Girl Names with Boy Nicknames

Girl names with boy nicknames appeal for so many reasons.

They split the difference between controversial Boy Names on Girls – BNOG – and strictly feminine options. If he says Cameron Marie while you’re thinking Emma Elizabeth, maybe Samantha-called-Sam works for you both.

Boyish nicknames can be one of the benefits of choosing nickname-rich options. Picking a classic name is like giving your kiddo a build-your-own-adventure variety pack. They’re Legos, infinitely flexible, with the act of invention and discovery built in to the name.

We can all rattle off the obvious picks. There’s Dani for Danielle. Stranger Things reminded us that Max works for Maxine.

And really, gender neutral names are increasingly mainstream. Some of these might’ve felt bold in the 1970s or even 1990s. But it’s worth noting that some of these girl names with boy nicknames can feel traditional, even safe.

So let’s look at some of the boyish nicknames from classic girl names. There are more than you might expect!

ALEXANDRA – Alex, Lex, Sasha

Both Alexander and Alexandra can default to Alex, but it’s not the only option. You might borrow Sasha – masculine in Russian, but often perceived as feminine in the English-speaking world – or maybe Xan, Zane, Lex, or another Alexander nickname. And while we typically get to Andi or Andy from Andrew and Andrea, the sounds are found here, too.

ANDREA, ANDRIA – Andi, Andy, Dre

At least as obvious as Alex for Alexandra. Often on this list, we assume that Andi is feminine, while Andy would be masculine. That’s often the case – but nothing says baby boys names can’t end with I. And while Dre is most often short for Andre, it’s edgy and interesting with Andrea.

ANTONIA, ANTOINETTE, ANTONELLA – Toni, Tony

Romantic, elaborate Anthony names share the short, friendly nickname.

AURORA – Rory

At first glance, Aurora seems almost nickname-proof. Except Rory is waiting in the middle syllable. It transforms Disney princess Aurora into something a little more rough-and-tumble. You might also get to Rory for girls from Caroline, Marjorie, and Victoria, to name just a few. And, of course, The Gilmore Girls immortalized the idea of Rory-from-Lorelai.

AUGUSTA – August, Gus

Traditional August is popular for boys and rising in use for girls, too. But Augusta is the conventional feminine form, and it can share August as a nickname, or friendly Gus.

AUTUMN – Tommy

On paper, the feminine form of Thomas is Thomasina. Or Tamsin, a contracted form of Thomasina. But they’re seldom heard in the US. Autumn, though, is a modern nature name with the Tom sound baked in.

BERNADETTE – Bernie, Bennie

File Bernadette with the very nickname-rich possibilities. (Birdie, Bea, Etta, Betty, even Bess, maybe?) But boyish Bernie and Bennie make this old school name feel rather midcentury. Kind of like she ought to be playing for the Rockford Peaches.

BRIDGET – Jet/Jett

The second syllable of Bridget is pronounced Jett, and it could work as a nickname. In fact, Jette has long been a feminine nickname in Dutch, used for lots of girl names ending in -ette, like Mariette. (Though the pronunciation is different.) It appears in Scandinavian languages, too, again for -ette enders.

CAROLINE and CHARLOTTE – Carl, Charlie

Charlotte often reduces to Charlie. But Caroline developed as a feminine form of Charles, too. So Caroline called Charlie? Why not. Other unconventional Charles nicknames might work for both feminine names, too. Chase and Harley probably work best for Charlotte; Arlo and Rory might follow more logically from Caroline. Another consideration: Caroline and Charlotte could become Carlo or Carl, too.

CASSANDRA – Cash, Casey

Plenty of longer boys’ names shorten to Cash, including the trending Cassian. Cassandra might be another option for a girl’s name that leads to that legendary last name. Upbeat Irish surname Casey feels more unisex, but it might work for a retro, tomboy-style name.

CHRISTINA, CHRISTINE, KRISTEN – Chris, Kit

Many of us can name women and men who both answer to Chris. But Kit has history as a Christopher nickname, and works for the feminine forms of the name as well.

CLEMENTINE – Clem

While vintage Clementine is back, Clement remains in style limbo. Still, that’s all the more reason old school Clem could wear well as a boyish Clementine nickname.

CORA, CORALINE, CORDELIA – Cory

Cory – or Corie, Kori, or Corey – had a good run for girls in the 1970s and 80s, when Cory/Corey was at peak popularity for boys. Today, though, Cory might be freshest as a nickname for a dramatic, feminine name like Cordelia.

DANIELLE, DANIELA, DANICA – Dan, Dani

Obvious choices for girl names with boy nicknames. Danielle was a 1980s style star; Daniela is more popular now. Danica isn’t really a Dan- name at all. Instead, it’s a Slavic name, borrowed from folklore. It means “morning star.” But it shares Dan/Dani as a go-to nickname.

DRUSILLA – Dru

An Ancient Roman family name that also appears in the New Testament, Drusilla is classically feminine. Dru, on the other hand, brings to mind the name Drew – considered unisex in recent years.

GABRIELA, GABRIELLA, GABRIELLE – Gabe

Gabby is a logical short form for any of these names. But Gabe works, too. It’s bright and a little bit boyish, but not so different from names like Jane and Mae.

EDINA, EDUARDA, EDWINA – Eddie

Lots of Ed- names lead more logically to Edie, pronounced with a long E. There’s Edith and Eden, for starters. But Edina and Edwina are feminine forms of other Ed- names. Worth noting: nothing says that Edith couldn’t be Eddie, too.

ELEANOR – Leo, Len

Eleanor reduces to Ellie and Nora. But boyish nicknames are waiting, too. Leo feels like the boldest of choices, and Len is another option. Len and Leni or Lenny can come from Helen or Leonora or any of the interrelated cluster of names. Leonora, of course, lends itself to Leo even more directly.

FRANCES, FRANCESCA – Frankie

Frank comes from Francis, and so Frankie makes an obvious choice for any of the feminine forms of the name. There’s lady-like Frances, of course, but also romance language Francesca and vintage Francine. Franny is a go-to short form, but Frankie is common, too.

FREDERICA – Freddie

If Francesca is popular, Frederica is very much under-the-radar. But it would be worth it to get to the adorable nickname Freddie.

GEORGIA – Georgie

Maybe Georgie belongs in the Sam/Max/Alex category of obvious boyish nicknames. But it seems far less common. It’s also worth noting that Geo, rhymes with Leo, could be a great alternative. Both work for any of the George names. Think Georgina or Georgette called Georgie or Geo, too. Giorgia – the Italian spelling – gives us Gio. At least a few Georgias have also been just George. Fans of Nancy Drew might think of George Fayne – some editions of the books make it a nickname for Georgia; others make it a family name given to sons and daughters alike. For a more feminine nickname, consider Gia or Gigi.

HARRIET, HENRIETTA – Harry

Nicknames like Hattie, Hettie, and Hallie might be more obvious. But Harriet called Harry is every bit an option. Another option: famous eighteenth century arisocrat, Georgina Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, named her daughter Harriet. They called her Harryo, rhymes with Mario.

INGRID – Indie, Iggy

Strong, sophisticated Ingrid shortens to the unisex Indie. But it could also be Iggy, a name more often linked to Ignatius.

JACQUELINE – Jack, Jax, Jay

Fun fact: Jacqueline is the feminine form of James. But we tend to reduce it to the boyish nicknames Jack or Jax, which are associated traditionally with John. Jay is another choice.

JAMESINA – Jamie

Speaking of James, there’s really no obvious feminine form. In fact, Jamie tends to be the girl’s equivalent. But if you’re naming a daughter after a beloved family member called James, perhaps Jamesina – or even Jamesetta, the given name of Etta James – might appeal.

JESSICA – Jesse, Jessie

Late 1980s chart-topper Jessica shortens naturally to Jess or Jessie. Jessie started out as a pet form of Jean, making it yet one more form of the omnipresent John. Jesse, on the other hand, is an Old Testament name meaning gift. But if Jessie leans feminine and Jesse masculine, they meet in a just-boyish-enough choice to make this list.

JOSEPHINE – Jo, Jojo, Joss, Finn

Little Women forever cemented the appeal of Josephine-called-Jo. There’s Joey, too, as in Katie Holmes’ character on long-running 90s teen drama Dawson’s Creek. For something completely different, how about Finn? The letters ‘phin’ appear right there, in the final syllable. And while we tend to rhyme Josephine with peachy keen, sounds change in nicknames all the time. Just ask James-called-Jim and Katherine-called-Kate. Also worth noting: while Josie is a go-to nickname for Josephine now, Josey has history as a short form of Joseph.

JUDITH – Jude

We typically call Judith Judy for short, but Jude works every bit as well.

JULIET and JULIETTE – Jet/Jett, Jules, Jude

Juliet feels quintessentially feminine, a tragic heroine name. Americans prefer the Juliette spelling. Many parents rarely shorten the name, regardless of spelling. But you could, and Juliet offers more boyish nicknames than you might guess. There’s Jett or Jette, just like Bridget. Jules feels unisex, but is traditionally masculine in French. And then there’s Jude. Because The Beatles’ “Hey Jude” was inspired by Julian Lennon, Jude is sometimes associated with Julian. And so it’s only a hop and skip to tie Jude to Juliet, too. Or maybe Julia or Julianne, too.

KATHERINE – Kit

There are plenty of Katherine nicknames out there, but Kit fits best for girl names with boy nicknames. Kit evolved as a pet form of Christopher, but Katherine shortens to Kat, which brings to mind Kitty … and then reduces to Kit. There’s also Ren. Ren could come from Lawrence, but the sounds are present in Katherine, too.

LILLIAN – Lio, Lian

Lily is one of those baby girl names that feels current and timeless. And it doesn’t have to be short for Lillian. But choose Lillian and you might shorten it to Lio or even Lian instead of the enduring Lily.

LOUISA, LOUISE, LUCILLE – Lou

Brief and complete, Lou is often short for Louis. Or Lew, for Lewis. But there’s no reason the many, many Lou/Lu names for girls can’t share this bright, sparky nickname. Actress Mandy Moore’s youngest is Louise called Lou. Change the spelling slightly – Lue, maybe? – and it works even better for Lucille, Lucidna, and even Lucy.

MARGARET– Rhett

Margaret offers a wealth of possible short forms, some obvious – like Maggie – and others only known by traditional use – like Daisy. But here’s one you might not think of: the final syllable of Margaret gives us the boyish Ret or Rhett.

MARTHA, MARTINE, MARTINA – Marty

Iconic musical and movie Grease gives us Martina “Marty” Maraschino, one of the Pink Ladies. It has a little bit of that 1950s kick, too – a poodle skirt and a ponytail kind of name. Marty livens up traditional Martha, as well as European Martine and Martina.

MATILDA – Mat/Matt, Mattie

Maddie is everywhere, short for powerfully popular choices Madelyn, Madeline, and Madison. Matilda is rarer, as is Mat/Matt or Mattie for a girl. But it’s every bit as appealing as, well, Maddie.

NATALIE, NATASHA – Nat, Nate

If Gabriella can become Gabe, then Natalie might shorten to Nate. Or Nat.

NICOLA and NICOLE – Nic, Nico, Cole

Maybe Nico counts as a unisex name, but it fits with boyish nicknames, too. Nicola seems like a logical way to get to Nico. Danica and Veronica work well. So do all the other names with a strong ‘nic’ sound. Maybe Annika and Monica belong here, too. Another boyish option for Nicola and Nicole and any other of the Nicol- names? Cole.

PERSEPHONE – Percy

The goddess who brings the changing seasons, Persephone’s name is elaborate. Shorten it to Percy, though, and it’s a little more active.

REBECCA – Beck

At one point, nearly every Rebecca became Becky. Or Bec. But choose Beck, with the K, as a preferred name, and it feels more like Jacqueline-called-Jack.

REGINA – Reggie

Reginald is a little bit elevated, a name for a nineteenth century viscount. But Reggie is fun. All-American, even. And Regina-called-Reggie sounds like a name that could steal home in the big game.

ROBERTA, ROBIN – Robbie, Bobbie, Bo

Bobbie has a history as a feminine form of Robert, or a nickname for Rob- names for girls. Bo, too, is sometimes associated with Robert, and so feels just right with Roberta.

ROXANNE, ROXANA – Rocky

There’s not much difference between Roxy and Rocky. They’re both tough names, right? But Rocky is a prizefighter. Worth considering: Rocky (or even Roxy) could come from names like Rosanna, too.

SAMANTHA – Sam

A staple on the girl names with boy nicknames list, immortalized by Alyssa Milano on classic sitcom Who’s the Boss in the 1980s.

SERAFINA, SERAPHINA – Fin/Finn

Another name with the Fin/Finn sound built right in.

STEFANIA, STEPHANIE – Stevie

Stevie Nicks was born Stephanie. More recently, Schitt’s Creek gave us Stevie Budd. As far as we know, she’s just Stevie. But other feminine forms of Stephen/Steven/Stefan could lead to this appealing short form, too.

THEODORA – Teddy, Theo

Not only is Theodora relatively uncommon today, it’s dripping with nickname options. At least two of them count as boyish, and they’re not a stretch at all. First up: Teddy, a cuddly nickname name shared with Theodore. But just as Leo comes from Eleanor and Geo from Georgia, Theo makes an obvious option for Theodora. Both boyish nicknames also work for the even rarer Theodosia, which comes with a built-in Hamilton lullaby.

VERONICA – Ronnie, Ricky, Nick, Nico

Singer Ronnie Spector was a Veronica. It’s easy to imagine this name shortening to lots of boyish choices. Unique nicknames like Vero and Via work, too.

VIVIAN, VIVIENNE – Vinnie

While Viv might read slightly unisex, it’s Vinnie that’s the surprise. Vinnie might also work for Indian names like Vinita, which comes from a Sanskrit word meaning lovely.

WILHELMINA, WILLA, WILLOW – Billie, Willie

William remains an evergreen choice for boys, but a feminine form? In English, that’s proved challenging. There’s Wilhelmina, of course, the kind of elaborate, European possibility that appeals to some. Will Smith used Willow. And there’s also Willa. Any of those feminine Wil- names lead to boyish Billie. Unlike Theo or Rhett, there’s a long history of girls called Billie, like tennis champ Billie Jean King, singer Billie Holiday, actress Billie Piper, or singer Billie Eilish. At the moment, Eilish’s profile is boosting just Billie as a given name – but it might also inspire some girls called Willa or Willow to adopt Billie, too.

WINIFRED – Freddie

Odds are that a Winifred would shorten her name to Winnie, a nickname form more popular than the original right now. But friendly, cuddly Freddie works, too.

What do you think of traditional girl names with boy nicknames?

First published on September 2, 2019, this post was updated on April 6, 2021 and again on November 4, 2024 and November 9, 2024..