Cute Nicknames for the Most Popular Baby Names

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As parents-to-be we put so much time and effort into coming up with the perfect name… only to call our babies all kinds of variations of said name. Not to mention the other cute nicknames we use that have nothing to do with their given moniker.

Because we accept that this is just how it is, we’ve rounded up some of the cutest baby nicknames for the most popular girl and boy names in recent years.

Choosing a baby name is a big task. It helps when you take a mindful approach to naming your baby. Part of the consideration includes the question of what you or other people will call your child. Part of your naming process should include thinking ahead to any awesome or unwanted shortened versions of the considered names.

That’s why we made this list of nicknames. We started with the top 10 boy and girl names from recent years and found the most common nicknames for each. We also added a list of 50 classic and cute nicknames.

If you have the perfect nickname not mentioned here, be sure to add it in the comments at the end.

Top 10 Nicknames for Girls

You’re sure to find some fitting and cute nicknames for baby girls among this list.

Olivia: Coming in at number one last year, Olivia is of Latin origin meaning olive or olive tree. Cute nicknames for Olivia include: Livy, Liv, Viv. Like the vibe? Take a look at some more botanical baby names.

Emma: Emma, the runner up for this year’s most popular girl names is an English name with roots in an old Germanic word meaning “whole” or “universal.” Here are some cute nickname ideas for Emma: Em, Emme, Emy

Amelia: The popular name Amelia is of Latin origin and means “work” or “industriousness”. Here are nicknames for Amelia: Ames, Millie, Lia

Ava: This three letter baby name is of Germanic origin, meaning “guarantee.” In Latin, avis means “bird” or “birdlike”. Already on the short side, cute nicknames for Ava include: Av, Ace, A.

Sophia: Sophia is a classic Greek name meaning “wisdom.” Nicknames for Sophia: Soph, Fifi, Sophie, Effie

Isabella: Isabella is the Spanish and Italian variation of the Hebrew name Elisheba, meaning “God is my oath”. Cute nicknames for Isabella include: Isa, Bella, Belle.

Mia: Mia is linked to the Italian word mia, meaning “mine” and is also recognized as a derivation from the Slavic word Mila, meaning “dear” or “darling”. A beautiful cross cultural name choice, cute nicknames for Mia are: Mimi, M, Mi Mia

Luna: The name Luna means “moon” in Latin and in several languages with Latin roots, including Spanish and Italian. Nicknames for Luna: Lou, Lulu, Una, Moony

Charlotte: A French feminine name for “Charles”, Charlotte means “strong and virile” and “vigorous”. Nicknames for Charlotte: Lotte, Charlie, Char, Lottie

Harper: Unsurprisingly Harper means “someone who plays the harp” and closes out the list of the most popular baby names of the year. Cute nicknames for Harper include: Harly, Harpy, Harp

Top 10 Nicknames for Boys

You can’t always control what your child is called by their friends, but we tried to include some cool nicknames for boys to get your little one off to a solid start!

Noah: Comes from the Hebrew word”Noach” which means “rest” or “repose.” Nicknames for Noah include: No, Noey, J No

Liam: Liam is an Irish name meaning “strong-willed warrior” and “protector.” Fun nicknames for Liam: Lucky Liam, Li, Lio

Oliver: Oliver comes from Old Norse meaning “ancestor’s descendants.” And like Olivia, it also stems from the Latin and French words for “olive” or “olive tree”. Nicknames for Oliver: Ollie, O

Elijah: The name Elijah goes back to the Old Testament of the Bible, and derives from a Hebrew phrase meaning “Jehovah is my God.” Here’s some cute nicknames for Elijah: Eli, Lijah, Jah

Mateo: Mateo is a name of Spanish origin meaning “gift of God.” Nicknames for Matteo: Matt, Matty, Teo

Lucas: A Greek name for “bringer of light”. Nicknames for Lucas include: Luke, Louie, Luca, Lu

Levi: A biblical name, meaning “joined in harmony.” Nicknames for Levi: L, Levis, Lev, Lee

James: James comes from the Hebrew name Jacob, and means “supplanter.” It’s on the top ten list for boy names, but it can also be a gender neutral name choice. Nicknames for James: Jamsey, Jimmy, Jamie, Jameson

Ethan: The name Ethan is Hebrew in origin and most often means “strong” and “safe. Cute nicknames for Ethan: E, Etty, ET

Grayson: The name Grayson is of English origin and means “to shine”. Nicknames for Grayson: Gray, Sonny, Son, G

50 Classic and Cute Nicknames for Kids

Ask any parent what they call their child, and the answer is almost never just their actual name. The same goes for pets. I’m not sure I personally know a child or animal who goes by only their given name.

So if you’re looking for a less specific baby nickname, here is a list of classic and cute options: