Sometimes we forget that not everyone was called James, John, Joseph, Thomas, and Samuel, or Rachel, Sarah, Mary, or Elizabeth. For the most part, we recognize common nicknames, like Sallie for Sarah or Mattie for Martha. We are equally familiar with Billy for William, Mickey for Michael, or Chet for Chester. But even nicknames from the past can throw us for a loop until we learn that Polly, Molly/Mollie, May/Mae, and Mayme were really Mary and Mattie or Patsy were often Martha.
