I’ve been totally crushing on [name]Zia[/name] lateley, either as a name by itself or as a nickname for [name]Zenobia[/name].
What are your favourite ‘nickname’ names? Would you use it as a proper name, or do you feel you’d have to give your child a longer name and use it as a nickname instead?
I think [name]Zia[/name] could totally work as a name on its own. If [name]Nia[/name], [name]Mia[/name], [name]Riya[/name] etc could then so can [name]Zia[/name]!
I like [name]Lexi[/name]. I guess [name]Alexa[/name] and [name]Alexia[/name] are nice as well but [name]Lexi[/name] is just so darn adorable. Things like [name]Charlie[/name], [name]Alfie[/name] and [name]Tommy[/name] are also considered to be nickname names.
[name]Bree[/name]
[name]Zia[/name] can definitely stand as name on its own!
I really like [name]Betty[/name] and [name]Bessie[/name], both nicknames for [name]Elizabeth[/name], which I’m not very fond of. I wouldn’t use them on their own, just because of how nickname-y they are.
I second [name]Betty[/name], and I even like [name]Betsy[/name], but not really [name]Elizabeth[/name].
My favorite nickname-names are [name]Hattie[/name], [name]Mattie[/name], and [name]Rosie[/name]. I don’t know if I’d use them as given names. [name]Harriet[/name], [name]Matilda[/name], and [name]Rose[/name] sound old to me; not as stylish as the nicknames.
[name]Kitty[/name]!
And…
Girls:
[name]Anja[/name]
[name]Libby[/name]
[name]Vi[/name]
[name]Flick[/name]
[name]Hatsy[/name]
[name]Jo[/name]
[name]Bunny[/name]
[name]Taffy[/name]
[name]Zuzu[/name]
Boys:
[name]Teddy[/name]
[name]Laurie[/name]
[name]Ace[/name]
[name]Kit[/name]
[name]Jem[/name]
[name]Hank[/name]
(But I would only use these as nicknames. I don’t like nicknames as given names.)
I have so many nicknames I love, but don’t necessarily have names to go with them
for girls:
[name]Hattie[/name]
[name]Nell[/name]/[name]Nellie[/name]
[name]Eli[/name]
[name]Lily[/name]
[name]Remi[/name]
[name]Romy[/name]
[name]Pippa[/name]/[name]Pip[/name]
[name]Poppy[/name]
Poppett
[name]Cricket[/name]
[name]Flick[/name]
Elphie
[name]Scout[/name]
[name]Skipper[/name]
Scooter
[name]Teddy[/name]
for boys:
[name]Teddy[/name]
[name]Bo[/name]
I prefer longer names with short and simple nicknames. I do not like nicknames as given names, one reason why it can be hard for me to like a name. Either I like the nickname and cannot find a longer name. Or I like the full name and loath the nickname. Which is some times unavoidable.
Any way, if they feel like that want to go by a mature name, they have their options. The names below are on my list, but it does not mean I will really use most of them on a child. Although middle names are free range for me.
Boys:
Chand: [name]Chandler[/name]
[name]Cal[/name]: [name]Calix[/name]; [name]Calder[/name]; [name]Calvin[/name]
[name]Cole[/name]: [name]Colin[/name]/[name]Collin[/name]; [name]Nicholas[/name]; [name]Nicolai[/name] (Still working on this one though.)
[name]Colt[/name]: Still working on this one.
[name]Corky[/name]: [name]Courtland[/name]
[name]Gable[/name]: [name]Gabriel[/name]
[name]Nico[/name]/[name]Niko[/name]: [name]Nicholas[/name]; [name]Nicolai[/name]/[name]Nikolai[/name]
[name]Toby[/name]: [name]Tobiah[/name]; [name]Tobias[/name]; [name]Tobin[/name]–(didn’t like it much, but now it’s growing on me.)
[name]Cas[/name]/Caz: Castiel; [name]Caspian[/name] (Still working on this one.)
[name]Cai[/name]: [name]Caius[/name]
Roo: [name]Don[/name]'t know a longer name, I just think it’s cute.
Erlo: [name]Sherlock[/name]
[name]Dash[/name]: [name]Dashiell[/name]
Girls:
[name]Mila[/name]: [name]Amelia[/name]
[name]Maury[/name]: [name]Amara[/name]
[name]Lilou[/name]/Leeloo/Lilu: [name]Liliana[/name]
[name]Arly[/name]/[name]Arlo[/name]: [name]Charlotte[/name]
[name]Sammie[/name] ([name]Gram[/name]'s name): [name]Samara[/name]; [name]Samaria[/name]
[name]Rory[/name]: [name]Aurora[/name] (I still like the name, but it has lost it’s appeal for me. It might come back as a strong likable for me again.)
[name]Poppy[/name]: [name]Calliope[/name]
[name]Elle[/name]: Still working on this one.
Saku: [name]Sakura[/name] (I have always adored this name. It may be to much for my child, but as I said middle names are free range.)
[name]ZuZu[/name]: Uzume (Same as above.)
I really do think its better to put longer names on birth certificates, but there are plenty of nickname names I love more than their most obvious full name:
Mimzy/Mimsy
[name]Rory[/name]
[name]Coco[/name]
[name]Birdie[/name]
[name]Sunny[/name]
[name]Wim[/name]
[name]Effie[/name]
[name]Bebe[/name]
[name]Zuzu[/name]
and I have a soft spot for [name]Bunny[/name].
My favorites are [name]Tess[/name], [name]Alec[/name], [name]Margo[/name], [name]Greta[/name], and [name]Molly[/name], and I would use them on their own.
[name]Millie[/name]
[name]Tess[/name]
[name]Susie[/name]
[name]Bree[/name]
[name]Elle[/name]
[name]Birdie[/name]
[name]Finn[/name]
[name]Philly[/name]
[name]Scottie[/name]
Zuly
[name]Eila[/name]
[name]Hatsy[/name]
[name]Baya[/name]
[name]Zoe[/name]
[name]Penny[/name]
[name]Gia[/name]
Savy
Lumi
[name]Mamie[/name]
[name]Ila[/name]
Wex
[name]Ozzy[/name]
[name]Rocky[/name]
[name]Ty[/name]
[name]Jace[/name]
[name]Van[/name]
[name]Mickey[/name]
Although I would never use a nickname name by itself, there are several nicknames I prefer to any longer versions:
[name]Bram[/name]
[name]Jed[/name]
[name]Frank[/name]
[name]Gus[/name]
[name]Ike[/name]
[name]Beth[/name]
[name]Libby[/name]
[name]Thea[/name]
[name]Etta[/name]
[name]Liv[/name]
[name]Greta[/name]
[name]Vivi[/name]
[name]Lux[/name]
Sephy
[name]Mina[/name]
[name]Nell[/name]/[name]Nellie[/name]
[name]Flossie[/name]
[name]Addie[/name]
[name]Tillie[/name]
[name]Tallie[/name]
[name]Sadie[/name]
[name]Tom[/name]
[name]Jake[/name]
[name]Nate[/name]/[name]Nate[/name]
[name]Ned[/name]
[name]Vince[/name]
Girls:
[name]Mitzi[/name], [name]Maria[/name]
[name]Trixie[/name], [name]Beatrice[/name]
[name]Hattie[/name], [name]Harriet[/name]
[name]Kitty[/name]/[name]Kit[/name], [name]Katherine[/name]
[name]Nellie[/name], [name]Elinor[/name]
[name]Pippa[/name], [name]Philippa[/name]
[name]Lottie[/name], [name]Charlotte[/name]
[name]Margo[/name], [name]Margaret[/name]
[name]Tessie[/name], [name]Theresa[/name]
[name]Penny[/name], [name]Penelope[/name]
Boys:
[name]Alfie[/name], [name]Alfred[/name]
[name]Mattie[/name], [name]Matthew[/name]
[name]Teddy[/name]/[name]Theo[/name], [name]Theodore[/name]
[name]Gus[/name], [name]Augustus[/name]/[name]August[/name]
[name]Tommy[/name], [name]Thomas[/name]
[name]Charlie[/name]! I love, love, love [name]Charlie[/name], but [name]Charles[/name] is just too buttoned-down for my tastes. I’ve also got a soft spot for [name]Tess[/name], [name]Kitty[/name], [name]Hattie[/name], and [name]Nella[/name].
[name]Bess[/name], [name]Bette[/name], and [name]Betsy[/name] for me too 
[name]Nell[/name], [name]Sukie[/name], [name]Sally[/name], and [name]Mae[/name] round out my favourite girl nicknames. On the boys’ side, there’s [name]Gus[/name], [name]Jem[/name], [name]Chet[/name], [name]Art[/name], and [name]Cal[/name].
Mine are:
[name]Birdie[/name]
[name]Cilla[/name]
[name]Izzy[/name]
[name]Mona[/name]
[name]Gabby[/name]
[name]Ted[/name]
[name]Baz[/name]
[name]Fritz[/name]
[name]Freddie[/name]
[name]Hal[/name]
[name]Benny[/name]
[name]Lou[/name]
[name]Hattie[/name]
[name]Flora[/name]
~[name]Nora[/name]
I like a lot of the -y/ie names, some by themselves and some as nn
[name]Molly[/name]
[name]Nelly[/name]
[name]Trudy[/name]
[name]Trixie[/name]
[name]Libby[/name]
[name]Livy[/name]
[name]Merry[/name]
I like [name]Tess[/name] and [name]Kit[/name] a lot as well.
I have a 5 year old [name]Edie[/name], not short for anything. [name]Love[/name], love, love her name. She is such a sweet, darling, caring old soul already. Definitely a little ‘[name]Edie[/name]’