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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

what could Molly be short for?

80 replies

HannahElizaJohnson · 13/08/2021 14:07

What names could Molly be short for?

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Wbeezer · 13/08/2021 15:17

I've just found out that Daisy is an old diminutive of Margaret, via the French version Marguerite, which is also what they call Ox Eye daisies.
I think Molly is more often a diminutive of Mary but somtimes Margaret.

seamonster9 · 13/08/2021 15:15

Amalia

BlibBlabBlob · 13/08/2021 15:12

Isn't 'Molly' what they used to call gay male prostitutes in the 18th century? I watched 'Harlots' a few months back and the brothel staffed by men, for male clients, was a 'Molly House'.

So I'd perhaps steer clear for that reason, and the drug reference... but if you really love the name Molly why can't you just call your daughter Molly? I don't understand the notion of giving children a formal name that is never, ever actually used. Just causes confusion and annoyance for the owner of the name.

Said by someone who has a name that's never used - always known by a nickname - and the parent of a child who was given a name that basically couldn't be shortened just to avoid the annoyance I went through. :-)

toocold54 · 13/08/2021 15:10

Daisy and Molly are both nice names. Why do you want a longer name too? Could you not just call the baby one of those names.

dontblamemee · 13/08/2021 15:07

Yeah dubious drug reference nowadays. I'd steer clear

Knittingupastorm · 13/08/2021 15:05

I know a Melissa who goes by Molly.

RB68 · 13/08/2021 15:04

Margaret has a lot of diminutives as there were lots of Margarets to distinguish between!!!

dworky · 13/08/2021 15:00

Gangster's moll.

allyouneedisconnection · 13/08/2021 14:52

I thought of drugs too. I spend a lot of time in the USA and that's what they call MDMA/ecstasy

Kollamoolitumarellipawkyrollo · 13/08/2021 14:49

@TeapotCollection

Shit! Sorry I didn’t notice this was in baby names, I was thinking about food as usual

Oops 🙈 apologies

This is brilliant 😂
YellowClouds · 13/08/2021 14:48

@TeapotCollection Semolina made me laugh! Grin

doodlejump1980 · 13/08/2021 14:47

My granny was Margaret, but known as Molly

herecomesfrog · 13/08/2021 14:45

I have a baby Madeleine, nn Molly.

DisgruntledPelican · 13/08/2021 14:44

The drug connection is closest for me too these days, unfortunately

Tuliprain · 13/08/2021 14:29

I thought Maisie was short for Margaret.

justmetoday · 13/08/2021 14:28

Its a drug for me too, sorry Blush

RiaOverTheRainbow · 13/08/2021 14:26

Or here is a list of girls names starting with M and containing an L.

Marguerite2000 · 13/08/2021 14:26

It's a name in it's own right, just like Daisy.

RiaOverTheRainbow · 13/08/2021 14:22

As others have said it's traditionally short for Mary or Margaret. If you prefer I think you could use it for any "Milly" name too, like Millicent or Emily. At a push it could work for any M name. Or it does get used as a name on its own.

Forstarters · 13/08/2021 14:16

Ha ha I just thought about MDMA - that’s what it’s called….Molly…..

Yika · 13/08/2021 14:15

I know an Amanda who goes by Molly.

Dfg15 · 13/08/2021 14:12

Oh didnt know it was a nickname for Mary and Margaret.

Dfg15 · 13/08/2021 14:09

Its a name by itself surely? Its not short for anything.

TeapotCollection · 13/08/2021 14:09

Shit! Sorry I didn’t notice this was in baby names, I was thinking about food as usual

Oops 🙈 apologies

Saucery · 13/08/2021 14:09

Wilhelmina, rather #spellingfail