Genealogy Chat

I am slowly plodding through a few possibles and have now got a few probables on my tree. However I am stumped by my dads' sisters names. I only remember them as Dolly, Hetty, Mabs, Birdie and Mary. As they were all born in the early part of the 20 th Century I have no way of looking them up but am intrigued by what their real names are. I thought taht Hetty may be Henrietta but found that she was Harriet, and Mary seems obvious but what about the rest? Any suggestions please? Roger

Roger. Just a couple of suggestions - Mabs could possibly be Mabel; Dolly could be Dorothy or Doris. I have no real ideas about Birdie - Bernadette perhaps? The problem with family nicknames is that they can also be middle names, and sometimes nothing to do with their real names at all. My mother was known as Floss, because when she was a child her hair was so fine everyone thought it looked like Candy Floss! My Aunt Nell's name was actually Eleanor. So you can take your pick really! Good luck in your search - I'm sure others will be able to add some more suggestions. Janet. Northamptonshire

One of my ancestors was called Birdie her name was Linnette, but my grt uncle was called Sunner, his name was Andrew they called him that because of his hair! My grandmother was called Pat by all her friends though her name was Martha and her mother was Mary Jane but everyone called her Sally.

Are you sure it's Birdie and not Bridie? Bridie is, I think, short for Bridget, The couple of "Dollys" I've known have really been Dorothy. Dierdre X (otherwise known as Dee)!

I'd agree with what people have already posted - nicknanes can be totally divorced from reality! A family friend has always been called Steve by everyone who's ever met him - turns out his legal first name is Michael. He just didn't like it and doesn't use it.

My mum is Dorothy - born in 1923 and known as Doll or Dolly - particularly as a child

My mums cousin's real name is dolly. So it might not be short for anything.

I used to have an Auntie Doris, she was known as Dolly and would have been born c. 1910.

Thanks for the suggestions. THere are a lot of names in the family that have been passed down: Dad was knpwn as charlie but was born William Charles..his dad was william Charles too so G'mummust have had to seperate them somehow. She was Harriet and had a daughter harriet who was then called Hetty. For years I assumed this was Henrietta until I found that she was never born but harriet junior was. To make matters worse my mum was known as Cissy but was christened Helen. What a mad bunch we are in my family??? I think it was all done to throw decendants off the scent. Roger (That's what they call me and what is more it is on my birth certificate)