Nicknames

[Wilbs]

My family (Allman ex Malpas, Frodsham & Ellesmere Port) had a favourite dozen or so Christian names which were repeated every generation.  It was not unusual for siblings to use the same names resulting in 3-4 cousins all named Mary, as well as Aunts, Mothers, Grandmothers, etc.

To identify individuals, nicknames, middle names or abreviations were often used. Some are easily identified:  John = Jack, Richard = Dick, Mary = Polly, but others are more difficult to interpret. 

Also some census reports have abbreviated the name.  I've assumed that Wm = William and Js = James, but again other abbreviations are beyond me.

What names have fellow rootschatters found that have help unravel their families? 

Thank you

Wilbs

[Antonden]

My grandmother was a 'Polly' Allmand and that name occurs regularly in the Allmans. Her father was a 'Jack'. Hannah/Ann/Annie are interchangeable.

[Viktoria]

Mary`s pet name was Molly.
Selena`s was Lena.
Alice was Lal.
Margaret was Peggy.
 Sarah Anne was Seran
Dorothy was Dot
 Laurence was Lol.
Jonathan was Jon.
John was Jack.

 Pretty obvious really. Not always found on census returns etc.                                                 
 One person is listed as Saml, but it looks like  Leml  his name was Samuel but most annoyingly I can`t get someone who has the family tree online to change it from Leml to Samuel
 Viktoria.

[cyanda]

i have ancestors use so many names one being my great great great grandmother Mary Ann daly that used Mary Ann, Ann or Nora/Norah and her sister honora used Ann. ive also got some that used John but called their selfs Jack. or Helens calling thier selfs Ellens and malcolms being called Mac or Max

[cyanda]

 my mum remembers her father calling some of his "sisters" sissy, tootie and tiny

[ThrelfallYorky]

"Mary" could also be Polly, Molly, Moll, Marie, May, in fact when a name's in doubt it seems to have been an affectionate shortening of Mary, in the families I've researched. "Margaret" in my mobs resulted in Mags, Meg, Maggie, Margery, Mads, Meggie.....
"Elizabeth/Elisabeth" seemed to morph into Liz, Liza, Eliza, Lizzie, Elspeth, Isabell (which I'd always thought of was always a distinct name on its own, until I found it being used almost alternately on censuses for the same lassie, Beth, Bettie, Betty, Bess, Bessie ....
A confusion I had, one ancestor I'd thought I knew the name of her, until I saw an official document, "Cis", I'd assumed was short for Cecily or Cecilia - it turned out to be "Cis - for Sister", as the oldest of a brood, that was how she was known to the entire family. No wonder I'd not been able to find her birth. She turned out to be "Annie Elizabeth".

[Treetotal]

I have:
Pepgy...Margaret
Nellie...Ellen
Jos...Josiah
Kay...Kathleen
Ned...Edward
Nessie...Agnes
Ciss...Cynthia
Carol

[Billyblue]

My aunt Agnes Ann was Aunty Sally!

And I indexed a death/funeral the other day (for Ryerson) for a Margaret who was known as Marje ??

I'm continually surprised, with this indexing, at the odd names people are sometimes known by, which appear to have no relevance to the first name or their surname      

Dawn M

[jaybelnz]

I knew a person whose given name was Olga.  She was always called Paula.

I have a Nancy for a Mary
Several others as already noted on above posts
One of my grandfather's always called me Trixie

Jeanne