Last week it was interesting to look at some women’s nicknames and abbreviated versions of given names that were used in the past. And it was interesting to hear from some of you who shared interesting family names, nicknames, and names you have run across while doing research.
I learned even more about names by following up on a question about the unusual name Submit. I had never heard that given name, but after a little research, I learned that Submit is one of a number of names called virtue names, many of which were used in colonial times by the Puritans. Some women’s virtue names include Faith, Grace, Hope, Joy, Silence, Deliverance, Discipline, Prudence, Temperance, and many others.
Continuing on with names, below are some of the more common men’s nicknames and abbreviated given names, focusing mainly on American and German names that you may run across in old records.
Zion Lutheran, Schumm, dedication, 1915, colorized.
I did not include nicknames that are obvious derivatives of the given name, such as Alex for Alexander.
Achim: Joachim
Adi/Dolph: Adolph, Adolf
Alois: Aloysius
Armin: Herman
Barney: Barnaby
Bart/Bat: Bartholomew
Bernie/Bern: Bernard
Bert/Berti/Bertie: Bertram, Albert, Herbert, Hubert, Norbert, Engelbert
Bo/Boy/Buddy: Boyd
Carl: Carlisle
Claus/Klaus: Nikolaus, Claudius
Cly/Ide: Clive, Clyde
Con/Connie/Curd/Curt/Conny: Conrad, Konrad
Con/Cor/Cory/Niel: Cornelius
Cy: Cyril
Dewey: Dwight
Dieter: Dietrich
Dima/Mitri: Dmitri
Dolf: Adolf
Dyer: Obediah
Early/Erl: Earl
Eben: Ebenezer
Finn: Phineas
Floy: Floyd
Frank: Francis
Fritz: Friedrich
Georg: Jorg
Gerg, Gert: Gerhard(t)
Gus/Gussi: August, Augustus, Angus
Hal/Harry: Harold, Henry
Hank: Henry
Hans/Iwas/Jan: Johannes
Jos/Jupp/Osip/Sepp: Joseph
Lazar: Eleazer
Lee/Lanny: Leland
Lig/Lige/Lije: Elijah
Louis/Lutz: Ludwig
Mewes: Bertholomaus
Mo/Reece: Maurice
Mills/Tony: Milton
Monty/Emery: Montgomery
Nate: Nathan/Nathaniel
Ned: Edward
Newt: Newton
Obie/Oben: Obadiah
Ollie: Orville
Oz/Ozzy/Waldo: Oswald
Ozzy: Osmond
Poldi: Leopold
Paddy: Patrick
Ralphy/Rafe: Ralph
Riah/Rias/Rye: Zachariah
Ricky: Erik
Rinney: Phineas
Rolf/Ralf/Rudi: Rudolph
Roo: Rufus
Sandy: Alexander
Si: Josiah, Cyrus
Stoffel: Christoph
Sigi: Siegfried
Thies: Matthias
Tiah: Azariah
Tony: Anton
Ulie/Ollie: Ulysses
Uli/Ulli: Ulrich
Veit: Valentin
Wasti/Wastl: Sebastian
Zander: Alexander
My Grandpa Schumm was named Cornelius. I don’t believe he was called anything other than Cornelius.
Some male virtue names include Able, Chance, Judge, Leon, Merit, Phoenix, Reason, Sterling, Uriah, and Valor.
Sometimes we don’t know where a person’s nickname came from. This is particularly true in hubby Joe’s family. His Uncle Fred was called Joe, cousin Kent was called Pete, and brother Fred was called Butch.
2 comments
I think some people called my dad Kelly.
Author
I think I have heard that before, but I don’t recall ever hearing anyone actually call him that. Thanks for that information!