Baby Names
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23 Traditional Girl Names With Fun Nicknames
So she can have her ~fancy~ name and her fun, spunky name.
by Samantha Darby
Updated:
Originally Published:
Traditional baby names, especially for girls, have become more and more popular over the years, bringing back some classics like Matilda, Dorothy, and Eleanor. But as lovely as so many of these names are, some of them may have a bit of a stuffy feel or feel a little too long and heavy for your itty bitty newborn. That’s why picking a traditional girl name with a fun nickname is key to giving your baby the best kind of moniker.
There are so many reasons to pick a traditional name that can be shortened into something cute and fun. Maybe you want to use a family name, but want your child to have their own original vibe. Maybe you like a traditional girl name for when your baby grows up to be an adult and a boss, but you want her to have something cuter and sweeter for when she’s little. Or maybe you love a traditional name that’s super popular, and you want to give her a unique nickname to help her stand out. No matter what you want, this list has it. These are great, super traditional baby girl names that can be shortened into some very cute and fun nicknames. Some are pretty obvious, but a lot of these are original and may not have crossed your mind in previous rounds of playing the name game.
1
Charlotte: Charlie, Lottie, Char
Charlotte has been a classic for a long time — the name means “free man” — and Princess Charlotte has definitely helped keep it in the popular girl name lists. While the whole name is nice and traditional, I’m obsessed with the nicknames, especially Lottie. Going by Lottie is a total spunky girl power move.
2
Dorothy: Dottie, Dot
Like Charlotte, Dorothy has a nickname with double Ts that just sounds so sweet and fun. Dorothy is a major “old lady” name and means “gift of God” and Dottie and Dot for nicknames really send it over the edge. So, so good.
3
Matilda: Tillie, Tilda
Got a strong baby girl on the way? Name her Matilda. The baby name means “mighty in battle,” but is still very sweet and feminine with absolutely darling shortened names like Tillie and Tilda.
4
Phoebe: Bea
Phoebe is pretty spunky on its own, but I just adore the nickname Bea as an option for this classic moniker. Phoebe also means “bright, radiant” and “pure.”
5
Francesca: Frankie, Fran
How beautiful is Francesca? The name is a feminine version of Frank, and it has some really sweet shortened names. Frankie is just adorable, and Fran has such a great, fun vibe to it.
6
Margaret: Maggie, Peggy, Margie, Meg
Few girl names are as traditional as Margaret, so give this one a whirl if you want a lot of nickname options. Maggie and Margie are sweet, but don’t sleep on Peggy. It’s a shortened name for Margaret because of Meg — just one of those names that sort of happened as it rhymed — and I love that it’s just a spontaneous “oh look, another nickname” kind of moniker.
7
Rosemary: Rosie, Rose, Ro
Rosemary is just darling, and incredibly traditional. If you want your baby to have a shortened name for it, try Rosie, Rose, or Ro.
8
Edith: Edie
I know, this one’s pretty obvious, but Edie as a nickname for Edith is just so sweet. The name Edith also means “prosperous in strife.”
9
Henrietta: Rett, Henri, Etta
Chances are if you name your baby girl Henrietta, she’ll be the only Henrietta in her class. But she’ll also be the only one with a list of nicknames like Rett, Henri, and Etta. Each one has its own vibe, so this is a baby girl name you can give your daughter and then wait to see which personality takes on which nickname.
10
Amelia: Lia, Millie, Amy
Amelia has become more popular over the years, but this is still a great option because there are some fun, unique nicknames to make your girl stand out, like Lia and Millie.
11
Catherine/Katherine: Cat/Kat, Kit
The name Catherine has been around forever, and you can spell it with either a C or a K and still use the fun nicknames like Cat/Kat or my personal favorite: Kit.
12
Elizabeth: Eliza, Liz, Beth, Betty, Bets, Izzy
I know, Elizabeth is so traditional, it’s ridiculous. But it’s such a great name with major royal vibes, and you honestly don’t meet a lot of young Elizabeths anymore. Even better, there are so many nicknames for this classic moniker, so you can really call your girl anything you like. There’s Eliza, Liz, and Izzy, along with Beth, Betty, and Bets. (I’m rooting for Bets.)
13
Florence: Flo, Ren
Florence is another traditional girl name that you don’t hear very often, but it’s a great choice, especially if you’re a fan of Italy. You can give her the nicknames of Flo and Ren, which are both very fun and cute.
14
Susannah: Susie, Anna, Suze/Sus
Oh Susannah! She’ll totally cry for you, but you can give her some sweet nicknames with Susie or Suze/Sus and Anna. Susannah can also be spelled Suzanna if you prefer the Z, and the name itself means “lily.”
15
Vivian: Viv, Vivi
We need more Vivians in the world, it must be said. The baby name Vivian means “lively” which is just the absolute best meaning for a baby girl’s name. Call her Viv or Vivi for short.
16
Roberta: Robbie, Bertie, Berta, Ro
I know, you’re reading Roberta and wondering why. Stick with me though — the name Roberta means “bright” and it has several sweet nicknames. You can call your little girl Robbie, Bertie, Berta, or even Ro.
17
Philippa: Pippa, Pip, Pippi
Made famous by the Princess of Wales’ own sister, Philippa is a name we need to bring back specifically because of how fun the shortened name of Pippa is. Philippa also means “lover of horses,” so you’ve got a great nursery theme ready to go, too. Pip pip!
18
Virginia: Ginny, Vera, Gina
Virginia has great literary ties, and it also has several nicknames. Ginny, Vera, and Gina are all great standalone names, and I love how each of them feels like a different kind of name.
19
Penelope: Penny, Nellie
Thanks to Kourtney Kardashian, the name Penelope has really gotten popular, but if the full name sounds a little too stuffy, try shortening it with Penny or Nellie.
20
Lucille: Lucy, Lu
I know, Lucille is an obvious traditional girl name with fun nicknames, but it has to be on the list. The name means “bright” and Lucy and Lu make for very cute shortened names.
21
Cornelia: Lia, Nellie
Cornelia is such a lovely traditional name — it means “horn” —and has strong Roman origins. The nicknames —Lia and Nellie —are just so darling to go with the meaning.
22
Eleanor: Ella, Nora, Ellie, El
Eleanor is one of those girl names that I really think will take off soon —it’s right up there with all of those classic, vintage faves hitting the top lists. You can shorten it with Ella, Nora, Ellie, or even El.
23
Veronica: Vera, Vee, Ronnie
Veronica gives such a funky ‘70s vibe, and the nicknames are equally as groovy. Vera, Vee, and Ronnie are all great options if you want to shorten Veronica, which means “she who brings victory.”
Whether you want a shortened name for your girl because you want her to stand out or you just want her to have options with a traditional name, this list has lots of fun inspiration.
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