Naming Practices- female
The following female names were found at http://www.usigs.org/library/genealogy/recipe9b.html compiled and copyrighted by sue Roe and used with her permission. Please note that this part of a series of articles done Mrs. Roe, combined into a book and now copyrighed. This is a very useful "finding tool" for research purposes.
Abigail--Abby, Nabby, Gail
Adaline/Adeline--Ada, Addy, Dell, Lena
Adelaide--Addy, Adele, Dell, Della, Heidi
Adelphia--Adele, Addy, Dell, Delphia, Philly
Agatha--Aggy
Agnes--Aggy, Inez, Nessa
Aileen--Allie, Lena
Alberta--Allie, Bert, Bertie
Alexandra--Alex, Alla, Sandy
Alfreda--Alfy, Freda, Freddy, Frieda
Alice/Alicia--Allie, Elsie, Lisa
Almena--Allie, Mena
Amanda--Manda, Mandy
Amelia--Emily, Mel, Millie, Amy
Ann/Anne--Annie, Nan, Nanny, Nana, Nancy (and Ann is sometimes a
nickname for Antoinette, Christiana, Roseanne, etc.)
Antoinette/Antonia--Ann, Tony, Netta
Arabella/Arabelle--Ara, Arry, Belle, Bella
Arlene--Arly, Lena
Armena--Arry, Mena
Asenath--Assene, Natty, Sene
Augusta/Augustina--Aggy, Gatsy, Gussie, Tina
Barbara--Bab, Babs, Barby, Bobbie
Beatrice--Bea, Trisha, Trix, Trixie
Belinda--Belle, Linda
Bertha--Birdie, Bert, Bertie
Bridget--Biddie, Biddy, Bridgie, Bridie
Camille--Cammie, Millie
Cornelia--Cornie, Nelia
Carol/Caroline/Carolyn--Carrie, Cassie, Lynn
Cassandra--Cassie, Sandra, Sandy
Catherine/Cathleen/Katherine/Kathleen--Cathy, Kathy, Katy,
Cassie, Kay, Kit, Kittie, Trina, Lena
Cecilia--Celia, Cissy
Charlotte--Char, Lottie, Lotta, Sherry
Christine/Christina/Christiana/Kristine--Chris, Kris, Crissy,
Christy, Kristy, Tina
Clarinda--Clara
Clarissa--Clara, Cissy
Constance--Connie
Cordelia--Cordy, Delia
Cornelia--Corny, Nelle, Nelly
Cynthia--Cindy, Cintha
Darlene--Lena, Darry
Deborah/Debora--Debby, Debbie, Deb
Deliverance--Della, Delly, Dilly
Delores--Dell, Lola, Lolly, Della, Dee
Dorcus--Darkey
Dorothy--Dolly, Dot, Dortha, Dotty. Note: Dolly
can also be a name that simply means "baby
girl"--sometimes given when the name was undecided; it often
stuck.
Edith--Edie
Elaine--see Eleanor
Eleanor--Elaine, Ellen, Ellie, Lanna, Lenora, Nelly, Nora
Elizabeth--Eliza, Bess, Bessie, Beth, Betsy, Betty, Lib, Libby,
Liza, Lisa, Liz, Lizzie
Ellen--see Eleanor and Helen
Elmira--Elly, Ellie, Mira
Elouise--Louise, see Heloise
Elsie--see Alice
Emily--Emmy, Millie, see Amelia and Emeline
Emeline--Em, Emily, Emma, Emmy, Milly
Estelle/Estella--Essy, Stella
Esther--see Hester
Evaline--Eva, Eve, Lena
Faith--Fay
Fidelia--Delia
Florence--Flo, Flora, Flossy
Frances--Fanny, Fran, Cissy, Frankie, Sis
Fredericka--Freda, Freddy, Ricka, Frieda
Gabrielle/Gabriella--Gabby, Ella
Gail--see Abigail
Genevieve--Eve, Jean, Jenny
Geraldine--Dina, Gerry, Gerrie, Jerry
Gertrude--Trudy, Gert, Gertie
Gwendolyn--Gwen, Wendy
Hannah--Nan, Nanny, Anna, also may be a nickname for Johannah,
Susannah.
Harriet--Hattie
Heidi--see Adelaide
Helen/Helene--Ella, Ellen, Ellie, Lena
Heloise--Eloise, Lois
Henrietta--Etta, Etty, Hank, Nettie, Retta
Hermione--Hermie
Hepsibah/Hephsibah--Hipsie
Hester--Hessy, Esther, Hetty
Ina--see Lavina
Inez--see Agnes
Irene--Rena
Isabel/Isabelle/Isabella--Bella, Belle, Ib, Issy, Nib, Nibby,
Tibbie
Isadora--Dora, Issy
Jane--Janie, Jean, Jennie, Jessie
Janet--Jessie, Jan
Jean/Jeanne--Jane, Jeannie
Jeanette--Janet, Jean, Jessie, Nettie
Jemima--Mima
Jennifer--Jennie
Jessica--Jessie
Joan--Nonie, sometimes short form of Joanna/Johannah
Joanna/Johannah--Joan, Jody, Hannah
Josephine--Jody, Jo, Joey, Josey, Fina
Joyce--Joy
Juanita--Nettie, Nita
Julia--Julie, Jill
Keziah--Kizza, Kizzie
Lavina/Lavinia--Ina, Vina, Viney
Lenora--Nora, Lee, see Eleanor
Letitia--Lettie, Lettice, Titia, Tish
Lillian--Lil, Lilly, Lolly
Linda--Lindy, Lynn, may be a short form of Belinda, Melinda,
Philinda, etc.
Lisa--may be a short form of Elizabeth, Alice, Melissa
Lois--see Heloise, Louise
Loretta--Etta, Lorrie, Retta
Lorraine--Lorrie
Louise/Louisa--Lou, Eliza, Lois
Lucille--Lu, Lou, Cille, Lucy
Lucinda--Cindy, Lu, Lou, Lucy
Luella--Ella, Lu, Lula
Lydia/Lidia--Lyddy
Lynn--may be short form of Carolyn, Madeline, Linda, etc.
Madeline--Lena, Maddy, Madge, Magda, Maggie, Maida, Maud
Magdelina--Lena, Madge, Magda
Mahala--Hallie
Margaret/Margaretta--Daisy, Gretta, Madge, Maggie, Meg, Midge,
Peg, Peggy, Rita, Margery, Marge, Margie
Martha--Marty, Mat, Mattie, Patsy, Patty
Mary--Molly, Polly, Mae, Mamie, Mitzi; Marie and Maria are forms
of this name.
Matilda--Tilly, Matty, Maud
Mehitabel--Hetty, Hitty, Mabel, Mitty
Melinda--Linda, Lindy, Mel, Mindy
Melissa--Lisa, Lissa, Mel, Milly, Missy
Michelle--Mickey, Shelly
Mildred--Milly
Millicent--Milly, Missy
Minerva--Minnie
Miranda--Mandy, Mira, Randy
Miriam--Mimi, Mitzi
Nancy--Nan, see also Ann
Natalie--Natty, Nettie
Olive/Olivia--Ollie, Nollie, Livia
Parmelia--Amelia, Melia, Milly
Patience--Pat, Patty
Patricia--Pat, Patty, Patsy, Tricia
Paula/Paulina--Polly, Lina
Penelope--Penny
Philinda--Linda
Priscilla--Cissy, Cilla, Prissy
Prudence--Prudy, Prue
Rachel--Shelly
Rebecca--Reba, Becca, Becky
Regina--Reggie, Gina
Relief--Leafa
Roberta--Bobbie, Robbie, Bert
Rosabel/Rosabella--Belle, Rosa, Rose, Roz
Rosalyn/Rosalinda--Rosa, Rose, Linda, Roz
Roseann/Roseanna--Rose, Ann, Roz, Rosie
Roxanne/Roxanna--Ann, Rose, Roxie
Sabrina--Brina
Sandra--Sandy, see Cassandra, Alexandra
Sarah--Sally, Sadie
Selina (Celina)--Lena
Serena--Rena
Shirley--Lee, Sherry, Shirl
Submit--Mitty
Susan/Susannah--Sue, Sukey, Susie, Hannah
Tabitha--Tabby
Theresa--Terry, Tess, Tessie, Tessa, Thirza, Thursa, Tracy
Tryphena--Phena
Valerie--Val
Vanessa--Nessa, Essa, Vanna
Veronica--Franky, Frony, Ron, Ronnie, Ronna, Vonnie
Victoria--Vicky
Virginia--Ginger, Ginny, Jane, Jennie, Virgy
Wilhelmina--Mina, Willie, Wilma, Minnie
Winifred--Winnie, Freddie, Winnet
.