Diminutives - 'y' or 'ie'?

[spoonfulofsalt]

For popular names and their diminutives (e.g. Matilda and Tilly/ie, Madeleine and Maddy/ie, Amelia and Milly/ie), which ending tends to be the 'default'? I know it differs from person to person, of course, but was just wondering if a majority of people would be inclined to spell it with a 'y' or an 'ie'.

Y

I handwrite with a "y" and type "ie", I ask other people how they spell their names.

I would do Millie and Tilly. Don't know why maybe because the 2 I know spell it like this

I think it varies depending on the name.

For example I'd go Tilly, never Tillie; Maddie, not Maddy.

But either Millie or Milly are fine.

Agree with DramaAlpaca on those three names. Tilly looks odd with an ie, but Maddie looks odd with a y. Not sure why. Definitely depends on the name

Yeah I agree that it depends on the name.

As it's only a 'nickname' and not a 'proper' or official name, there is no rule.

I know a Debbie, a Millie, a Suzie, a Beckie but also a Suzy, a Tilly and a Becci

I personally tend to prefer a y for most names (eg preferring Katy over Katie even though Katie is the default spelling). The usual spelling does depend on the individual name though as pps have said.

Depends on name. But Tilly, Maddie, Millie is what I’d use. Generally ie for girls, but lots of variables.

I know both a Suzy and a Suzie, and also a Libby and a Libbie, so anything goes imo.

It's a nickname.

I know someone whose mum obviously couldn't decide so she's a Nickiy!

Depends on the name. Usually y.

I agree I think it depends on the name. Tilly and Mattie are for Matilda, Lottie for Charlotte not Lotty, Lizzie not Lizzy. Jenny not Jennie.

I don’t think there are many that are either/ or but probably Millie / Milly (although I think Millie looks better) and Katy / Katie. Abby / Abbie too I guess.

I know a Debbie, a Millie, a Suzie, a Beckie but also a Suzy, a Tilly and a Becci

I think a lot of these shortenings come about during the teenage years when you use a different spelling. Most Rebeccas become Becky so someone picks Beckie to be different (and Becci!!). I think if it were me I’d quietly revert to being Becky as a grown up.
I knew a Jenni who used to spell her name that way just because she thought (at 13) that it looked cooler.

The Suzie and Suzy are both adults.

I find it depends on the name

for me it'd be Millie, Tilly, Maddie. I just tend to find names have a way that looks 'right' to me but obviousl thats not always the spelling that's used.

Ddog is a Tilly as she (l) used to spell it 'Tillie' and she (i) has to keep correcting it before she (i) realised the less pretentious spelling!

I am a Tillie and personally much prefer the way my name is spelt rather than Tilly, I like that my spelling is not used as much, defiantly prefer Millie/mollie etc think it makes the name look prettier than if it was spelt with a Y ! But maybe I am biased

Maggie, not Maggy, but Peggy not Peggie.
Annie not Anny, but Sally not Sallie.
Betty not Bettie, Teddy not Teddie, but Jackie not Jacky.
Billy not Billie but Willie not Willy.
Sadie not Sady, but Sandy not Sandie.

Who knows why? But not whie!

Sorry to jump in here, but can I ask about my baby boy's name please? He's Zachary (Zach) but as a family, we've ended up calling him Zachie/Zachy a lot of the time. Totally unimportant as it'll never be on documents etc, but I never know how to spell it in texts! Any thoughts?

Tricky one. Archie with the ie has a soft ch sound. Zach has a hard sound like Jack/Jackie. Even so, I’d stick with the y to match Zachary.

I agree with MillicentMartha - some shortenings just look better/more traditional one way than the other.You would have to make a conscious decision to be Jacky or Nickie or Lizzy. The more common ways just arise naturally.

However for a few names where both spellings are pretty well established, such as Katy/Katie and Abby/Abbie, for some reason I tend to feel that the version with a Y looks more like a short form, and the version with IE looks more like a name in its own right. I have no idea whether anybody else sees them this way but it would be my rule of thumb.

I would say Y because I prefer Tilly to Tillie, Milly to Millie, Molly to Mollie etc but do prefer Maddie to Maddy (maybe because someone said Maddy looks like muddy and its stuck in my head ever since)

I tend to prefer ie spellings to y, but having said that there are certain names that just look right in my head as one or the other.
The ones I see in my head with ie are

Millie
Mollie
Katie
Maisie
Hattie

and with a y

Holly
Polly
Lucy
Tilly
Jenny

I think the ie spellings are more popular at the moment.
Most of those names can get away with either spelling.
There are some names that just don't appear "right" though with one or the other.
Pollie, Rubie, Daisie and Elly hurt my eyes for some reason. Maybe just because they are usally spelt the other way.

Depends on the name, some look ridiculous with a Y like Elly for example.