Is Polly *only* short for Mary?

[ArsenicSoup]

Or for other names too?

I didn't even know it was short for Mary.

Pollyanna?

Pauline

I know a polly short for olivia

Polydora, Paulette, Paula, Paulina, Paola

But...but...but...
Polly is longer than Mary

How is Polly 'short' for Mary? There are more letters in it for one thing...

I didn't know it was short for Mary (how ???).

I thought it was a proper name in its own right.

Xpost

I thought it was short for Margaret

I thought Polly was a name in its own right.
What do you ask OP?

I thought daisy was short for Margaret?

Polly is a variant of Molly - which in itself is a nickname of Mary. But it now modt commonly known as a name in its own right. My great aunt is called 'Poll' but her name is actually Mary. The 2 little girls I know who are called Polly are just called that. It isn't short for anything.

People often use 'short for' when they mean 'informal' even if the nickname is longer eg Eve/Evie.

OP if you're thinking of using Polly I think people will just assume that's her official name. It's been many a decade since people called Mary but known as Polly were born. Most people wouldn't even know Polly was derived from Mary.

How is Polly 'short' for Mary? There are more letters in it for one thing...

Don't ask me

But i'll amend the question to '...long for Mary' if it helps

It's Molly that's short for Mary.

Ok I've just googled, it's derived from Molly, short for Mary.

PP. I thought Peggy was 'short for' Margaret.

Agreed Polly very much a name in its own right now

One old and posh version was Leopoldina. (Mitford books).

Daisy is short for Margaret...

I thought Polly was short for Catherine, can't remember why!

Thank you squoosh. I can't bring myself to say 'nickname' because a nickname (to me) is a v different thing.

Catherine!?

I've heard it used for Pearl as well.

Are you thinking of Kitty rocketeer?