Pet names

pinkypinky

Following a suggestion in another thread, pet names, obvious or otherwise. I'm just dashing off some from the top of my head.

Margaret: Peggy, Meg, Daisy

Anne: Nancy

Esther: Essie

Anastasia: Statia

Patricia: Trish, Tish, Patty, Pat

Cecilia/Cecily: Cis

Bridget: Delia

John: Jack

Thomas: Thos (not a diminutive but you do see it written)

Catriona: Triona, Trina, Cat

Yeah Yeah Yeah

Should we put these in alphabetical order PinkyP? (See I've shortened ur name already..:D

Some real surprises for me...for starters, Nancy could be Anne!

P. Breathnach

From the top of my head:
Mary: May; Minnie
Dorothy: Dora
Denis: Dinny
Robert: Bob; Bobby
Roberta: Bobbie
Carol or Caroline: Cazzie

Waitsian

Catherine/Catharine or Katherine: Katie, Kitty, Kat, Kathy.

My Nan was Sarah, but was nicknamed Sally. Anyone come across that before?

MadameGascar

Helen=Nelly

Waitsian

pinkypinky wrote: »

Thomas: Thos (not a diminutive but you do see it written)

I've often see that right enough, and Jas for James.

shanew

mod9maple wrote: »

Catherine/Catharine or Katherine: Katie, Kitty, Kat, Kathy.

My Nan was Sarah, but was nicknamed Sally. Anyone come across that before?

same in my Family - several Sarahs, known as Sara, Sadie & Sally

shanew

mod9maple wrote: »

I've often see that right enough, and Jas for James.

and Jno. for John, Wm. for William

pinkypinky

shanew wrote: »

and Jno. for John, Wm. for William

Oh and Geo. for George

pinkypinky

MadameGascar wrote: »

Helen=Nelly

Just to expand that one: can also be short for Ellen or Eleanor, and of course is seen as Nell too.

shanew

Bartholomew, Bart, Battie

Hannah, Hanora, Nora, Nanna

Monica, Mona

and Chas. for Charles

P. Breathnach

MadameGascar wrote: »

Helen=Nelly

Closely connected:
Ellen: Nell, Nellie

Elizabeth possibly beats all others: Liza, Beth, Betty, Bets, Betsy, Liz, Lizzie, Lisa, Lisbeth (and, in one famous instance, Brenda).

P. Breathnach

shanew wrote: »

Bartholomew, Bart, Battie

and Bartley. In the case of one Mr. Ahern, Bertie.

Hermy

Great idea for a thread.

A few of mine for your consideration...

Francis Gerard known as Bonzo.

Irene Mary known as Popsey

Arthur William known as Boysey

Tunny ???

If anyone can shed any light on them that'd be great.

CeannRua

Hermy wrote: »

Great idea for a thread.

A few of mine for your consideration...

Francis Gerard known as Bonzo.

Irene Mary known as Popsey

Arthur William known as Boysey

Tunny ???

If anyone can shed any light on them that'd be great.

They look like nicknames to me rather than being derived from their correct names.

Some others:
Angelina - Angela
Bridget - Bridie, Biddie, Breda
Jane - Jennie
Ellen - I've seen changed to Eileen
Mary - Maura
Daniel - Dan etc, Donie
Richard - Dick
Johanna - Hannah, Josie, Joan
Honora - Norry
Finbarr - Barry
Christina - Ina, Chrissie
Jeremiah - Darby
Michael - Mich; Mick
In a way, I think this is endless because as well as change of name you're at the mercy of vagaries of spelling - ie Jimmy / Jimmie; Lily / Lilly?

Also, there seems to be a lot more Irish language names in the 1911 than 1901 census maybe due to rising nationalism so there is maybe also this to consider. Someone who was Daniel in 1901 might be Donal / Domhnall in 1911; John - Sean; Mary - Maire etc etc.

pedroeibar1

You beat me to Darby/Jeremiah. I've also seen one link of that name to Diarmuid in my family. Also have a Norah referred to as Nina.

CeannRua

I don't know if this little book has been mentioned before - it's a study of surnames and first names - well worth a read
http://archive.org/details/varietiessynony00math

Hermy

CeannRua wrote: »

They look like nicknames to me rather than being derived from their correct names.

Gotcha. Sorry for going off topic.

carolinej

In the case of my great grandmother, Cecelia a.k.a. Lily

shanew

CeannRua wrote: »

I don't know if this little book has been mentioned before - it's a study of surnames and first names - well worth a read
http://archive.org/details/varietiessynony00math

thanks for this - I have his 1909 Special report on Surnames, but hadn't come across this book before.


Shane

CeannRua

The whole nickname thing can cause confusion too though eg three of my forebears all called John worked together. To avoid confusion(???) none of them was actually called John. I can never remember what they called themselves but it was something like Bob, Tom and Batt. If you didn't actually know this where you would be looking for them in records...

Hermy

That reminds me of a phone call my Dad made a few years ago.

John rang John.
John picked up the phone.
John asked to speak to John.
John said that John wasn't there and that he'd let John know that John had called.

The same surname also applied.:D

tac foley

Mary = Maisie

tac

pedroeibar1

mod9maple wrote: »

My Nan was Sarah, but was nicknamed Sally. Anyone come across that before?

Yes; my gmother also was Sarah, known by her sisters/brothers as Sal or Sally. Her family was from Tyrone originally, moved to Glasgow where she was born.

On another branch my ggmother was Ann, Anne and most often Ciss or Cissie. That blocked me for quite a while.

Waitsian

pedroeibar1 wrote: »

Yes; my gmother also was Sarah, known by her sisters/brothers as Sal or Sally. Her family was from Tyrone originally, moved to Glasgow where she was born.

Strange that, my Nan was born in Uddingston, but her people were from Newtownhamilton.

Jellybaby1

This could go on forever and there must be some websites dedicated to this already. And some of those already listed can prompt even more examples so we will find the same name popping up all over the thread.

Anthony – Tony, Anto
Brian or Bryan
Charles - Charlie or shortened to Chas. or even Chuck.
Christian – Chris, Kit
David - Davy, Dave, and in Irish (I think) Daithí
Dorothy – Doris, Dora, Dot, Dotty
Evelyn - Eve, Eva, Evelin, Evelinne, Evelinn
Edward - shortened to Edw. also, Eddie, Ed, Ned, Neddy, Ward
Elizabeth - Lizzie, Lizzy, Eliza, Liza, Beth, Betty, Betsy, Elsbeth, Ella
Frances - (female) Fanny, Fran, Frankie,
Francis - (male) Frank, Frankie
Geoffrey or Jeffrey or Geoff, Jeff.
Eugene – (male) Gene - or Jean (female)
George – (male) shortened to Geo.
Georgina – (female) – Georgy or Gina
Henry – Harry
John - Jack, but could be also be in Irish Seán
Leonard – Lenny
Mary - Polly
Maurice – Mo
Maureen - Mo or Rena

Regina – Gina or Queenie
Stephen - Steve
Thomas shortened to Thos., Tommy
William - Will, Bill, Billy or Liam



Basically most names can be shortened and there isn’t much guesswork involved.

Our American friends now change ordinary names by completely re-spelling them, i.e. Kate could be Kait or Cait or Kayt, I've seen them all at some stage.

Usually in my family when filling in formal documents, the formal and complete name was entered and the men often put their Christian name and the initials of their subsequent names - old fashioned but it helps genealogists better than pet or nicknames.

binxeo

Does anyone know what Festa/Fester might have been short for. I have a great uncle Fester/Festa...my dad wasn't sure, but I can't find any name like that on the census? Any ideas folks?:rolleyes:

pinkypinky

I used to know someone who was nicknamed Fester and his real name was Derek. Could be just a coincidence. Or someone who looked like Uncle Fester in the Munsters. :eek:

P. Breathnach

binxeo wrote: »

Does anyone know what Festa/Fester might have been short for. I have a great uncle Fester/Festa...my dad wasn't sure, but I can't find any name like that on the census? Any ideas folks?:rolleyes:

Feistí exists as an Irish name. I have met two people in Connemara known by it, but I have never come across the name with other than a Connemara connection.

If there is no Connemara connection, and you are sure that it's Festa/Fester, I'd think of Sylvester.

TwistedTrees

carolinej wrote: »

In the case of my great grandmother, Cecelia a.k.a. Lily

I have a Cecelia as well whose pet name was Sheila in the early 1900's. Perhaps I can try a 'Lily' search

Michael can also be Mitchell.

My 'Peter John' family member was also known as just Jack.

My Joseph George (1st and 2nd name of grandfather) became George Daniel upon hitting Canadian soil in 1923. Apparently, he disliked the name Joseph and changed it upon arriving.

This is a terrific thread.

lottpaul

binxeo wrote: »

Does anyone know what Festa/Fester might have been short for. I have a great uncle Fester/Festa...my dad wasn't sure, but I can't find any name like that on the census? Any ideas folks?:rolleyes:

Festus is/was common enough in parts of Galway but as P.B. says Fester could be a shortened version of Sylvester.

In our family tree the name Molly crops up regularly - as a substitute for Rosanna -- I have no idea why - and it caused huge confusion when looking through records etc. I assumed Molly was a pet/short version of Mary or Margaret?


We also have

• Bid/Biddy for Bridget
• Mamie for Eleanor
• Manie for Margaret
• Moss/Mossie for Maurice
• Murt for Martin
• Sonny for several different names where the man was called after his father and it was used to avoid "confusion" -- thereby causing utter confusion many years later
  
  Sis crops up too just referring to "Sister" -- happened when a younger sibling couldn't pronounce the full name (Alexandra) and just kept calling her Sister -- and it stuck.
  

Good thread

TwistedTrees

My Mary Eleanor grandmum born 1913 in Vancouver was known as a pet name of Molly.

'Tis so confusing!'

Waitsian

TwistedTrees wrote: »

This is a terrific thread.

Here's one for you all that I've never really understood. My uncle is a Thomas Joseph (first and middle name) and always believed his father and grandfather were both the same. It turns out his grandfather (and my ggf obviously!) was Thomas Patrick. But his Dad, my gf, has Thomas O'Connell (that's not his surname btw, or a middle name of any previous generation; we're assuming he's named after Daniel, the Liberator, as my ggf was in the A.O.H. & the Emerald Society, both in Canada, as well as being on the local Separate school board) on his birth cert but Thomas Joseph on his marriage cert! Might Joseph have been a nickname, or his Confirmation name, or just one he decided to use himself because he didn't like O'Connell as a middle name?!

binxeo

Just found a Bridget who's pet name was Daisy and she married as Daisy and was buried as Daisy.

kellybutler

Rachael- ray, rara, rach]
Roberta- bobby, Bob
Jessica-Jessy, jess
Gary- Gaz
Nadine- Deano

carolinej

Thomas - Tod

Yeah Yeah Yeah

mod9maple wrote: »

Here's one for you all that I've never really understood. My uncle is a Thomas Joseph (first and middle name) and always believed his father and grandfather were both the same. It turns out his grandfather (and my ggf obviously!) was Thomas Patrick. But his Dad, my gf, has Thomas O'Connell (that's not his surname btw, or a middle name of any previous generation; we're assuming he's named after Daniel, the Liberator, as my ggf was in the A.O.H. & the Emerald Society, both in Canada, as well as being on the local Separate school board) on his birth cert but Thomas Joseph on his marriage cert! Might Joseph have been a nickname, or his Confirmation name, or just one he decided to use himself because he didn't like O'Connell as a middle name?!

Kinda dizzy readin this, but I know what you mean...:)

Cardinal Richelieu

Concepta- Cepta, Ceppie

Jellybaby1

A modern day one I heard recently is Flick, short for Felicity.

Larkenn

Elizabeth - Eliza, Lily
Nora - Honora, Honor, Hannah
Jane - Joan
Anne - Annie, Nannie
Alicia - Alice
Mary - Maria
Christina - Cissie

annieoburns

good thread.... covered most of mine already

Connie for Concepta
Bartle for Bartholomew
Lily for Elizabeth
Molly for Mary
Henny for Anne
Ted or Thady for Thadeus
Billy for William but wife insisted on calling him Liam.... bit confusing as they married in their mid 30's.

Above last one points up how same person can be called different names by different people. We had a relation christened Eleanor but called Nell or Nellie by different people.

Other names are suggested by place in family such as
Boy ... an only child
Baby.... the youngest
Cissie or Sis for an older sister?

Also there is the matter in former times of babies needing a proper saint's name for baptism... eg Thadeus/Bartholomew a bit cumbersome for in normal life but got used for official documents.

pinkypinky

annieoburns wrote: »

Other names are suggested by place in family such as
Boy ... an only child
Baby.... the youngest
Cissie or Sis for an older sister?
.

This reminds me of someone I know whose grannie was known as "girlie" because she was the only girl in her family.

Jellybaby1

Following on the subject of pet names. I am searching for a 'Maud' but she is not appearing anywhere. Maybe someone here may have experienced a Maud as another name?

Waitsian

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

Following on the subject of pet names. I am searching for a 'Maud' but she is not appearing anywhere. Maybe someone here may have experienced a Maud as another name?

It's a variant for Matilda, appartenly.

"Early contracted form of Mathilda.

The Old German Mahthild became in French Mahault, Maheut, Maheud, then Maud.

The name Maud became quite common in England in the 19th century."

P. Breathnach

mod9maple wrote: »

It's a variant for Matilda, appartenly....

I didn't know that. I would have guessed that it was a variant for Margaret. Although my guess has no good foundation, it might be worth exploring it if Matilda doesn't deliver for you.

I know of one case where Maud was used as the English cognate for Maedhbh. I don't know if it was a family idiosyncracy.

Jellybaby1

I'd go along with Mathilda or Margaret I think. There are no other Gaelic names in the family so I doubt if Maedhbh would be right but will keep it mind anyway just in case. Thanks.

CeannRua

Has anyone come across the name Killy for a woman? There are some examples of it on IrishGenealogy and the extracted records on FamilySearch. Maybe some of them should be Kitty and the double 'l' has been left uncrossed?

Waitsian

CeannRua wrote: »

Has anyone come across the name Killy for a woman? There are some examples of it on IrishGenealogy and the extracted records on FamilySearch. Maybe some of them should be Kitty and the double 'l' has been left uncrossed?

Your reasoning sounds plausible. I've not come across it. Killy apparently is a nickname for Philadelphia and I've just seen a suggestion it could be short for Killian.

oceanclub

In the early 19th century, what was "Biddy" (or "Beddy") short for? According to my great-grandmother's marriage cert, her parents were John Wixted & Catherine Wixted nee Bradshaw. I can find John Wixteds who married a Biddy and Beddy Bradshaw respectively, but no Catherine Bradshaws (or similar) who married a John Wixted.

P.

pinkypinky

Mod note: moved to pet name thread and stickied for future reference.

I'd think Bridget is most likely.

Hesh's Umpire

Biddy would be fairly common in the midlands as a corruption of Brigid.