[name_f]Kaylee[/name_f]: [name_u]Kay[/name_u] and [name_u]Lee[/name_u] (both simpler and more elegant than the original), [name_f]Leela[/name_f], [name_f]Aya[/name_f], Key
[name_u]Brayden[/name_u]: [name_u]Ray[/name_u]
[name_f]Anna[/name_f]: [name_f]Nan[/name_f], [name_f]Nanette[/name_f]
[name_f]Gabriella[/name_f]: [name_f]Abra[/name_f], Rielle
[name_m]Isaiah[/name_m]: [name_m]Isai[/name_m]
[name_f]Savannah[/name_f]: [name_u]Van[/name_u], [name_m]Vance[/name_m], [name_u]Avi[/name_u], [name_f]Annie[/name_f], Savvy
[name_m]Henry[/name_m]: [name_m]Huck[/name_m]
[name_f]Sara[/name_f]: [name_f]Sari[/name_f], [name_f]Sarai[/name_f], [name_f]Sarita[/name_f], [name_u]Ari[/name_u]
[name_f]Alyssa[/name_f]: [name_f]Lisette[/name_f], [name_u]Izzy[/name_u]
[name_u]Evan[/name_u]: [name_u]Van[/name_u], [name_f]Evvy[/name_f], [name_u]Ever[/name_u]
[name_m]Julian[/name_m]: [name_u]Jules[/name_u] ([name_u]LOVE[/name_u] - it’s on my list), [name_u]June[/name_u], [name_f]Juni[/name_f], [name_f]Juno[/name_f], [name_u]Lian[/name_u] ([name_m]Liam[/name_m] with an ‘n’?)
[name_f]Arianna[/name_f]: [name_f]Ana[/name_f], [name_u]Ari[/name_u], [name_m]Arin[/name_m], [name_f]Arina[/name_f]
[name_m]Jeremiah[/name_m]: [name_u]Remy[/name_u] (love!), [name_f]Miah[/name_f]
[name_u]Genesis[/name_u]: [name_f]Gena[/name_f], [name_f]Genie[/name_f], [name_f]Nessa[/name_f], [name_f]Sissy[/name_f], even Sistene (what with those religious implications)
[name_f]Serenity[/name_f]: [name_u]Seren[/name_u] (love), [name_f]Nita[/name_f], [name_u]Ren[/name_u], Reni
[name_m]Thomas[/name_m]: [name_m]Tam[/name_m] and [name_m]Tavish[/name_m] are equally fabulous
[name_f]Scarlett[/name_f]: [name_f]Carly[/name_f], [name_f]Lettie[/name_f]
[name_f]Katherine[/name_f]: [name_f]Katri[/name_f], [name_f]Rinna[/name_f], [name_m]Cato[/name_m], [name_u]Kerry[/name_u], [name_f]Kitty[/name_f] (cute!), [name_u]Kay[/name_u], [name_f]Cady[/name_f], [name_f]Catrice[/name_f]
[name_m]Robert[/name_m]: [name_u]Robin[/name_u]
[name_m]Zachary[/name_m]: [name_m]Zeke[/name_m], Zekiah/[name_f]Zakiah[/name_f], [name_u]Cary[/name_u]
[name_m]Sebastian[/name_m]: [name_m]Bastian[/name_m], [name_m]Basie[/name_m]
We sort of did this the other way round and our daughter [name_f]Leonora[/name_f] gets called [name_f]Lily[/name_f] and calls herself [name_f]Lily[/name_f] and [name_f]Lily[/name_f]-[name_f]Nora[/name_f] as well as [name_m]Leo[/name_m]. Another daughter [name_f]Daphne[/name_f] gets called [name_f]Dilly[/name_f] short for Daffodowndilly or [name_f]Daffodil[/name_f]. I am trying to get [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] to go by [name_f]Betsy[/name_f] or [name_f]Bessie[/name_f], her middle name is [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] but he campaign is not working and she is mostly [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f].
I love these ones:
[name_f]Imogen[/name_f] nn Momo
[name_f]Margot[/name_f] nn Go-Go
[name_f]Josephine[/name_f] nn [name_u]Jean[/name_u] or [name_m]Jeffie[/name_m]
[name_f]Nicolette[/name_f] or [name_f]Violet[/name_f] nn [name_f]Lettie[/name_f]
I love this category of names. You get an unusual and distinctive name you probably won’t have to share, but if your child ever wants something more “normal,” they can use their full name.
[name_m]Alexander[/name_m] - [name_m]Axel[/name_m]
[name_f]Margaret[/name_f] - [name_f]Marlo[/name_f]
[name_f]Sophia[/name_f] - [name_f]Sosie[/name_f]
[name_m]Benjamin[/name_m] - [name_u]Jem[/name_u]
[name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] - Zab
[name_u]Michael[/name_u]- [name_m]Cael[/name_m] (pron. like [name_m]Kale[/name_m])
[name_m]Thomas[/name_m]- [name_m]Maas[/name_m]
[name_f]Caroline[/name_f] - [name_f]Callie[/name_f]
[name_f]Madeline[/name_f]- [name_u]Del[/name_u]
[name_f]Isabella[/name_f] - [name_u]Sabel[/name_u] (za-[name_f]BEL[/name_f], like the middle of the name)
My name is [name_f]Amanda[/name_f] but my family calls me [name_f]Mae[/name_f].
I also like [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] nn [name_f]Lottie[/name_f]
I love the name [name_f]Lia[/name_f], but since it’s a bit too short and simple for me to ever actually use as a first name I would probably use it as a nickname for a name that ended in “-lia.” So for example…
[name_f]Aurelia[/name_f] --> [name_f]Lia[/name_f]
[name_f]Emilia[/name_f] --> [name_f]Lia[/name_f]
[name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] --> [name_f]Lia[/name_f]
[name_f]Lia[/name_f] is hardly ever used as a nickname for names like this so I’d say it’s an uncommon preference :). Although I’m not sure how effectively it would work in real life, since usually nicknames are derived from the beginning or middle of a name.
My son is [name_m]Isaac[/name_m], and goes by [name_m]Ike[/name_m] or [name_m]Ikey[/name_m].