List of short name forms
From Freepedia
Common given names often evolve different-sounding diminutives over time, sometimes to the point that people forget the link between the full and short forms of the name and register what is traditionally only a diminutive as a formal birth name.
This is a list of short name forms where the short version is not an obvious abbreviation of the longer form. As many of these different-sounding diminutives have evolved via similar-sounding diminutives, they are included here in parentheses.
| Short Form | Long Form |
|---|---|
| Biddy, Bridey | Bridget |
| Bill (Will) | William |
| Bob (Rob) | Robert |
| Chuck, Chaz, Chic | Charles |
| Daisie (Maisie) | Mary |
| Dee | Dolores |
| Dick (Rick) | Richard |
| Dobbin (Robin) | Robert |
| Dot | Dorothy |
| Flick | Felicity |
| Hal (Harry) | Harold, Henry |
| Hank | Henry |
| Jack | John |
| Jim | James |
| Kit, Topher | Christopher |
| Larry | Lawrence |
| Nabby (Abby) | Abigail |
| Nan, Nancy | Anne |
| Ned (Ed) | Edward |
| Nell, Nellie (Ellie) | Eleanor, Ellen |
| Peg (Meg) | Margaret |
| Polly (Molly) | Mary |
| Sadie | Sarah |
| Sally | Sarah |
| Sandy (Sandra) | Alexandra |
| Sasha | Alexander |
| Sy | Seymour |
| Ted (Ed) | Edward |
Many more diminutives can be produced by simply adding -y (or -ie) to the end of the short form e.g. Bill becomes Billy. This is also true if the full name is not very long e.g. Jackie and Johnny are both common whereas Bobby or Robbie are diminutives of Robert, never Roberty! Generally, though not always, an ending of "y" indicates a male, "ie" a female.
Related articles and lists
External Links
A discussion on the evolution of diminutives with a large list [1]
