Finding Another Traditional Girl Name with a Nickname

Name Help is a series at Appellation Mountain. Every week, we discuss reader’s name questions, usually on Tuesdays and Fridays. We’re relying on thoughtful comments from the community to help expectant parents narrow down their name decisions. Thank you in advance for sharing your insight! To have your question considered, email appmtn (at) gmail. Looking for your own private #namehelp post? Order one here.

LOOKING FOR LONG PLUS SHORT

Maribeth writes:

Our fourth child is due in April. She will join:

• Abigail “Abby” Elizabeth
• John “Jack” Elliott
• Margaret “Maggie” Grace

Our son’s first and middle are family names. Technically, Margaret is also a family name, but we chose it more because we like more traditional names that can be easily shortened.

If this baby was a boy, we were considering Benjamin or Theodore.

We have a very long list of names for a girl, most of which we previously considered for Abby or Maggie.

• Bernadette – might be meaningful because we’re Catholic and the feast day for St. Bernadette is April 16th, but we don’t want to call her Bernie
• Eleanor – I like Elizabeth better, but it’s already Abby’s middle name, not sure we should re-use, would probably call her Ellie
• Katherine – I like Kate better than Katie, but I don’t mind Katie when she’s little
• Millie – but don’t like any of the longer names
• Teresa – mostly because I really like Tess/Tessa/Tessie, not really crazy about the sound of Teresa
• Therese – again, for Tess nickname and also because I like this better than Teresa but feel like it’s hard to pronounce
• Victoria – but not Vicky, and I don’t think we could have Abby, Maggie, and Victoria

Our last name sounds like Cost-plus-er. The middle name I keep coming back to is Rose, again, because we almost used it for both of our girls.

I know we have lots of good choices, but nothing is jumping out at me this time. My husband is pretty easy-going about names and mostly he is fine with anything I suggest.

Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.

LOOKING FOR TWO NAMES YOU LOVE

Abby replies:

Congratulations on your new daughter!

I hear a few things in your message:

• You’re actually looking for two names – a nickname for everyday use, and a formal name. It’s important to like both of them equally.
• Almost everything with parenting gets easier with experience. Naming is the exception. That’s because you’ve ruled out plenty of options with your earlier choices. Elizabeth, for example. But also any name that shortens to Maddie, Addie, or Aggie – for starters.
• The right name is probably more mainstream. I know plenty of families who choose relatively obscure saints’ names/Biblical names and shrug off worries that it might feel too different. But you’re looking for a familiar, traditional girl name with a nickname – and an obvious one, too. A default nickname. Your Margaret answers to Maggie, not Maisie or Gretchen. I think that’s part of the puzzle.

REVIEWING YOUR CURRENT LIST

I think there’s some potential on your current list, but also a few names that feel easier to let go.

NAMES I WOULD PROBABLY, RELUCTANTLY DROP

• I’m very tempted to suggest Bernadette called Betty, but … I wonder if this is just a little too different from Abby and Maggie? It’s classic, of course, but far less common.
• While Teresa/Therese seem like they ought to be fits, and Tess is a perfect nickname, it sounds like you’re not really wild about the formal names. It’s important to like both, I think, so let’s drop these names.
• As with Bernadette, I can suggest some alternative nicknames for Victoria: Tori, Vica, Via. But I think it might be better to let this one go.

NAMES THAT MIGHT WORK

AMELIA CALLED MILLIE

I’m not sure what you’ve considered for Millie, but I wonder if you’d like Amelia? It’s a saint’s name and a popular, familiar choice. I do think this is a little different than your older girls’ names, though, because Millie isn’t an automatic (or necessarily obvious) nickname for Amelia.

ELOISE CALLED ELLIE

I think Eleanor could be perfect, but it sounds like it’s not quite right. Would you consider Eloise instead? It’s traditional, easily leads to Ellie, and I love it as a sister name for Abby, Jack, and Maggie.

KATHERINE CALLED KITTY

I’m tempted to take Katherine off the list entirely, because I do think Kate/Katie is the logical nickname. But would having Kitty as an option appeal?

FRESH SUGGESTIONS

Let’s see if we can find another traditional girl name with a nickname that’s obvious, familiar, and not too similar to Abby, Jack, and Maggie.

CAROLINE – Callie or Carrie

Abby, Maggie, and Callie seems perfect. Or Abby, Maggie, and Carrie. When it comes to a traditional girl name with a nickname, Caroline feels like an obvious choice that isn’t too similar to your older children’s names.

CECILIA – Cece

Impeccably saintly, Cecilia counts as a classic, even if it’s not necessarily in the Katherine/Mary/Margaret/Elizabeth/Anna cluster. Nickname Cece or Ceci is automatic and fun.

EVANGELINE, EVELYN – Evie

There are lots of longer Ev- names. Evelyn matches your family’s style nicely, but I wanted to suggest Evangeline, too.

JOSEPHINE – Josie

The name that immediately came to mind as a perfect sister for Maggie, Jack, and Abby.

LILLIAN – Lily

If you love Millie but can’t warm to any formal name options, how would you feel about Lily? It’s a lovely name for a daughter due around Easter, and formal names abound. Lillian is the obvious, but there’s also Lilia or Liliana, to name just two.

LUCIA, LUCILLE – Lucy

Most Lucys are named Lucy, but I’m drawn to the idea of Abigail, Margaret, and Lucille – Abby, Maggie, and Lucy. There are plenty of saints with related names, and while I think of Saint Lucy as a winter saint, the meaning – light – resonates at any time of year.

ROSALIE – Rosie

If you like Rose as a middle name, would you consider Rose or a longer Rose name as a first? I think Rosie could be perfect for your family.

VIVIAN, VIVIENNE – Vivi, Viv

Brainstorming V names that aren’t Victoria leads to Vivian – or Vivienne? Vivi and Viv are sweet short forms.

Overall, my favorite from your original list is probably Ellie, but with a different formal name. Eloise would be my pick.

From my list? If Rosalie called Rosie doesn’t speak to you, I would suggest Lillian called Lily. Both are drawn from your original suggestions (Rose/Millie), but build off that inspiration.

Readers, over to you! Can you suggest a traditional girl name with a nickname that fits with Abby, Jack, and Maggie?