Some of those nicknames are affectionate nicknames rather than diminutives. I've heard of plenty of women called
Bunny who weren't actually named
Bernice, but instead have the animal in mind. (I remember meeting a middle-aged American expat living in Brazil who went by
Bunny, but her real name was
Jane.
Bunny was an affectionate nickname given to her by her older sisters.)
This message was edited 3/3/2019, 1:13 PM