Nicknames for Sophia

Jorge Mar via Dribbble

Sophia may have slipped to #3 last year, but her reign as queen of the baby names is far from over. She's not going out of style any time soon, and some say she may be the name that defines this generation, much like Jennifer in the '70s. But don't worry! If you love Sophia, there are ways to make your little girl stand out. Consider one of the following nicknames--some are popular, some are rarities, but all are wonderful nickname options for Sophia.

Fifi- Cutesy and oh-so French. Fifi is a very fun choice in this age of Coco and Cece.

Phia- Phia is Fifi's more refined sister. She's definitely not common as a nickname for Sophia, yet no one will bat an eyelash.

Posy- Darling Posy isn't exactly an intuitive nickname for Sophia, but I say she definitely works! She's whimsical and sweet--a good match for the traditional, classic Sophia.

Soph- Nice and simple. Most Sophias are called Soph at least some of the time (I certainly am), but few use Soph as their everyday choice of name. But why not? If Fifi can work, Soph should as well.

Sophie- Naturally, many a Sophia are called Sophie. Many parents even choose to forgo the longer version--Sophie is extremely popular in her own right. You really can't go wrong with Sophie, she's a lovely name that suits many girls.

Sosie- If I had to re-nickname myself from this list I'd choose Sosie hands-down. She may have originated as a nickname for Susan, but seems like a easy fit for Sophia. She's similar to Sophia's most popular nickname, Sophie, but has her own sassy spunk.

Editor's Note: This post was originally published on March 10, 2014, and updated on April 18. 2016

Month Names: April

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I started this series last May, so as of this month, we have come full circle. Enjoy this last month post (especially if you're having an April baby!).

Birthstone:
Diamond- April's birthstone is the diamond. Unfortunately, she sounds a little dated (and some would say unsophisticated). I'd try something related to diamonds. Clarity, perhaps?

Birth Flower:
Daisy- Daisy is an adorable name. She's #198 in popularity, and can be used on her own, or as a nickname for Margaret or Marguerite.
Sweet Pea- Sweet Pea is more of a term of endearment than a given name. But, using a P name makes the title more appropriate. Pick a "sweet P name" like Posy, Poppy, or Penelope.

Birth Colors:
Red- There's a plethora of red names, but if you're looking for something unusual, I like Carmine, Crimson, and Russet.
Yellow- My favorite yellow-hued name is Citrine--so bright and cheerful! Jasmine, Saffron, and Amber are some other nice options.

Star Sign:
Aries- Aries has potential as a stand-alone name, but he (or she) might not work in all cases. Arie works well and has a similar sound.
Taurus- Taurus is my favorite zodiac name. He's cool, strong, and very unique. Taurus would make an especially daring middle.

Related to April:
April Names- April herself is an obvious choice for this month, but she's a bit dated for the month names. Avril and Abril (French and Spanish, respectively) could be fresher options.
Arbor Day- Arbor Day is the last Friday of April. If your babe is born around this time, it's definitely worth considering a tree name. Elm, Linden, Oak, Willow, and Pine are just a few of the options available. Arbor would make a cool name as well!
Earth Day- Earth Day is the 22nd. Along with the Arbor Day tree names, you could use Eartha, Tierra, Sky, or any other natural name.
Easter- If you're having an Easter baby, why not consider a name tie-in like Pascal, Pascoe, Palma, Calla, or even Easter herself.

Spring Names

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Happy first day of Spring! I am so excited that Spring is (finally) here. If you're having a Spring baby, you might want to consider one of these very appropriate, seasonal names.

Flower Names
I have a full list of Unexpected Flower Names right here. Some of my favorites are Aster, Liatris, Lotus, Posy, and Zinnia.

Holiday Names
Easter- Some classic Easter names are Pascal and Pascoe, and you could always just go with Easter.
May Day- Expecting a baby on May 1st? You can't go wrong with the sweet, old-fashioned May.

Month Names
March- March is a great month name for a little boy, regardless of what month he's born in.
April- April is one of the more dated month names, but I still find her charming.
May- I've written countless amounts of posts on May. Some of my favorites are Full Names for May, and May Names. 
June-June is a lovely name--one that is slowly rising up the charts. She's at #364 now, but I could see her in the top 300 for the 2014 stats.

Seasonal Names
Equinox- The Spring Equinox is tonight, which makes it a perfect name for a baby born today. The nickname Nox makes it more wearable.
Primavera- The Spanish word for Spring is beautiful. Primavera would make a darling first or middle name for a daughter.
Weather Names- With the start of Spring brings new weather--mainly rain for us here is Chicago. Consider a Weather Name for your child, perhaps Rain, Sky, Sunny, Storm, or Rainbow?

10 P Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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Remember back in February when I told you that F was my favorite letter for names? P is a close second. I LOVE P girl names, in fact, seven of the following names have been on my favorites list at one time or another.

Palma- A Spanish surname that evokes scenes of the beach.

Pamina- A great way to honor a Pamela. Plus, you can call her Mina or Minnie.

Pasha- I've been hearing a lot of Sashas around lately (and she might be going to the boys), but Pasha is a darling alternative.

Penna- Penna is the quirky-cute name many parents are looking for. I prefer her on her own, but she also works as a nickname for Penelope.

Peridot- This gemstone name has only one pitfall--is it pear-ih-doe or pear-ih-dot? I'm a fan of the latter, because then you can call her Dot.

Pimm- Pimm was a favorite of mine for a long time. I was first introduced to her by Abby, and I think she'd make the perfect sister name for Nell. Alas, whenever I bring her up, I get a less than warm reception.

Plum- Food names can be hit or miss, but Plum is definitely a winner. This sweet, purple-hued name should be used more often.

Pomme- She's the French word for apple, which makes Pomme a sort of food name as well. I love her as a nickname for Pomeline (a guilty pleasure name of mine), but she works well on her own, too.

Posy- Posy is so charming! She works as an unusual nickname for Sophia.

Prairie- Prairie is an unexpected nature name ready to be picked up by hipsters. She could become quite popular in the coming years.

Unexpected Flower Names

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It's hard to argue with a good flower name. Lily, Daisy, Iris, Violet, Rose, these names are well liked, but they are also the most common flower names. If you know you want to use a flower name for your baby, why not choose something unexpected? I have the perfect list to spark some inspiration.

Girls:
Amaryllis
Anemone
Aster
Azalea
Begonia
Calla
Camellia
Chrysanthemum
Clover
Daffodil
Dahlia
Freesia
Gardenia
Hyacinth
Larkspur
Lavender
Liatris
Lilac
Lotus
Marigold
Mimosa
Peony
Petunia
Poinsettia
Posy
Primrose
Tansy
Zinnia

Boys:
Cosmo
Quince

Nicknames for Sophia

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As a Sophia myself, I often wish I had a less common nickname than the ever popular Sophie. Alas, I would never change my name. Although, Posy and Sosie are on my own list, and could make great middles for future daughters. If you, like many parents find yourself using Sophia for a daughter, but want her to stand out, look at the bottom of this list.

Expected:

Soph

Sophie

Unique:

Fifi

Phia

Unheard of:

Posy

Sosie

Editor's Note: This post was significantly revised on April 18, 2016. To view the updated post, click here

Nicknames for Josephine

Josephine is a beautiful name, but on the long side. If you want your own little Josephine, here's what you can call her.

Expected:
Jo
Joey
Jojo
Josie

Unique:
Fee
Fifi
Phiney
Posy

Unheard of:
Fina
Joan
Joy
Sephie

25 Days of Christmas: Poinsettia

Our Christmas baby name for today is Poinsettia. Poinsettia is a red Christmas flower. She is not ranked in the U.S. top 1000. Poinsettia is very out-there, she's defintely not for the conservative namer.

Poinsettia is a long name, but she has some nickname possibilites. Some of them include Pia, Settia, and Posy. This makes her all the more useable.

She's an interesting Christmas pick, best paired with a short middle name. You have to be brave to use this one. Check back tomorrow for our next Christmas name.