What are Nellie and Minnie short for?

Hugo · Post by **Hugo** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 1:14 pm

I have a Liverpool-Irish aunt called Nellie, and a Scots aunt called Minnie?

Can (and will) anyone tell me what they are short for?

Hugo

WilmaM · Post by **WilmaM** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 1:21 pm

Nellie could be - Helen, Ellen, Eleanor and variations

Minnie - Jemima, Wilhemina

or, as we have frequently discovered, something entirely unrelated!

caljam371 · Post by **caljam371** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 6:03 pm

My Mum's auntie Minnie was a Marion.

BarbR · Post by **BarbR** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 6:08 pm

I have a lancashire ancestor known as Nellie who is actually Helen.

Hope this helps.

Barbara

ChristineW · Post by **ChristineW** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 7:45 pm

My Irish auntie Nellie was Helen and I've also seen a Marion (somewhere in the same 'tree') referred to as Minnie.

Cheers
Christine

Post by **paddyscar** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 8:09 pm

http://talkingscot.com/forum/viewtopic. ... ght=minnie

The above thread gives several options for Minnie - including Minnie, Mirrin, Marion, Mynye.

Frances

Neil McRae · Post by **Neil McRae** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 3:27 pm

Not always a shortened form of name. I have several Nellies and one Minnie in my ancestry where those are the given names on the birth certificates. ::Neil::

hg · Post by hg » Mon Jun 30, 2008 4:32 pm

My name is Helen, but my family always call me Nellie after an aunt who was also called helen but nicknamed Nellie..

Helen

nancy · Post by **nancy** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 10:53 am

My mum was christened Helen,but all her family called her Nellie!
My Dads family called her Helen to which she would reply,Oh Im getting called by my Sunday name today

Hugo · Post by **Hugo** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 11:01 am

Many thanks to everyone for their help.

Hugo