(Photo by Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images)
Who knew your great-grandma Mary could go by at least seven nicknames in genealogical records? Use our list of nicknames for more than 200 given names to figure out the various ways your female ancestor might appear in census, court, newspaper and other records. When searching databases, look for her under all possible nicknames. Note the same woman might show up with different nicknames in different records.
The same nickname might be associated with different given names. If all you have is a nickname and you’re looking for possible given names, use the search box in the upper right corner of the table.
| Given name | Possible Nickname(s) |
|---|---|
| Abigail | Abby, Gail, Nabby |
| Adaline | Ada, Adela, Aline, Lina |
| Adelaide | Ada, Addy, Adela, Della, Heidi |
| Adela | Della |
| Agatha | Ag, Aggy |
| Agnes | Aggy, Ann, Nancy, Nessie |
| Alberta, Abertina | Al, Allie, Bert, Bertie, Bird |
| Alexandra | Alex, Andi, Sandy, Sandra, Xandra |
| Alexis | Lexi |
| Alicia, Alice | Alcy, Alicia, Lisa, Ally, Elsie |
| Alison | Ally |
| Almena | Mena, Minnie |
| Almira | Myra |
| Alyssa | Al, Ally, Lisa, Lissa |
| Amanda | Amy, Manda, Mandy |
| Amelia | Amy, Emily, Mel, Melia, Millie |
| Anastasia | Ana, Stacy |
| Andrea | Andi, Drea |
| Angela, Angelina | Angel, Angelica, Angie, Ann, Anna, Jane, Lina |
| Annette | Anna, Nettie |
| Antonia, Antoinette | Antonia, Net, Nettie, Tonie |
| Arabella | Ara, Bella, Belle |
| Arielle | Arie, Ella |
| Arlene | Lena |
| Aubrey | Bree |
| Audrey | Dee |
| Augusta, Augustina | Aggy, Gussie, Ina, Tina |
| Aurelia, Aurilla, Orilla | Ora, Ree, Rilly |
| Barbara | Babs, Barb, Barbie, Bobbie, Bonnie |
| Beatrice, Beatrix | Bea, Trisha, Trissy, Trixie |
| Bedelia | Delia, Bridgit |
| Belinda | Bell, Linda, Lyn |
| Bertha | Bertie, Bitha, Boots |
| Bethena | Bet, Beth, Thaney |
| Beverly | Bev |
| Blanche | Bea |
| Brenda | Brandy |
| Bridget | Biddy, Bridie, Brie, Delia |
| Calista | Callie, Kissy |
| Camille, Camilla | Cammy, Millie |
| Candace | Candy, Dacey |
| Carlotta | Carla, Lottie |
| Carmellia Carm, | Cammie, Charm, Mellie |
| Caroline, Carolyn | Caddie, Callie, Carol, Carrie, Lena, Lynn |
| Cassandra | Cass, Cassie, Sandy, Sandra |
| Catherine, Cathleen, Kathryn, Kathleen, Katharine | Cathy, Karen, Katie, Kay, Kit, Kittie, Rhynie, Rina, Trina |
| Cecilia | Cee, Celia, Cissy |
| Celeste | Celia, Lessie |
| Celinda | Linda, Lindy, Lynn |
| Charity | Chat |
| Charlene | Charlie, Char, Lena |
| Charlotte | Car, Char, Letty, Lotta, Lottie |
| Chloe | Clo |
| hristine, Christina, Christiana, Kristine, Kristina | Chris, Christy, Crissy, Ina, Kit, Kissy, Kris, Krissy, Tina, Xina |
| Cecilia, Cicely | Celia, Cilla |
| Cinderella | Arilla, Cindy, Rilla, Rella |
| Clarice, Clarissa | Cissy, Claire, Clara, Clare |
| Clarinda | Claire, Clara, Clare, Linda, Rindy |
| Clementine | Clem, Tina |
| Constance | Connie |
| Cordelia | Cordy, Delia, Della, Lil, Lila |
| Cornelia | Cora, Ora, Conny, Corny, Neely, Nell, Nelly |
| Courtney | Corky, Court |
| Cynthia | Cindy, Sina |
| Danielle | Dani, Ellie |
| Daphne | Daph |
| Deanne, Deanna | Ann, Anna, Dee, Deedee |
| Deborah | Deb, Debbie, Debby |
| Delilah | Del, Lila |
| Delores | Del, Lori |
| Delphine, Delphina | Del, Phina |
| Diane, Diana | Di, Ann, Anna |
| Denise | Necie, Dee |
| Dorinda | Dorie |
| Dorothy, Dorothea | Dora, Dot, Dottie, Dotha, Thea |
| Drusilla | Silla |
| Edith | Dicey, Edie |
| Elaine, Eleanor, Leonora | Elena, Ella, Ellen, Elsie, Helen, Lana, Lainie, Nell, Nellie, Nora |
| Elizabeth | Bess, Bessie, Bet, Beth, Betsy, Betty, Bitsy, Eli, Eliza, Elsie, Ibby, Libby, Lisa, Lish, Liz, Liza, Lizbet, Lizzie, Tess |
| Elnora | Nora |
| Emeline, Emily | Emma, Emmy, Lina, Millie, Erma |
| Ernestine | Ernie, Teeny, Tina |
| Estella | Essie, Stella |
| Esther | Essie, Hettie |
| Eudora | Dora |
| Eudoris | Dosie |
| Eugenia | Genie, Jenny |
| Eunice | Necie |
| Eustacia | Stacy |
| Evangeline | Eve, Eva, Angie |
| Evelyn | Eve, Lynne |
| Fidelia | Delia |
| Felicia | Lisha |
| Felicity | Fel, Feli |
| Florence | Flo, Flora, Florrie, Floss, Flossie |
| Frances | Fanny, Fran, Francie, Frankie, Sis |
| Frederica | Freddie, Rica |
| Gabrielle | Ella, Gabbie |
| Genevieve | Jenny, Ginny, Neva |
| Georgiana | Georgie, Anna |
| Geraldine | Dina, Geri |
| Gertrude | Gatty, Gertie, Trudy |
| Gwendolyn | Genny, Gwen, Wendy |
| Heather | Hetty |
| Harriett | Harrie, Hattie, Etta, Ettie |
| Helen, Helena | Ellen, Elsie, Lena, Nell, Nellie |
| Heloise, Louise | Eloise, Lois, Lou, Weezy |
| Henrietta | Etta, Ettie, Hetty, Nettie, Retta |
| Hester | Esther, Hessy, Hetty |
| Hilary, Hilda | Hillie |
| Irene | Rena |
| Isabelle, Isabella | Bella, Belle, Cybilla, Ib, Issy, Izzy, Nib |
| Isadora | Dora, Izzy |
| Jacqueline | Jackie |
| Janet | Jan, Jane, Janie, Nettie |
| Joanna, Johanna | Anna, Joan, Jean, Jo, Joan, Jody |
| Jeanette | Jan, Jean, Jeanne, Jenny, Nettie |
| Jemima | Jemma, Mima, Mimi |
| Jennifer | Jan, Jenny |
| Jerita | Rita |
| Jessica | Jess, Jesse, Jessie, Sica |
| Joan | Nonie |
| Josephine, Josephina | Jo, Josie, Phena |
| Josetta | Jettie, Josie |
| Joyce | Joy |
| Juanita | Nita |
| Judith | Juda, Jude, Judy |
| Julia, Julieta | Jill, Julie, Juliet |
| Katherine, Kathleen | Kay (see Catherine) |
| Kayla | Kay |
| Kendra | Kay, Kenny, Kenji |
| Kesiah | Kizzy |
| Kristine | (see Christina) |
| Laodicia | Dicy, Cenia |
| Lauren, Laurinda, Lauryn, Lorinda | Laurie, Laura, Lori, Ren, Mindy |
| Laverne | Verna |
| Lavina, Lavinia | Vina, Viney, Vonnie, Wyncha |
| Leanne, Leanna | Ann, Annie, Lea, Lee |
| Leonore, Leonora | Eleanor, Lennie, Nora, Norah |
| Letitia | Lettie, Lettice, Titia, Tish |
| Levicy | Vicy |
| Lavonne | Von |
| Lillian | Lil, Lila, Lilly, Lolly, Odie |
| Loretta | Etta, Laura, Lorrie, Retta |
| Lorraine | Lorrie, Rainie |
| Loucinda, Lucinda | Cindy, Lucy |
| Louvenia, Lavinia | Lou, Vina, Viny |
| Louetta | Lou, Etta |
| Lucille | Lucia, Lucy Ceall, Cille |
| Lucretia | Creasey, Cretia, Lou |
| Lydia | Liddie |
| Margaret, Margareta, Magdelene | Daisy, Greta, Madge, Maggie, Marge, Margie, Margo, Meg, Midge, Peg, Peggy |
| Marilyn | Lyn |
| Marjorie | Geri, Jeri, Marge |
| Martha | Marcy, Marty, Marta, Mattie, Pat, Patsy, Patty |
| Matilda | Mattie, Tildy, Tillie |
| Maureen | Maura, Reenie |
| Mary | Mamie, Mae, May, Mattie, Mimi, Molly, Polly |
| Melinda | Mel, Mellie, Linda, Mindy |
| Melissa | Mel, Missy, Lissa, Lisa |
| Michelle | Mitch, Shelly |
| Mildred | Milly |
| Millicent | Milly, Missy |
| Minerva | Minnie |
| Miranda | Mandy, Mira, Randy |
| Miriam | Mimi, Mitzi |
| Monica | Mona |
| Nancy | Nan, Ann |
| Natalie | Natty, Nettie, Tallie |
| Nicoletta | Letta, Nicole, Nicky |
| Obedience | Bede, Biddy |
| Olive, Olivia | Liv, Livia, Ollie, Nollie |
| Parmelia | Amelia, Melia, Milly, Parm |
| Patience | Pat, Patty |
| Patricia | Pat, Patty, Patsy, Tricia, Trish |
| Paula, Paulina | Polly, Lina |
| Penelope | Penny |
| Philinda | Linda |
| Priscilla | Cissy, Cilla, Prissy |
| Prudence | Prudy, Prue |
| Rachel | Shelly |
| Rebecca | Becca, Becky, Beck, Reba |
| Regina | Reggie, Gina |
| Roberta | Bobbie, Bert, Bertie, Birdie, Robbie |
| Rhonda | Ronnie |
| Rosabel, Rosabella | Belle, Rosa, Rose, Roz |
| Rosalyn, Rosalinda | Linda, Rosa, Rose, Roz |
| Roseann, Roseanna | Ann, Rose, Rosie Roz |
| Rosemary | Rose, Rosie, Mary, Roz |
| Roxanne, Roxanna | Ann, Rose, Roxie |
| Sabrina | Brina |
| Samantha | Sam, Sammy |
| Sarah, Sara | Sally, Sadie |
| Selina, Celina | Lena |
| Serena | Rena |
| Shirley | Lee, Sherry, Shirl |
| Submit | Mittie |
| Susan, Susannah | Anna , Hannah, Nan, Nanny, Sue, Sukey, Susie, Suze |
| Tabitha | Abby, Bitha, Bitty, Tabby |
| Temperence | Tempy, Tillie |
| Theodora | Dora, Teddie, Thea |
| Theodosia | Dosia, Teddie, Thea |
| Theresa | Terrie, Tess, Tessie, Tessa, Thursa, Tracy |
| Tryphena | Phena |
| Valerie | Val |
| Vanessa | Essa, Nessa, Vanna |
| Veronica | Franky, Frony, Ron, Ronnie, Ronna, Vonnie |
| Victoria | Vicky, Tory |
| Violet, Violetta | Vi, Letta, Lettie |
| Virginia | Ginger, Ginny, Jane, Jennie, Virgie |
| Wilhelmina | Mina, Minnie, Willie, Wilma |
| Winifred | Freddie, Winnie, Winnet |
