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Pet names

  • 16-04-2012 1:16pm
    #1
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,609 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    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

    Genealogy Forum Mod



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Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 405 ✭✭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!


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,089 ✭✭✭✭P. Breathnach


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


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,706 ✭✭✭Waitsian


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

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


  • Registered Users Posts: 247 ✭✭MadameGascar


    Helen=Nelly


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,706 ✭✭✭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.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,777 ✭✭✭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


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,777 ✭✭✭shanew


    mod9maple wrote: »
    I've often see that right enough, and Jas for James.

    and Jno. for John, Wm. for William


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,609 Mod ✭✭✭✭pinkypinky


    shanew wrote: »
    and Jno. for John, Wm. for William

    Oh and Geo. for George

    Genealogy Forum Mod



  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,609 Mod ✭✭✭✭pinkypinky


    Helen=Nelly

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

    Genealogy Forum Mod



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,777 ✭✭✭shanew


    Bartholomew, Bart, Battie

    Hannah, Hanora, Nora, Nanna

    Monica, Mona

    and Chas. for Charles


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  • Registered Users Posts: 12,089 ✭✭✭✭P. Breathnach


    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).


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,089 ✭✭✭✭P. Breathnach


    shanew wrote: »
    Bartholomew, Bart, Battie
    and Bartley. In the case of one Mr. Ahern, Bertie.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 11,291 Mod ✭✭✭✭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.

    Genealogy Forum Mod



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 470 ✭✭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.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,108 ✭✭✭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.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 470 ✭✭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


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 11,291 Mod ✭✭✭✭Hermy


    CeannRua wrote: »
    They look like nicknames to me rather than being derived from their correct names.

    Gotcha. Sorry for going off topic.

    Genealogy Forum Mod



  • Registered Users Posts: 238 ✭✭carolinej


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


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,777 ✭✭✭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


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 470 ✭✭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...


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  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 11,291 Mod ✭✭✭✭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

    Genealogy Forum Mod



  • Registered Users Posts: 5,504 ✭✭✭tac foley


    Mary = Maisie

    tac


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,108 ✭✭✭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.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,706 ✭✭✭Waitsian


    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. :D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,108 ✭✭✭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.


  • Registered Users Posts: 243 ✭✭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:


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,609 Mod ✭✭✭✭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:

    Genealogy Forum Mod



  • Registered Users Posts: 12,089 ✭✭✭✭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.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8 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.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,164 ✭✭✭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


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