Nicknames

[darkerhorse]

In my Sicilian-American family, some nicknames were standard in America.

For example, James or Jimmie for Vincenzo; Jennie for Vincenza; and Michael or Mike for Sebasiano.

Does this sound familiar?

What about common nicknames for Sebastiana and Antonia? I seem to remember that both were sometimes called Anna or Ann.

[darkerhorse]

Also, regarding the name Sebastiano, how would an Italian/Sicilian write the nickname Yanuzz?

Would it be Ianuzz? Or is it Yonuzz/Ionuzz, or something else?

I don't think the Italian alphabet includes the letter "Y", but In my family the nickname appears to be written "Yon" or "Yan"instead of "Ion "or "Ian".

Finally, what about the nickname for Carolina? Would it be spelled "Lina" or "Lena" by Italians/Sicilians in America?

[MarcuccioV]

My Sicilian Aunt's brother-in-law (born near Palermo) was Sebastiano. His American nickname was "Busty". My mother's cousin was Lena, but I cannot determine if that was her birth name or a nickname...

[darkerhorse]

Did she spell it Lena? Shouldn't she have been "Busty"?

[darkerhorse]

I know Italians, and especially Sicilians, playfully used colorful, and often off-color, nicknames for family and friends.

I'm looking for straight nicknames.

[darkerhorse]

Americanized names and diminutives might be better terms than nicknames.

[MarcuccioV]

Did she spell it Lena? Shouldn't she have been "Busty"?

Yes, Lena. I suppose she was "busty". I had a feeling that clichè would come up, LOL...

[MarcuccioV]

I suppose it could have been short for "Maddalena". Or simply "Elena". Both names appears deeper in the family tree...

[joetucciarone]

Two of my ancestors, both born in the Molise in the 1840s used the name Daniel in the United States. They were completely unrelated, and their birth-names were Donato and Damiano. One of my Sicilian ancestors, Salvatore, used the name Sylvester in the U.S.

[darkerhorse]

I would have kept Salvatore.

[MarcuccioV]

My grandfather (born Agostino) used Augusto or August in the US. My grandmother kept Maria her whole life & never used Mary.

My grandfather's sister (Ersilia) went by Elsie.

The biggest changes were my mother & her twin brother (both born in Detroit). My mother (born Modesta after her deceased grandmother) hated the diminutive of "Mo" & so Americanized it to Jean (I don't know what prompted her to pick that; I guess I never asked).

Her brother (born Luciano) hated the nicknames of "Lucy" and "Lizzy" & changed his to John...