Victoria Nicknames: Unexpected Options

Looking for unexpected Victoria nicknames? This list is for you!

Regal and elaborate, Victoria entered the US Top 100 way back in 1967. It’s ranked in the Top 100 every year since then, with the exception of 1977 – 1980, when it sat just outside. Victoria brings to mind so many associations, from the long-reigning Queen of England to Captain Steubing’s perky daughter on late 1970s television hit The Love Boat to the vampire baddie in Twilight.

It’s a name equally likely to belong to mother and daughter, and one that could easily go back many generations more.

The default nickname tends to be Vicky. Or Vicki – choose your spelling.

But unexpected Victoria nicknames abound, and could update this classic in surprising ways.

PLUM

British writer Plum Sykes answers to this unusual nickname for Victoria. It comes from a type of English plum, named for the queen – which takes this one full circle. Plum can mean something desirable or highly valued, too, which puts this name almost in the modern virtue names category. As an independent given name, Plum feels exceedingly rare, which makes it ideal for unexpected Victoria nicknames.

QUEENIE

Here’s another English monarch-inspired choice: Queenie. If you were born during the long reign of Queen Victoria and shared her name, this probably made a logical short form. All these years later – and in the US, of course – the connection might feel far less obvious. And yet, I think most people would get the association once it was explained.

RIA

There’s Mia and Leah, so why not Ria? Sure, the mythological name is Rhea, and that’s the spelling favored by actor Perlman, too. But Ria comes from the end of Victoria, an obvious option for someone after unexpected Victoria nicknames that feel brief and modern.

RORY

Boyish and upbeat, Rory works with a long list of classic girl names. Among them? Victoria, of course! With a strong -or sound, Rory feels like a natural choice for a Victoria after something breezy and truly unexpected.

TORI

For years, I envied a girl named Victoria and nicknamed Tori. Learning her name delighted me: you mean nicknames can come from the middle of names, too? And so, Tori appears on this list, even though it’s not necessarily among the most unexpected Victoria nicknames anymore. After all, actor-turned-reality-show-darling Tori Spelling and Victorious’ Tori Vega have made it a familiar substitute for Vicky.

VEE

One of the sleekest ways to shorten a name is to reduce it to just one letter. Katherine becomes Kay, James becomes Jay, and Victoria? How ’bout just Vee? It’s a mini name that might appeal to many, and it’s easy to imagine Vee evolving naturally for a no-nonsense Victoria.

VIA

Contract the first and last two letters, and you’ll arrive at this possible Victoria short form. The downsides: Via means “by way of.” We walk to school via the path. She sent the documents via courier. And in Spanish, via actually means street. So … it’s not immediately a name. And yet, in our age of Mia – and Ria! – why not?

VICA

Most Slavic languages spell this name Viktoria, and use contracted form Vika for short. While it’s virtually unheard of in the US, it makes sense. Though given the popularity of Victoria-with-a-c, Vica might be the more obvious spelling.

VIRA

Vintage Vera has climbed the US popularity charts at a steady clip over the last decade. While there’s no link between Victoria and Vera, it’s tempting to consider Vira as another contracted form of the name. The ‘i’ spelling is used in at least some Slavic-speaking countries, and has a history of use in the US, too.

VITA

English writer Vita Sackville-West makes this one of the most appealing of the options. Yet another contracted form of Victoria, Vita also brings to mind the Latin word for life.

What’s your favorite of the unexpected Victoria nicknames? Or do you prefer this name in full?

Originally published on October 20, 2017, this post was revised and re-posted on May 14, 2020.