A Henry By Any Other Name...first name meanings.

When researching your family tree, knowing a standard naming pattern for the children in a family might help you in confirming your family history. It helps to explain why similar names were common through various generations of families. Knowing all this doesn't necessarily make it less frustrating if you have a string of John Smith's in your family, but at least you will be able to see the logic behind it.

Sons

1st son named after father's father
2nd son named after mother's father
3rd son named after father
4th son named after father's eldest brother
5th son named after mother's eldest brother

Daughters

1st daughter named after mother's mother
2nd daughter named after father's mother
3rd daughter named after mother
4th daughter named after mother's eldest sister
5th daughter named after father's eldest sister

If both grandfathers had the same name, then the second son could be named after the father.

Some Variants of Names:

FORMAL NAME	NICKNAME
Alexander	Alec, Alex/Sandy
Aaron, Arnold	Arnie
Aaron, Ronald	Ron
Agnes	Nessi, Nessa, Aggie
Anne, Ann, Anna	Nancy, Nina, Nan, Hannah
Antoinette, Harriet, Henrietta, Jeanette	Netta
Arabella, Isabel	Belle, Bella
Bridget	Biddy
Catherine, Cassandra	Cassie
Charles	Chad
Charlotte	Lottie
Delores, Louise	Lola
Dora, Dorothy	Dody
Dorothy	Dolly
Edward, Edmund, Edwin, Edgar	Ned, Ted
Eleanor, Helen	Lena, Lina, Elana
Eleanor, Helen, Ellen, Cornelia	Nell, Nelly
Eleanor, Helen, Luella	Ella
Elijah, Elias, Ellis, Elliot	Eli
Elizabeth	Bessie, Bessey, Bessy, Betty Betsie, Betsy Eliza, Libbie Lisa, Liza, Lizzie, Lizzy Elsie, Elsy, Elspeth and Elspie (Isabel is Spanish for Elizabeth)
Ellen	Eleanor, Elen, Ella, Elle, Ellena, Helen Hornora, Nell, Nellie or Nora
Ephemia	Effie
Esther	Essie, Essa

Frances	Fan, Fannie
Florence	Flossie
Frederick	Fred, Fritz
Frederick, Richard	Eric, Rick
Henry, Harold	Hal
Henry, Harold, Harrison	Harry
Harriet	Hattie, Hettie,Henrietta, Hester, Esther
Jacob, John	Jack
Jacob	James
Jane, Jennifer	Jenny
Leanora, Eleanor, Honora	Nora
Madeline, Carlyn, Caroline	Lynn
Madeline	Maddie
Mary	Marion, Marla, May, Mimi, Molly
Martha, Matilda (fem)	Mattie, Matty (fem)
Madeline, Matilda, Magdalena	Maude
Margaret	Meg, Peggy
Mary, Minerva, Minna, Wilhelmina	Minnie, Mayme
Melissa, Millicent	Missy
Martha, Matilda, Patricia	Patty (fem)
Mary, Paula	Polly
Sarah	Sadie, Sally

Family history is not an exact science and there are many other variations from the ones that I have listed here. You may even know some from your own family history. What I am attempting to do is to give you the groundwork. The information here and on my other pages is far from exhaustive - in other words, I don't know it all!

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