Nina short for ...?

[cherrybomb]

Is the name Nina a shortening of a longer name as well as a name in it's own right. Like Carol is a shortening of Caroline as well as a name in it's own right and am I correct in thinking that Betty is a name and also a shortening of Elizabeth ?

[Buenchico]

A quick web search came up with an excerpt from a romantic novel in which a character is known as Nina as a short form of Eugenia.

A more authoritative source, however, might well be one of several books on my shelf about names. This is taken from 'Choosing a Name' by Moyna Kitchin:
"Nina: This is variously given as a Russian pet form of Anne, or a short version of Nanine, itself a French pet form of Anne, or even an abbreviated version of the Spanish name Antonina".
So, while Nina exists as a name in its own right, it's also a contraction (or variation) of several other names.

Both Carol and Caroline are actually derived from the female form of Charles so, while they share the same root, it's not strictly true to say that Carol is a shortened form of Caroline. (Of course, some people called Caroline may choose to call themselves Carol so, in these cases, Carol is obviously simply a shortening of Caroline).

Betty is, indeed, a shortened form of Elizabeth. I understand that our present Queen was called Betty by her mother (and that some close members of he Royal family still use this name for her).

Chris

[Octavius]

The name Nina also coincides with the Spanish word ni�a meaning "little girl".

Also in Babylonian it means "enclosure of fish". This was the name of a Babylonian fertility goddess, the patron goddess of the city of Nineveh. And in native America it means "fire" in Quechua.

The French name Ninette is also often shortened to Nina.

[funnywebsite]

Nina is often an Indian name.

Betty is short for Elizabeth.

[jno]

Elizabeth may also be Betsy, Bet, Bette, Liz, Lizzy, Eliza, Liza, Lisa, Elspeth... all of these may also be names on their own.