Nicknames for Girls.

Many parents like names which have nicknames for their children. There are many good reasons for having nicknames, some are:
1. Having a cute pet name for the child .
2. Being able to give their child a very formal name, but having something more cute and young or childhood or casual occasions.
3. Being able to choose a long name.
4. Having a more unique nickname for a child with a common name, so they're not Jessica B or Jessica W but Essie.
5. For when the child is a Junior or are named after someone who they'll have close contact with to avoid confusion.
6. For girls, a name with a unisex nickname in case they're a tomboy.

See below for my favorites, some good ideas and examples.

Nickname reason one: General Reasons, to have a cute, pet name.
There are millions of these, examples: "Allie" for Allison, "Dani" for Danielle, "Jo" for Joanna.

Nickname reason two: To shorten and soften a formal name during childhood and in casual situations.

Some of my favorites:
Adelaide, "Addie", "Delle", "Deli", "Della", "Lady"
Amelia, "Mimi", "Meeley", "Mia", "Lia", "Millie"
Arabella, "Abby", "Ari", "Belle", "Bella"
Beatrice, "Bea", "Triss", "Trissie", "Trissa"
Carlotta, "Carly", "Carla", "Carlo", "Arlo", "Lottie"
Cecelia, "CC", "Seal", "Sealey", "Lia"
Corinne, "Corey", "Cora", "Rin"
Diana, "Di", "Dido", "Annie", "Ana"
Dominique, "Dom", "Minnie", "Nicki", "Neek"
Eleanor, "Elle", "Ellie, "Ella", "Nor", "Norah"
Elizabeth, "Ellie", "Elle", "Ella", "Eliza", "Lizzie" "Izzie", "Libby", "Beth", "Zeth"
Ellen, "Elle", "Ellie", "Ella", "Leni"
Frances, "Frannie", "Cessie"
Georgiana, "Georgie", "GG", "Gia", "Giana", "Giarn"
Gwyneth, "Gwyn", "Wyn", Gwynnie", "Wynnie", "Netty"
Harriet, "Harry", "Ria", "Rietta"
Hazel, "Hay", "Haze", "Zelle", "Zella"
Jane, "Jay", "Janie", "JJ", "Ane"
Lenore, "Leni", "Nore", "Norah"
Lillian, "Lil", "Lilly"
Maude, "Maurie", "Aude", "Audie"
Miranda, "Mirrie", "Anda", "Andy"
Nicolette, "Nic", "Nicky", "Cole", "Lettie", "Etta"
Rachel, "Rae", "Rach", "Chel" or "Chels" (like the starting sound in Chelsea)
Rosalie, "Ro", "Rose", "Rosie", "Rosa", "Zali"
Rowan, "Ro", "Rowie", "Rory"
Sophia, "So", "Soph", "Phia", "Fifi"
Theodora, "Thea", "Tia", "Teddy", "Dora"
Victoria, "Vee", "Vic", "Vicky", "Tori", "Ria", "Via", "Vita", "Vito"

Nickname reason three: For parents who love long names, but don't find it practical to use such a long name in every day life.
Some of my favorites:

Alexandra, "Al", "Alex", "Allie", "Lex", "Lexie", "Lexa", "Xandra", "Andra", "Andy"
Angelina, "Ange", "Angie", "Annie", "Gel", "Gelly", "Angel", "Lina"
Ariana, "Ari", "Riarn", "Ria", "Riana".
Eleanora, "Elle", "Ellie", "Ella", "Nora"
Elliana, "Elle", "Ellie", "Ella", "Liana", "Lia"
Felicity, "Flick", "Lissie", "Lissa"
Indiana, "Indi", "Dee", "Deanne", "Deanna", "Annie", "Ana"
Isabella, "Izzy", "Bella", "Belle"
Isadora, "Izzy", "Dora"
Liliana, "Lil", "Lilly", "Liana", "Leanne", "Ana", "Annie"
Mirabella, "Mira", "Bella", "Belle"
Olivia, "Olly", "Liv", "Livvy", "Livia", "Via", "Vee"
Tatiana, "Tia", "Tiarne", "Tiana"

Nickname reason four: A unique nickname for a common name.
Some recent popular names with unique nickname alternatives:

Abigail, "Gail", "Aila", "Ailey", "Aggie"
Alexandra, "Alexi", "Xandra", "Andra", "Andy
Alison, "Alice", "Lis", "Lissie", "Sunny", "Lissa"
Alyssa, "Lys", "Lyssie", "Al"
Ariana, "Ari", "Ria", "Ri", "Riarn", "Rina", "Arna"
Ashley, "Asha", "Sharlee", "Shel"
Ava, "Aven", "Avey", "Ave"
Brianna, "Bree", "Ri", "Ranna"
Chloe, "Lola", "Lo", "Loey", "O"
Elizabeth, "Zeth", "Lizza", "Eth", "Bette", "Eli", "Leeza"
Ella, "El", "Els"
Emily, "Millie", "Miller", "Elle", "Ellie"
Emma, "Emmy", "Mae", "Emmy-(middle name). E.g Emmylou for Emma Louise.
Caitlyn, "Aita", "Aitie", "Lyndy", "Lynna"
Grace, "Gray", "Race", "Raysa"
Hailey, "Halo", "Ailey", "Haila", "Aila"
Hannah, "Nan", "Nana", "Hannie"
Isabella/Isabelle, "Sally", "Sab", "Sabby", "Elle", "Ellie"
Jasmine, "Az", "Azzie", "Minnie", "Minna"
Kayley/Kayla, "Ayla", "Ayley",
Lillian, "Leni'
Lilly, "Lilsy", "Ilsa"
Madeline, "Madda", "Addie", "Adda", "Delle", "Della", "Deli", "Linna"
Madison, "Madda", "Dizzy", "Sunny", "Addie", "Adda"
Maya, "Aya", "Eye"
Mia, "Mimi", "E", "Ia"
Mikayla, "Mikky", "Ayla", "Ayley", "Mimi"
Natalie, "Tali", "Attie",
Olivia, "Olly", "Ola" "Vee", "Via", "Libby", "Lia"
Sarah, "Sairy", "Aira", "Sally", "Sadie"
Sophia, "Fifi", "Fia", "Fi", "Opie"
Taylor, "Aylor", "Lori", "Tayli"
Victoria, "Ori", "Ria", "Vita", "Vito", "Via"
Zoe, "O", "Zozo", "Z"

Nickname reason five: To avoid confusion when children are named after others (see reason one and four for ideas)

Nickname reason six: For a unisex nickname for a girl who may be a tomboy.
Some of my favorites are:

Alaina, Alessandra, Alexa, Alexandra, Alexis, Alice, Alison, Allegra, Alyssa= which can all be shortened to "Al"
Alessandra, Cassandra= Sandy
Alexa, Alexandra, Alexis, Alexandria, Alexia= Lex, Alex, Xander, Alexi
Alexandra, Andrea, Cassandra, Miranda= Andy
Alison, Emerson, Madison= Sonny
Ashley, Ashlyn= Ash
Calista= Cal
Camille= Cam, Miller
Carlotta, Carly, Scarlett= Carl
Cassandra= Casey
Charlize, Charlotte= Charlie
Christa= Chris
Claudia= Claude
Constance, Corinne= Connie, Con
Cora, Corinne= Corey
Dominique= Dom
Elizabeth, Elliana= Eli
Elizabeth= Zeth
Ellen, Eleanora, Elena, Eleni, Lenore, Helena= Lenny
Evelyn= Ev
Frances= Frankie
Georgiana= George
Grace= Gray
Hallie, Harmony, Harriet, Hazel, Helena= Hal
Harriet= Harry
Hilary= Larry
Jayda, Jane= Jay
Jazlyn= Az
Jessica= Jesse
Joanna, Joanne= Joe, Joey
Leanne, Ainsley, Amelia, Angelina, Angeline, Angelique, Annaliese, Ashley, Beverly (ETC, this list gets long, just ones that end in Lee or have a Lee sound in them) = Lee
Leona= Leo, Lee
Louisa, Lucia, Lucille, Lucinda, Louella= Lou, Louie
Mallory= Mal
Martina= Marty
Matilda= Matt, Matty
Maude= Maurie
Mikayla= Micky
Natasha, Natalie= Nat, Nate
Nicolette= Nic, Nicky, Cole
Olive, Olivette, Olivia, Holly, Molly= Olly
Prudence= Denny
Rachel/ Raine= Ray
Sandra= Sandy
Skye/ Skyler= Kye
Tatiana= Tate
Theodora= Theo, Theodore
Vanessa= Van
Veronique= Ron, Ronny
Victoria= Victor
Willow= Will

Another way of getting unisex nicknames is to use initials. For example, Alice Jane is a very feminine name, but can be shortened to "AJ", if they turn out to be a tomboy. Similarly, the starting letter of a name can be another option, "E" for Elizabeth, or "Z" for Zara are a lot more unisex sounding.

Got any other cute nicknames? Other reasons why someone in your life had a nickname, or you gave your baby one? Any funny nickname stories? Comment below!

Have a question for Annie-Kate? A suggestion for the blog? Want advice naming your child? Email me at anni.ekate@yahoo.com.au