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First name variations

Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2010 11:41 am
by Maths girl
Christine gets shortened to Chris
Michael gets shortened to Mike

Fairly obvious but when I tell my children that "Aunt Peggy's real name is Margaret" - they look at me as though I must have gone mad.
These might vary too in different parts of the country:

Some web sites that may help,

http://genealogy.about.com/library/bl_nicknames.htm

http://www.whatsinaname.net/

What odd ones have you come across that are not on either of the above web sites?

Re: First name variations

Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2010 1:39 pm
by ellie
It can get confusing. I haven't come across any that aren't common. However, I was searching the 1911 census for the Hollins side of my family. I was looking in particular for my grandmother who was named Ellen, I eventually found her under 'Nellie.

Re: First name variations

Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2010 2:32 pm
by peterd
a lot of ellen were nellie just reverse nellie you get eillen

Re: First name variations

Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 2:45 pm
by watters2831
i have found out that Mary can become Polly or Pollie espescially in lancashire

Re: First name variations

Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 10:05 pm
by Rabito
I had an aunt called Margaret who was always known as Bunty.
No idea whether this is traditional or just a nickname

Re: First name variations

Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 10:37 pm
by KayM
I have an Ellen/Helen who is twice recorded as Alice in SW Scotland. Anyone come across that before?

Re: First name variations

Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2010 7:33 pm
by Fatman
I had a Gulielmus as William today!

Re: First name variations

Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 7:55 pm
by linell
Fatman wrote:I had a Gulielmus as William today!


I have a Gulielmus too, it's not a variation though, it was the old Latin name for Wm:-

9.2.1718 Ellena fa Willi Chubback and Ellemae baptised.
15.7.1720 Gulielmus fs Gulielmus Chubback et Helena from Haywood


Linell.

Re: First name variations

Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2010 3:51 pm
by watters2831
Has anybody got a hannah that became agnes? - i'm confused as to whether her name changed or she's a completely different person?

Re: First name variations

Posted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 6:18 pm
by serreth
I've found a female Henrietta who becomes Henry (and as a result gets recorded as 'son' in 1 census!)