Your Guide to Nicknames
Nicknames and diminutives can be one of the fun and creative aspects of naming your child. They can be anything from playful to clever, and while some nicknames come built-in, others may take a bit longer to figure out. Some parents purposely name their children names that can be shortened while other nicknames come about in different ways. 20 years ago there were plenty of Sam’s, Alex’s, and Will’s running around the playground, but today you’d be more likely to find a few Teddy’s, Remy’s, and Nate’s instead.
There are many names that will most likely be shortened into a nickname. Those with names like Elizabeth, Christopher, Alexander, and Josephine, rarely go by their full names, instead opting for a shortened version. But how many nicknames can you get from them? Take the name Elizabeth for example. It can be shortened to Liz, Liza, Beth, Libby, Eliza, and Lizzie just to name a few. There are plenty of names just like this that can be shortened into a number of different nicknames and parents will often choose these and see which nickname suits their child best.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, there are other parents who choose to forego the formal name altogether and go ahead with naming their baby the ‘nickname’ instead. The names Charlie, Billie, and Leo are all popular amongst new parents today and have all been shortened from longer and more formal names. Other nicknames as first names that might not be so common are Etta instead of Henrietta, Winnie instead of Winifred, and Alfie instead of Alfred.
Another trend that is taking off is naming your child a unique name that has a popular nickname. Names like Giselle and Georgianna are being shortened to Gia, while Lily can be short for unique names like Galilee and Amaryllis. Choosing a unique name with a common nickname allows you the option of having two different names and gives your child the choice to decide what they would rather be called.
Whatever name you choose, whether it be popular, unique, shortened, or completely ‘nickname proof’, enjoy the process and have fun choosing your baby’s name.
