nicknames that became names in their own right
Replies
Yes all of them & there are plenty more.
:)
:)
Typically, I don't like using nns that end in the "ie" sound as full names. Molly, Maisie, etc just sound so cutesy to me. Names that end in A, on the other hand, are fine (like Lisa).
Boy names are a little more complicated. Many nns, like Tom and Jim, sound too inconsequential to be full names. Jack, on the other hand, sounds fine to me.
Boy names are a little more complicated. Many nns, like Tom and Jim, sound too inconsequential to be full names. Jack, on the other hand, sounds fine to me.
To me, Molly, Sally, Jack, and Lisa are names in their own right. I just don't see how you can get Molly out of Mary, Sally out of Sarah, Jack out of John, and Lisa out of Elizabeth. (I understand Lisa out of Elisabeth, though.) I'm called Molly, which isn't a nickname for Mary but it's for Amalie (prn Amalia), but I consider it a full name that I would give to my daughter, when I have one.
I think Lisa and Jack can stand on their own. Jack is a medieval coinage, and IMO it seems rather silly to call a child John and then insist on calling him Jack 99% of the time. I know my neighbour (an 85yo John nn Jack) got incredibly frustrated when he was in hospital and all of the doctors insisted on calling him John because there was no space on the forms to write a preffered name.
Has anyone said Harry or Tessa? Or Toby? Hmm maybe not Toby.
Has anyone said Harry or Tessa? Or Toby? Hmm maybe not Toby.
Yes, some
I think Jack is acceptable for a full name since it has been commonly used as a full name. It doesn't sound like a nn or childish to me. I might use Jack as a full name for one of my children. I love Jack, but really dislike John.
I think Lisa is acceptable and commonly used as a full name.
Molly, Polly and Sally, and anything that ends in -ie or -y should be a nn.
I think Jack is acceptable for a full name since it has been commonly used as a full name. It doesn't sound like a nn or childish to me. I might use Jack as a full name for one of my children. I love Jack, but really dislike John.
I think Lisa is acceptable and commonly used as a full name.
Molly, Polly and Sally, and anything that ends in -ie or -y should be a nn.
Nope! Just Nora.
I can accept Nora since the name Eleanor comes from is really "alia Aenor," meaning "the other Aenor." Eleanor of Aquitaine was actually named Aenor after her mother and was called Eleanor/ Alienor to distinguish between the two. Nora I can consider a modern variation of Aenor.
I also rather like Jay and Robin in reference to birds.
I also like Alix as an old French form of Alice.
I must disclaim by saying I do not care about popularity whatsoever. To me a nickname is a nickname no matter how many birth certificates it's on. (I am no relativist!) I do not think a nickname can ever "become" a full name, no matter how many people have no idea that Molly comes from Mary or that Jack comes from John.
I do not like nicknames as full names. I feel like it is giving your child half a name. I also feel in cases where the nickname is really obvious like Allie, Abby, or Kate, that it is rather rude / presumptuous of the parents.
I can accept Nora since the name Eleanor comes from is really "alia Aenor," meaning "the other Aenor." Eleanor of Aquitaine was actually named Aenor after her mother and was called Eleanor/ Alienor to distinguish between the two. Nora I can consider a modern variation of Aenor.
I also rather like Jay and Robin in reference to birds.
I also like Alix as an old French form of Alice.
I must disclaim by saying I do not care about popularity whatsoever. To me a nickname is a nickname no matter how many birth certificates it's on. (I am no relativist!) I do not think a nickname can ever "become" a full name, no matter how many people have no idea that Molly comes from Mary or that Jack comes from John.
I do not like nicknames as full names. I feel like it is giving your child half a name. I also feel in cases where the nickname is really obvious like Allie, Abby, or Kate, that it is rather rude / presumptuous of the parents.
I agree with you... in theory. In practice, I can't make myself care. I mentioned on the board that I'd name the baby Jack if it was a boy. I know it's technically a nickname. I can't bring myself to feel anything in particular about that though; who knows why. Maybe it's because I am sad that John is not the nickname for Jack; Jack is so much nicer, to me. *shrug* I don't expect validation on this one.
I hate nns as "names in their own right" because I feel the meaning of the name has been distorted by not using the original (or, in the case of names borrowed from other languages, like Elizabeth from Elisheva, the traditional version). That's why I'd never name a boy Jack, Id name him John with Jack as the nn. I'd never name a boy Tom instead of Thomas because Tom doesn't encompass the original meaning - something's lacking! Having said that, all on your list do seem to have been taken as names in their own right. Unfortunately!
Lucy and Ana are not nicknames
Neither is Leo, and Clay has a non-nickname etymology as well as being a nn for Clayton.
yes to jack
Not to me. I always feel that these should have a more full name-- conservative, I know. I just wrote about this on my name blog in "Why John and Katherine Are Better on the Birth Certificate than Kate and Jack" on my blog.
www.youcantcallitit.com if anyone is interested.
www.youcantcallitit.com if anyone is interested.
It's a lovely name at that!
www.youcantcallitit.com
www.youcantcallitit.com
Lisa is the one that strikes me as a "definitely". My best friend is Lisa, and even as a name nerd, the connection to Elisabeth never crosses my mind. I doubt she even knows the connection.
Maisie, Molly and Jack - Yes, because they're so very popular where I live, in their own right. But the older generation (in fact anyone over 35) of Jacks are still John on their birth certificates...And that usage might come back one day.
Also...
Millie
Megan (This has definitely made the transition, including in Wales)
Beth (Where I live, none of them are Elizabeth. A few are Bethan or Bethany.)
Archie
Nina
Ellie (rarely a nn here)
Maisie, Molly and Jack - Yes, because they're so very popular where I live, in their own right. But the older generation (in fact anyone over 35) of Jacks are still John on their birth certificates...And that usage might come back one day.
Also...
Millie
Megan (This has definitely made the transition, including in Wales)
Beth (Where I live, none of them are Elizabeth. A few are Bethan or Bethany.)
Archie
Nina
Ellie (rarely a nn here)
Adding Evie, Lola, Libby and Tilly ...
I think they're all used enough as full names now, whether anyone likes it or not. The only other one I can think of that hasn't been listed by anyone yet is Harry.
The only one on your list that I consider a name in its own right is Lisa.
All of the rest seem like nicknames to me, and I would only use them as such. I guess I am a purist when it comes to that.
I do not know why I consider Lisa differently, as I am aware it started out as a nickname for Elisabeth, but I do. There is no logic to it!
Lisa is the only name I can think of, though, that I consider as a full name in its own right, but which started out as a nickname.
All of the rest seem like nicknames to me, and I would only use them as such. I guess I am a purist when it comes to that.
I do not know why I consider Lisa differently, as I am aware it started out as a nickname for Elisabeth, but I do. There is no logic to it!
Lisa is the only name I can think of, though, that I consider as a full name in its own right, but which started out as a nickname.
Megan
Margot
Elise
Sadie
Adeline
Anita
Annika
Carlotta
Natasha
Jeanette and other ette names like Annette
Janet (basically any elaborated nickname that is longer than the name itself)
Gretchen
Carrie
Nadia / Nadya
Kate
Billy
Hank
Liam
Feivel
Larry
Nick
Tony
Sam
Terry (also for girls)
Frank
But then again, it’s OK in the current English culture to have business people, MPs etc called just Tony or just Nick. No one really cares. Most people don’t even realize Jack is a nickname for John or that Janet was originally an affectionate nickname for Jane.
Margot
Elise
Sadie
Adeline
Anita
Annika
Carlotta
Natasha
Jeanette and other ette names like Annette
Janet (basically any elaborated nickname that is longer than the name itself)
Gretchen
Carrie
Nadia / Nadya
Kate
Billy
Hank
Liam
Feivel
Larry
Nick
Tony
Sam
Terry (also for girls)
Frank
But then again, it’s OK in the current English culture to have business people, MPs etc called just Tony or just Nick. No one really cares. Most people don’t even realize Jack is a nickname for John or that Janet was originally an affectionate nickname for Jane.
I think it depends on the country. Where I live all of those are considered full names just as Alex, Jimmy, Tommy, Conny etc. Nicknames aren't common around here and I think it is extremely rare that someone is called by another name than their full name. I wouldn't think it was strange to meet a Sally (I have met a Sally) or Jack (know a Jack) or any of the others.
I'm aware of that, I was referring to English-speaking countries. In Italy nicknames aren't that common either, and they're mainly for young children or if you're calling someone (esp. if they have a long name), and anyway they seem to spring up spontaneously, rather than parents deicding beforehand they want to use a certain nn.