My husband and I watched the 1975 BBC miniseries Poldark a while ago and, being the name nut I am, one of the things I remember the most clearly is how much I liked the name of the character Zacky Martin. The Zach- names have never been on my list (though if I had to choose my favorite I’d probably say Zachariah) (or Zechariah) (or Zacchaeus!!), and still Zacky struck me as just the greatest nickname. Maybe because it was on a middle-aged 18th-century British man that it felt a bit fresher? At any rate, my mind started clicking about Zacky … how could we work Zacky into the names we’d discussed for our boys? (I think I was pregnant with my youngest at the time.) What I came up with was: Charles.
Charles had long been on my list, being a family name, but neither of us cared for Charlie or Chuck. We liked Cal a lot, but I always worried it would turn into Callie. Watching Poldark, I totally convinced myself that Zacky could be a nickname for Charles. Charles ends in the Z sound after all (at least the way I say it), and starts with a C, and there’s an A in the middle, so I’d convinced myself that, since all the Zacky sounds and/or letters were contained within Charles, that it could totally work. (I still think so.) (I could never convince my husband.)
All that to say — Abby at Appellation Mountain has the best post of unusual/offbeat nicknames for Charles. I’ve referred to that post a few times, most recently last night as I was finishing up a name consultation. Zacky isn’t on the list (surprise!), but lots of other good ones, and one of them — Huck (!) — made me also think that Hutch could totally work for Charles. Check out Abby’s post and let me know what you think!
(Also — she spotlighted Zelie today!)
Kate, I was just about to come ask you about Zelie! Do you think Bl. Zelie Martin’s canonization will boost the name? It’s so lovely, and the entire family is so inspiring. I love it as a nickname for Marie-Azelie, but that might be too much if you’re not French.
And Zacky for Charles? I think it might work. A reader suggested Huck to me ages ago, and I didn’t get it at first. But after a few minutes, it really grew on me. I think all unexpected nicknames are like that.
BTW, love the idea of Finn for Francis, as you mentioned in an earlier post!
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Oh yes, Bl. Zelie’s canonization will absolutely boost the name! It’s actually quite popular among a lot of Catholic families already — I know of two who are in the 4-7 age range, and it’s talked about a LOT by the ladies on here! Canonization will just make its ascent that much steeper! Like Oscar — I’m betting on big things for Oscar!
I love your Charles post — and Huck! I just love it!!
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I would love an Oscar spotlight! I love Bp Romero, and just don’t know much about the name outside of Sesame Street.
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Oh gosh he’s so great, right? Your wish is my command! 🙂 https://sanctanomina.wordpress.com/2015/01/16/spotlight-on-oscar/
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I second your yes! We know/know if a lot of Zelies already, and I think a whole lot more are coming! I actually feel that it’s becoming a little overdone in Catholic circles!
It’s kind of surprising to me that Louis has not risen to popularity in the same way that Zelie has!
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I don’t think Zacky works for Charles for me, but it is a GREAT nickname. I know an Arab-American family with a Zacharia/Zacky, and it works crossculturally for them but also would work in a wide variety of cultural environments, I think. Just a universally fun nickname, but also grows up well and is much better than Zack/Zach, in my opinion!
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Hehe yeah, it’s definitely a stretch as a nickname for Charles! You’re so right — a “universally fun nickname”!
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Saints and Beati of the name Charles, and some of its variants – http://catholicsaints.info/name-charles/
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Zechariah is my favorite “Zach” name, too! I loooove St. John the Baptist, do anyone associated with him wins for me. Zacky is a fantastic nickname, too. I even like it for Charles!
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I like your taste Grace!! 🙂
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My uncle (who was named after HIS uncle, my great uncle, who was a priest) was Charles but everyone, at least his siblings, called him “Chis” (pronounced ‘Chiz’) and I still think that is a fun nickname, classic to our family, which I haven’t heard that much (I have usually heard more of the nn ‘Chas’).
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Oh yeah, I like that! I’ve never heard Chis, cute!
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[…] among girls recently (as a nick for Charlotte), I think it’s totally fine for a boy, but there are other nicknames for Charles as well — Cal being one of my favorites, and some really offbeat ones like Huck, Hutch, Arlo, […]
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[…] of Swistle, I also loved the sib set in this post: Charles (Huck), Isaac, Katherine, and Seth. (I love Huck for Charles!!) One of the commenters (our very own eclare!) said she guessed the family might be Catholic, based […]
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[…] that?). Charlie is a great nickname, but they might not love it with their last name, so there are some other fun ones too, like Cal, Hutch, and Huck, among others. […]
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[…] that?). Charlie is a great nickname, but they might not love it with their last name, so there are some other fun ones too, like Cal, Hutch, and Huck, among others. […]
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