Diminutives and Nicknames

Recently I had the opportunity to look at some old White Bear High School yearbooks, specifically my Aunt Marguerite (Vadnais) Parker’s yearbooks.  I read many of the notes left by her classmates and there wasn’t even one addressed “Dear Marguerite.”  The names I saw used included diminutives (names that are based on a shortened or affectionate form of a name), nicknames (based on something else–a physical characteristic, residence, occupation, or the like) and misspellings of her name.  It should be noted that at some point in time, according to her amended name in the Minnesota birth index, even Marguerite adopted a misspelling (Margueritte) of her name.

The variety of names for Marguerite that I found used in the yearbooks
diminutives: Marg, Marge, Margy, Margarita
nicknames: Muggs, Mugsy, Mugs, Queenie, Mindy
misspellings: Margaret, Margerite

Some of the signatures on the notes followed in like.  They included: Boone, Shorty, Little Mac, Phyl, Chick, Frogy, Babbles, Mushrat, Swede, Ritzy and Dot.  All of which present a genealogical nightmare.

How many different names have you used?

Thanks for visiting, come back soon,
Cynthia

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