Is Elizabeth the most versatile girl's name?

[belfastchildsingsagain]

2 friends have had Elizabeths this week and we were discussing all the diminutives and the amount of choice they / their DDs will have on that front. We came up with the following list:

Eliza
Liz
Lizzie /Lizzie
Libby / Libbie
Lily / Lilly / Lili
Ellie
Ella
Elle
Betty
Betsy
Bet
Beth
Liza
Lilibet (Gawd save 'er)
Elza

We know an Elizabeth who goes as Buffy, as well.

Answer = yes.

You forgot Bess/Bessie

Elizabeth is probably the best name there is, wish I could have used it for DD.

Bette as well

All those decent shortenings, but the ones we know go by:
Billy
Tilly (but I think she's a Charlotte Elizabeth)
Mizzy
Iz!

Some go by 'Tess' as well! That's why it's one of my top choices.

We have a 7mo elizabeth (lizzie) but when telling people her name we constantly get surprised looks and 'oh i've not heard that in a while' so i'm glad that other people like it too! :)

ps i love effie and tried calling her that last week but think lizzie has stuck. Oh and mil tried to call her biffy a few times but i put a stop to that!

Yes, you are quite right!
Its a lovely name and so are many of its diminutives.

It's a lovely name, although I do tend to think that the default nn of Liz is the least pretty of all of them.

DH has a good friend called Elizabeth (Liz), who he calls Lilibet.

I suppose you could also go for some of the translations of Elizabeth as a nn:

Isabel
Isabella
Liesel
Sabela

etc

I love the name, btw

Alovely, classic and very versatile name.

It's lovely! It's one of the only very trad classic names that I like (and don't find boring). I also really like Zoe and Juliet.

Other than the above ancient classics, I tend prefer more unusual names.

BTW - if we have another DD at any point in the future - her middle name will prob be Elisabeth (with an s).

My fave nns are Eliza, Bess and Tess.

Nell

another great shortening.

Also Elsbeth and Zabeth

'Tis my name and I like the fact that a) my nicknames have changed as I've gotten older
b) different friends/family call me different nicknames

We have an Elisabeth - she loves her name.
She gets the full name sometimes, but is mostly Libby or Lib (or Libby- + her middle name); she used to be Lizzie when she was younger but it quickly morphed into Libby. It helps that we love Libby from Neighbours (except when she's being bitchy and mean of course). One of her friends used to call her Liz when she was about 8/9, and another friend now calls her LibLob. It is the most versatile name.

I love Elizabeth, personally I would always shorten it to Beth.

don't forget Queenie!

LOVE the name (one of my mum's names) - some of the greatest women in history are called Elizabeth.

BUT I am put off by Liz... (sorry Liz's here.)

Apparently Elizabeth Taylor and Elizabeth Hurley both hate that they are called Liz in the press when no-one IRL calls them that.

I might have to put it back on the list when trying for DC2.

I have an Elizabeth and we only call her Elizabeth (she is 1) we figured that her friends at school would bestow a nickname soon enough, and I think it such a beautiful, classic name (and it is getting less popular - hurrah!)

I have a little Elizabeth. Hate, hate, hate the shortening Liz. (sorry to any Liz's out there!) I never made the Buffy connection before, think I might start calling her that!
Atm she is Bumbles, so it'll be an improvement.

Isnt alexandra just as flexible?

Al
Ali
Alex
Lex
Lexi
Lexy
Lexie
Xandra
Sandra
Alexa
Alexis
Andra
Alexi
Sandy
Sandi
Xandi
Xandy
Xanda

I love Elizabeth - would definitely have considered it

I love Elizabeth - would have been my choice for a girl with various shortened forms (sadly miscarried) apart from the fact that my surname is now Taylor and I didn't have the heart to inflict that on a child!