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Short Version of Names

What are these names short for? For example, Dan is short for Daniel.
According to tradition. Many of these short names are also names in their own right. Don't be a dunce.
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Quizmaster
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Last updated: October 18, 2019
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First submittedDecember 5, 2012
Times taken89,796
Average score66.7%
Rating3.94
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Short Name
Full Version
Jim
James
Joe
Joseph
Bob
Robert
Tina
Christina
Jake
Jacob
Dick
Richard
Chuck
Charles
Bill
William
Short Name
Full Version
Jack
John
Hank
Henry
Betsy
Elizabeth
Drew
Andrew
Tony
Anthony
Babs
Barbara
Becky
Rebecca
Gene
Eugene
Short Name
Full Version
Larry
Laurence
Kate
Catherine
Peggy
Margaret
Nora
Eleanor
Patty
Patricia
Sasha
Alexander
Vicky
Victoria
Bella
Isabella
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100 Recent Comments
quizzygirl
+4
Level 26
Jul 3, 2015
If you know lots of senior citizens, this quiz should be fairly easy.
GeneralWaffle64
+6
Level 44
Sep 15, 2015
How the hell does one get Sasha from Alexander??? XD
jaymar12
+3
Level 39
Sep 21, 2015
Blame the Russians
Sifhraven
+4
Level 75
Aug 22, 2019
Richard to dick or margaret to madge seem just as weird to me. I assume it went from alexander to xander to sasha
Malbaby
+3
Level 70
Dec 29, 2019
You try saying Alexander after drinking a bottle of vodka ......
TheDirector
+5
Level 43
Jan 8, 2016
Did anyone else try Jackson? I think it should be accepted.
tommo1d
+1
Level 53
Jan 21, 2016
agreed
lunastorm13
+3
Level 55
Jan 14, 2016
Jack is often short for Jackson. Can Jackson be an acceptable answer?
Rhubarb
+1
Level 34
Nov 7, 2016
I know someone called Alexander, who has a sister called Sasha. They have the same name.
ravenclaw618
+3
Level 30
Nov 22, 2016
I always thought that Sasha was short for Natasha but I never would have guessed Alexander
ander217
+2
Level 74
Jan 8, 2017
I tried Anastasia - didn't realize I was close geographically at least.
Sifhraven
+1
Level 75
Aug 22, 2019
I came up with sergei :D
divantilya
+2
Level 36
Feb 3, 2017
That's the idiosyncracy of some cultures. Chris for Christina in one and Tina for the same in another. Just as some will call a Leroy

"Lee" while others will say "Roy". But the quaintest cultures I find, are the ones that will give you two names, say: "Joseph Alexander" then proceed to always call you Alexander (or a variation thereof) and forever more ignore your first name, Joseph.

ander217
+3
Level 74
Jun 3, 2017
Sometimes that occurs when sons are named after their fathers, and they go by their middle names to avoid confusion (as in the case of my nephew,) or sometimes they just detest their first names, (as in the case of my brother.)
Sifhraven
+1
Level 75
Aug 22, 2019
then you would have to call catholic people like 20 names. Just because a person has more than one name before their last name does not main all of them are their first name. Only if they they are joined into one, like Jean-Luc, or MarySue
meyerjp
+1
Level 41
Jun 2, 2017
How is Jake for Jacob below 70%
MustardCustard
+1
Level 66
Jun 2, 2017
You should accept Patrick for Patty as I have seen plenty of Patricks go by Patty.
Malbaby
+4
Level 70
Jun 3, 2017
I think you would have to be very friendly with a Patrick to call him Patty.......... or quick on your feet.
RayH518
+3
Level 38
Jun 3, 2017
Ha!
ander217
+1
Level 74
Jun 3, 2017
I've often seen Pat for Patrick, but never Patty - at least in my region of the US.
rtabram
+1
Level 58
Nov 21, 2018
Patty Duke from that TV show in the 80s (I think).
jilbert99
+3
Level 64
Jul 13, 2018
"Patty" is short for Patricia.

"Paddy" is short for Patrick.

emwcee
+1
Level 47
Jun 3, 2017
Came pretty easy for me. I actually know a Russian boy named Alexander who goes by Sasha, so that one came easy for me.
ander217
+1
Level 74
Jun 3, 2017
Margaret has lots of nicknames. A few of them include Meg, Peg, Peggy, Maggie, Margie, Marge, Margot, Magpie, Ret, Retta, Gretta, Rita, Mimi, Pearl, and believe it or not, Daisy, which is the English translation of the flower from French, marguerite, and Spanish, margarita. (Which begs the question, was Jimmy Buffet getting wasted on daisies?)
RayH518
+1
Level 38
Jun 3, 2017
Probably
vermiciousknid
+3
Level 91
Dec 26, 2019
I would never have guessed Peggy was short for Margaret. How does that even happen?
HaroldHecuba
+1
Level 39
Jun 3, 2017
I think "Charlie" should have been sufficient for Chuck, but liked the quiz other than that.
maxxxxxi
+2
Level 22
Sep 8, 2017
Got 22/23 with almost 4 minutes to spare and then it took me almost 2 whole minutes to think what Nora was short for
PacoGee
+1
Level 44
Mar 18, 2018
too me forever to get Babs lol
Archer1212
+1
Level 65
Dec 20, 2017
never in my life have i heard someone named Elizabeth be called "Betsy." they were always called "Liz" or "Lizzy" or "Beth," but never once did i hear "Betsy." i also totally thought "Madge" was short for "Marjorie."
divantilya
+2
Level 36
Dec 20, 2017
Same here. Also, I know five girls/women called "Sasha", and in each instance, their given name is Natasha. Knew Sasha as Alexander only because of some movie I saw (don't remember its name now) where the characters were Russian, and one of the males named Alexander was nicknamed "Sasha". Still, Natasha was my first choice here.
PacoGee
+6
Level 44
Mar 18, 2018
I got it because Sasha is a common shortened name in Russia for Alexander. ;)
Sifhraven
+4
Level 75
Aug 22, 2019
I never heard any natasha being called sasha. If you indeed have heard that personally I think that is a recently made up thing, because I dont think it is traditionaly the case. I know Natasha as Nat or Tash or Tasha (or as a real abbreviation and not making a name Natash)
kalbahamut
+4
Level 80
Feb 16, 2019
I have.
Susie222
+3
Level 58
Dec 27, 2019
I think using "Betsy" as a nickname for "Elizabeth" is out of fashion nowadays. I am 64 and grew up with several girls who were called "Betsy" as a nickname for "Elizabeth."
Dijko
+1
Level 45
Mar 18, 2018
Jim, James????????? It's Jimmy, and theres no short name for james
Sifhraven
+2
Level 75
Aug 22, 2019
Jamie? No idea if that is tradionally the case or short for something else, but I think james are sometimes called jamie
glimmeringspines
+2
Level 46
Jun 22, 2024
Jimmy is also a nickname for James
Margles1
+1
Level 40
Mar 23, 2018
I had a great aunt named Christine that everyone called Tina.
Jared0309
+1
Level 78
Apr 9, 2018
I think Babs should be short for "Barbra," the most famous example of Babs as a nickname. However, Barbara should still be accepted as an answer.
AVB
+1
Level 73
Aug 7, 2018
Leonora for Nora, and Arabella for Bella should be accepted
cafrance1089
+1
Level 67
Nov 18, 2018
Alexander "Sasha" the great.

Isn't Sasha a girl's name???

kalbahamut
+2
Level 80
Feb 16, 2019
No not necessarily.
Sifhraven
+2
Level 75
Aug 22, 2019
Sasha baron-cohen? No not a girl. It comes from the slavic "abbreviations" of both Alexander and alexandra, though generally in my experience, when someone is from a slavic country and is called sasha it is a guy. (And also when a guy is called sasha, most likely has roots in a slavic country)

I personally thought that Uk/Us (and western europe?) just borrowed the name and applied it to girls. I wasnt aware sasha was originally also the nickname for alexandra. But it makes sense obviously.

I guess "our" (English/other germanic languages) made Sander and Sandra from Alexander and Alexandra. And ofcourse Alex and Xander, And I guess Lex (and Alexia but that seems so forcefully made up imo)

Alexquiz17
+1
Level 94
Sep 24, 2025
In Scotland Sandy is commonly used instead of Alexander
BlackJohn
+1
Level 76
Nov 21, 2018
I have to say most american "short names" make about as much sense as their most recent presidential selection. I mean Dick from Richard and Jack from John?? Really?! Also calling Elizabeth "Betsy" is the perfect way to make one of the most elegant names sound like a venereal disease.
rtabram
+1
Level 58
Nov 21, 2018
Many of these forms are really old. You'd have your "proper" name and the name you'd use for friends and family. Over time, the less formal names entered common usage.
ander217
+1
Level 74
Dec 26, 2019
Look up Betsey Balcombe, an English girl b. in 1802, who befriended Napoleon during his exile. Betsey as a nickname for Elizabeth wasn't invented by Americans. Neither was Dick for Richard nor Jack for John. Those go back to medieval times in England.
rtabram
+1
Level 58
Nov 21, 2018
Chas is also a variation on Charles.
IsleAuHaulte
+1
Level 92
Dec 8, 2018
I didn't know this was a Russian quiz.
IsleAuHaulte
+1
Level 92
Dec 8, 2018
Ted is a good one, short for Theodore or Edward.

The 3 Kennedy brother politicians had nicknames which add inexplicable consonants to the given name.

Bobby=Robert

Jack=John

Teddy=Edward

bannister
+1
Level 88
Dec 12, 2018
How about Nancy. It comes from Anne.
StevenColbery
+1
Level 38
Jan 13, 2019
I'm dumb. Got stuck on Jacob.
damoz7
+1
Level 68
Mar 20, 2019
I tried Isabel, Isabelle, Isobel, Isobelle but none of them were accepted so I thought I was on the wrong track.
TheGeographyGuy
+1
Level 34
Apr 5, 2019
I tried Charlie for Chuck. That should be accepted because even though it is also short for Charles it is still a name on it's own.
Lilylee
+2
Level 77
Apr 6, 2019
Short name "Jack", full version "John", whaaaat?
divantilya
+1
Level 36
Apr 25, 2019
Lilylee; "John" is the shortened English version of the German "Johan" (or Johannes) which, when shortened in German or Dutch, becomes "Jan". I have no idea how "Jack" evolved from John.
martay
+1
Level 70
Apr 6, 2019
What does "by tradition" mean? Who's tradition? Which tradition? This quiz badly needs a source/reference.
Quizmaster
+4
Level ∞
Apr 6, 2019
ISO9000 standard shortening of English language names as approved by the UN.
martay
+1
Level 70
Apr 9, 2019
Link?
Quizmaster
+5
Level ∞
Oct 18, 2019
https://tinyurl.com/2fcpre6
OfficerDibble
+1
Level 85
Oct 23, 2019
Followed that link as I had a hunch it would make me laugh, whatever it was...
roleybob
+3
Level 74
Dec 20, 2019
You want a source for official common nicknames? geez...
RealDad12
+1
Level 67
Apr 18, 2019
Sandy would be another one for Alexander.
Bdubz
+2
Level 42
Jun 23, 2019
Sascha Zverev tennis fans
Gwaur
+1
Level 45
Jul 13, 2019
Hank is also shot for Hankin which is a form of John.
Confabulously
+1
Level 80
Oct 18, 2019
How is the entire cast of Hank of the Hill here
stevediverse
+1
Level 87
Oct 18, 2019
Nora is also short for Honora or Honoria
phalocrocorax
+1
Level 84
Oct 19, 2019
How about accepting Elinor as a variant spelling of Eleanor? It is certainly not unheard of (for example, Jane Austen used that spelling for one off her heroines).
HinesBrothers
+2
Level 77
Oct 19, 2019
Maybe accept Jackson for Jack?
rocamorar
+1
Level 79
Oct 24, 2019
Tina might as well be the short of Martina or Valentina: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tina_(given_name)
FranckMee
+1
Level 68
Dec 26, 2019
The only Babs I know is actually named Babette. All the Barbaras I know are called Barb' or Barbie (mainly for teasing). Would it be possible to also accept Babette?
Walacama
+3
Level 83
Dec 26, 2019
Babette is a nickname or diminutive name itself.
jmellor13
+1
Level 68
Dec 28, 2019
My mother is named Barbara, and we all call her Babs. She can't stand it...but that has not stopped us.
svelte
+1
Level 50
Dec 26, 2019
Me : *literally fails*

37% of people : oH yEa SaShA mEaNs AlExAnDeR

lunchbox1982
+2
Level 62
Dec 26, 2019
You should accept Katelyn for Kate as well.
EnterNameHere
+1
Level 53
Dec 26, 2019
great quiz
joez
+1
Level 77
Dec 26, 2019
Tina could also be Martina as in Tina Weymouth of Talking Heads.
ander217
+1
Level 74
Dec 26, 2019
I know women named Faustina, Bettina, and Martina, all of whom use the nickname Tina. Who says it can only refer to Christina?
kalbahamut
+2
Level 80
Dec 26, 2019
Many of these names could be short for multiple names. But I think in each case the answer given is the most common one.
ihavethepower
+1
Level 28
Dec 27, 2019
So "Jack" is short for "John"? :-P Thst's not the easiest thing to understand when you are not from america... ;)
afmarsha
+1
Level 68
Jul 5, 2024
That's actually more of an English thing than an American thing. In America Jack is normally short for Jackson and John is normally short for Johnathan. They're using only antiquated naming for this quiz
stm
+1
Level 59
Dec 27, 2019
Jake is short for Jason.
TheWelshManc
+1
Level 45
Dec 28, 2019
Some of these just don't make sense. Jack is short for John when they're both 4 letter words. Peggy is short for Margaret, where did that come from? Where did Betsy for Elizabeth come from? There's others too that just confuse me.
jmellor13
+2
Level 68
Dec 28, 2019
Agreed that some don't make sense when you look at them, but they're definitely all correct. The term "short for" is not always literal. People often use it in place of "nickname for." "Jack," for example, is a term of familiarity that was historically used to indicate a personal relationship with someone named John, as in the famous "Senator, I knew Jack Kennedy...you're no Jack Kennedy" remark. On paper and to strangers, he's John. But if you know him well, he's Jack.
JohnMG123
+1
Level 39
Jan 1, 2020
Bella is often used in place of Helen since they both mean “beautiful”. I had an aunt Helen who was usually called Bella for that reason. Bella isn’t shorter than Helen, but Jack isn’t shorter for John (as per a guy named John!)
kelly94942
+2
Level 45
Jan 2, 2020
Can you please accept Katelyn and/or Katherine for Kate?
Oscar2500
+1
Level 46
Dec 9, 2020
Who would abbreviate John to Jack they are both one syllable
DoughnutLad1
+1
Level 23
Dec 23, 2020
What about Freddie or Freddy?
DoughnutLad1
+1
Level 23
Dec 23, 2020
I mean the short version of Freddie or Freddy.... Is Fred!
blackgirl
+1
Level 43
Jun 29, 2021
Wow, the English language sure is interesting. The concept of short version names don't exist in my language lmao, so I struggled af.
Criterion
+1
Level 43
Jun 20, 2022
I tried Demarcus Quinquantavious Dinglewingle Goofy the 69th.
babie90s
+2
Level 57
Apr 5, 2023
Valentina for Tina maybe
coolboyAarav
+1
Level 37
Aug 21, 2023
It is Rob for Robert
Nickelz
+2
Level 68
Sep 1, 2023
Add Antonio as a type in for Anthony.
ThePerfectBoing
+1
Level 44
Aug 5, 2024
Negative.... That's the same name in a different language
afmarsha
+1
Level 68
Jul 5, 2024
Jack is more commonly short for Jackson nowadays and John is more commonly short for Johnathan now.
ThePerfectBoing
+1
Level 44
Aug 5, 2024
In Germany the name "Sascha" is also an original name for a man that is also totally separate from "Alexander", especially when one doesn't descend from Russian/Slavic ancestry.
greenfishies
+1
Level 28
Oct 4, 2024
Tina can be short for any name ending in -tina (Martina, Valentina, ect.), same with Nora (Honora, Lenora, Eleonora), Tony can also be short for Antonio, and Patty has traditionally been a nickname for Martha (Matty - Patty). Jake is also a medieval variant of Jack, despite also being used as a nickname for Jacob.
CarlosNZ
+1
Level 68
Nov 8, 2025
Should also accept "Isobella" for Bella
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