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Popular Nicknames

Popular nicknames may be used on their own on the birth certificate or might be short forms for proper names ranging from the common to the unusual.

The nicknames here rank highly on both the US and the British lists of popular baby names. These top nicknames are friendly and likeable, but may be much more widely-used than you guess given that they're used as diminutives for such a broad range of names. Don't be surprised if your little Ellie or Jack is one of many on the playground!

The up side of these popular nicknames is that they make any name friendlier and more accessible. So you can choose a name of a mythological hero or a great-great-uncle and make it friendly in the contemporary world through one of these top nicknames.

Evie

Meaning: life

Origin:Diminutive of Eve or Eva
88
Winnie

Meaning: holy peacemaking, gentle friend

Origin:English diminutive of Winifred
159
Nell

Meaning: bright, shining one

Origin:English, diminutive of Helen, Eleanor, et al
266
Romy The name Romy is a name of German origins an...
Origin:Diminutive of Rosemary, Roma, Romana, Romilly etc.
267
Gia

Meaning: God's gracious gift

Origin:Italian
298
Edie

Meaning: prosperous in war

Origin:English, diminutive of Edith
312
Belle

Meaning: beautiful

Origin:Short form of Isabelle or French
310
Poppy

Meaning: red flower

Origin:English from Latin
39
Elsie

Meaning: pledged to God

Origin:Diminutive of Elizabeth via its Scottish variation, Elspeth
67
Thea

Meaning: goddess, godly

Origin:Greek
37
Bee

Meaning: she who brings happiness

Origin:Animal name or diminutive of Beatrice
581
Ollie

Meaning: olive tree

Origin:Diminutive of Oliver, Latin
1346
Tess

Meaning: to harvest

Origin:English, diminutive of Theresa
327
Lena The Hebrew name Lena is a shorter version of...
Origin:English, Scottish, Dutch, German, and Scandinavian, diminutive of various names ending in lena
162
Rosie

Meaning: rose

Origin:English
304
Rory

Meaning: red king

Origin:Irish
572
Mac

Meaning: son of

Origin:Scottish or Irish
212
Ace

Meaning: one, unity

Origin:Latin
411
Bo

Meaning: to live

Origin:Norse nickname
575
Theo

Meaning: gift of God

Origin:Diminutive of Theodore
36