Hi everyone, I do not want to start a big discussion on naming patterns here, but I saw a post that had names that looked like they were given names shortened into nicknames. I think the name I saw was a Nellie. My family registered all Given Names in the census using nicknames. Why I have no idea, unless it was easier in KY to just phoentically say the nickname and how my family and the census taker could spell it. My g.g.g. grandmother's name was Margrette Bernetta Snyder (she was known as Bertie and recorded as such on the census records) my g.g.g.grandfather's name was Martin Van Buren STORM ( recorded as Martin Van Buren on the census, no STORM surname ) My Nellie (g.g.grandmother) was short for Margaret Anellia (Nellie), my grandmother's name was Susan Armelda ( nickname was "Sudie") just makes this genealogy all the more interesting. Ruth in NC e-mail: RLugowski@aol.co