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Female Ancestor First Names and Nicknames (+ Searchable Guide)

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Young women walking their cat in November 1929 in Paris, France.
Young women walking their cats in November 1929 in Paris, France.
(Photo by Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images)

Many women went by a nickname in the 19th century. These monikers—the 19th century’s most popular, according to the Given Names Frequency Project—may help you identify her in databases, indexes and records.

Popular Historical Female Names

1801-1810

Mary
Elizabeth
Sarah
Nancy
Ann
Catherine
Margaret
Jane
Susan
Hannah
Rebecca
Martha
Lucy
Betty
Sally

1841-1850

Mary
Sarah
Elizabeth
Martha
Margaret
Ann
Emily
Catherine
Nancy
Ellen
Susan
Jane
Frances
Lucy
Harriet

1891-1900

Mary
Elizabeth
Ann
Helen
Margaret
Ellen
Catherine
Lily
Florence
Ada
Lou
Ethel
Emily
Ruth
Rose

Female Nicknames

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.

Female Nickname Searchable Guide

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 namePossible Nickname(s)
AbigailAbby, Gail, Nabby
AdalineAda, Adela, Aline, Lina
AdelaideAda, Addy, Adela, Della, Heidi
AdelaDella
AgathaAg, Aggy
AgnesAggy, Ann, Nancy, Nessie
Alberta, AbertinaAl, Allie, Bert, Bertie, Bird
AlexandraAlex, Andi, Sandy, Sandra, Xandra
AlexisLexi
Alicia, AliceAlcy, Alicia, Lisa, Ally, Elsie
AlisonAlly
AlmenaMena, Minnie
AlmiraMyra
AlyssaAl, Ally, Lisa, Lissa
AmandaAmy, Manda, Mandy
AmeliaAmy, Emily, Mel, Melia, Millie
AnastasiaAna, Stacy
AndreaAndi, Drea
Angela, AngelinaAngel, Angelica, Angie, Ann, Anna, Jane, Lina
AnnetteAnna, Nettie
Antonia, Antoinette Antonia, Net, Nettie, Tonie
ArabellaAra, Bella, Belle
ArielleArie, Ella
ArleneLena
AubreyBree
AudreyDee
Augusta, AugustinaAggy, Gussie, Ina, Tina
Aurelia, Aurilla, OrillaOra, Ree, Rilly
BarbaraBabs, Barb, Barbie, Bobbie, Bonnie
Beatrice, BeatrixBea, Trisha, Trissy, Trixie
BedeliaDelia, Bridgit
BelindaBell, Linda, Lyn
BerthaBertie, Bitha, Boots
BethenaBet, Beth, Thaney
BeverlyBev
BlancheBea
BrendaBrandy
BridgetBiddy, Bridie, Brie, Delia
CalistaCallie, 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, KatharineCathy, 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
MonicaMona
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, CelinaLena
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

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