What's your name?

Running across nicknames and name variations as you research is always a challenge. You can hope that the legal records will list the person’s real name, but if you use newspapers, diaries, or personal reminiscences, you might run across shortened names such as Jack (John? Jackson?), Bert (Albert? Herbert? Hubert?), or Nellie (Cornelia? Eleanor?). Sometimes, these shortened names become the real names of descendants (Hamilton is called Hammie, then a great-nephew is christened Hammie). The hard ones are those that can be a name or define a relationship (Sissy for Cecelia or sister). Nicknames can describe physical appearance (Red, Shorty), or some other characteristic (Lucky or Tex). First and middle names could be switched at will, or new names adopted, as with a Queenie and a Narcissa who both changed their names to Mary. Nicknames provide an added dimension to an ancestor, so remember to check all of the possibilities.

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