What is Mimi short for?
It’s a sweet little nickname, one of the repeating-syllable type: Coco, Lulu, Gigi, Mimi.
The name Mimi feels a little more established than some. Maybe that’s because it’s sometimes a nickname for grandmothers.
Or maybe that’s all about the opera La bohème, which gives Mimia French origin.
It the opera, Mimi is clearly a pet name. The main character is Lucia, but she sings, “They call me Mimi.”
Beloved musical Rent is based on the opera, and the main character is Mimi Márquez.
Traditionally, Mimi is associated with Mary names. But the list of possibilities is long, and not limited to just Mary and company.
So if you love the sound of Mimi, but want a formal name to match? Here’s the list!
WHAT IS MIMI SHORT FOR?
Like the La boheme character, Mimi is sometimes an affectionate nickname without a clear tie to a formal name – a little bit like Buddy or Sonny for a boy.
But plenty of baby girl names lead naturally to the nickname, and they’re worth considering.
There are four categories: the Mary names; names with Mi- at the beginning; names that end with a -mi sound, and names that have “mi” in the middle.
JUST MIMI
One option, of course, is to use Mimi as your daughter’s formal name. From the late 1930s through the 1960s, Mimi regularly ranked in the US Top 1000.
The name’s popularity has faded since then, with just 16 girls receiving the name in 2023. But recent trends have favored names like Sadie over the last few decades. Mimi could fit right in.
MARY NAMES
In the Old Testament, the name is Miriam, sister of Moses. It’s Hebrew, but the meaning is debated: wished-for child, rebellion, beloved, bitter. By the New Testament, the name is Mary. Because of the saint, her name is heard across most European languages. And becuase Mary – and related names – have been so very popular, plenty of nicknames developed.
MARIA
The romance language form of the name, Maria is preferred in Italian and Spanish, as well as German, and most Slavic and Scandinavian languages. Nicknames abound. Mia is often associated with Italy, though it’s been popular in several languages. Maja is another option.
MARIAH
A cousin to Maria, Mariah reflects an older preferred English pronunciation of the name. It brings to mind legendary singer Mariah Carey. She’s used the nickname for years, recording bestselling album The Emancipation of Mimi in 2005. Her 2020s Las Vegas residency also features the name.
MARIAM, MARIAMNE, MARYAM
Greek and Arabic, Mariam and Maryam are quite rare in English-speaking countries, Mariamne is the most surprising of the set. It’s associated with the ruling family of Judea in the ancient world, including several historical figures. The story of Herod the Great and his wife Mariamne inspired a tragedy by Voltaire.
MARIAN, MARION
Both of these are sometimes used as boy’s names, in other languages and times. Today Marian and Marion are likely to be girl’s names, with an old school vibe.
MARIANA, MARIANNA, MARIANNE
Elaborate and romantic, it’s easy to imagine Mariana shortening to Mimi.
MARIE
Long overlooked as a middle name, Marie can be a classic first name choice with plenty of history and charm. Because Marie is sweetly French, Mimi feels like a logical nickname.
MARY
Once the most popular name for girls in the US, Mary has fallen in use dramatically. Nickname Molly even outranked Mary circa 2010. Today it’s downright surprising to meet a little Mary, though plenty of grown women still answer to the name.
MIRIAM
The repeating M sounds make Miriam the most obvious formal name for Mimi. Actress Mimi Rogers was a Miriam. Though the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s Miriam preferred Midge. An early 2000s Canadian animated series titled “What About Mimi?” was another Miriam/Mimi match. Ask “what is Mimi short for” and there’s a good chance this will be your answer.
NAMES STARTING WITH MI
MICAELA, MICHAELA, MICHELLE
All of the feminine forms of Michael could potentially shorten to Mimi.
MIRANDA
It could shorten to Mira or Randie, but Mimi seems like a sparky choice to pair with this Shakespearean favorite.
MIMOSA
Long before the champagne cocktail on brunch menus everywhere, mimosa was a flower.
NAMES ENDING WITH MI
Worth noting: a long list of Japanese names end with this sound, and Mimi is also used as an independent name in Japan.
AIMEE, AMY
The idea of giving a three-letter name a four-letter nickname isn’t intuitive. But linking Mimi to the French Aimee? That seems like a viable option.
LAKSHMI
From the Hindu goddess associated with prosperity, the name was made famous in the US by television host Padma Lakshmi.
NAOMI, NOEMI, NOEMIE
Biblical Naomi shortens to Mimi as easily as Miriam does. French and Italian forms of the name, Noemi and Noemie, work equally well.
MORE OPTIONS
AMELIA
A vintage favorite with a surprising number of nicknames, including Mimi.
COSIMA
Celebrity chef Nigella Lawson has a daughter named Cosima, called Mimi for short.
DEMETRIA
The sound is right, but Americans probably think of Demi as the logical nickname. Spell it Dimitra, in Greek, and the link is more obvious.
DOMINICA
A feminine form of Dominic, with the right letters in the middle.
EMILIA, EMILIA, EMMELINE
If Amelia can lead to Mimi, then surely Emilia works just as well.
IMOGEN
Immy? Gen? They work just fine, but maybe Mimi does, too.
MADELINE
So many Madeline spellings, combined with the long popularity of Madison, mean that Maddie is everywhere. Mimi seems like a distinctive and different choice to pair with this classic name.
MARGARET
Speaking of classics, Margaret shortens to dozens of nicknames. Why not Mimi?
MATILDA
Mattie, Millie, and Tilly might seem more obvious, but Mimi might work, too.
So what is Mimi short for? Do you have a favorite?
First published on January 31, 2014, this post was revised on January 9, 2025.
I’m a Miette, but family and friends call me Mimi. I love Mimi as a nickname but as it’s mine I can’t really use it on a child!
My two year old daughter’s name is Mallory, but we call her Mimi.
Domiziana, Amicabilis, Hermione, Wilhelmina, are a few other ways to get to Mimi. I’ve seen a few birth announcements and discussions on Nameberry. However, My friend named her daughter Percephone, and she goes by Mimie, I think her daughter was trying to say the last half of her name: On-nee and it came out Me Me…So Mimie is the official spelling that stuck.
One Michaela here that often goes by the nickname Mimi and wants to legally rename herself to Mira this year 🙂 That said, it’s also possible to create Mimi out of Mira, Miroslava and anything like Mikaela or Mildred or whatever 🙂
I know a girl named Emily who sometimes goes by Mimi (mostly with kids), so Emily could be added to this list. I have to agree with the above comment that Wilhelmina would make a great addition as well.