Is the name Ciss or Cissie a real name

[pharmaT]

I always thought it was a diminutive of Cicely or maybe Cecelia. Never quite understand these nicknames - why is someone called Margaret sometimes known as Peggy, for instance.

Ciss/Cissie may well be a diminutive for Cicely or Cecelia. But how many women were named Cicely or  Cecelia in 19th or early 20th Century Ireland? Not many.  By contrast, how many women were sisters? Very many. It follows that the overwhelming majority of those know as "Ciss/Cissie" were simply sisters.

As for Peggy, the derivation is: Margaret to Meggy/Meg, to Peggy/Peg.

My younger daughter calls her older sister cissy.

[Mowsehowse]

I always thought it was a diminutive of Cicely or maybe Cecelia. Never quite understand these nicknames - why is someone called Margaret sometimes known as Peggy, for instance.

Ciss/Cissie may well be a diminutive for Cicely or Cecelia. But how many women were named Cicely or  Cecelia in 19th or early 20th Century Ireland?

I knew a 20c Cicely... (adorable woman,) and I know a Cecelia now.....

[roopat]

[quote author=Wexflyer link=topic=801519.msg6598795#msg6598795

Ciss/Cissie may well be a diminutive for Cicely or Cecelia. But how many women were named Cicely or  Cecelia in 19th or early 20th Century Ireland? Not many.  By contrast, how many women were sisters? Very many. It follows that the overwhelming majority of those know as "Ciss/Cissie" were simply sisters.




My grandmother Cecilia/Cissie/Cis born in England 1890 of second generation staunch Roman Catholic Irish parents was named after St. Cecilia.


I don't think any conclusions can be drawn over names, they are such a personal thing.

[anajet]

My great grandmother was known as Ciss but her real name was Alice

[whiteout7]

"Proud Cis" was a nickname for Cecily Neville, Duchess of York, the wife of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York

[fiachraduffy]

Cissy just means she was the oldest girl.

It has no relationship to their birth name.

Likewise with Sonny for boys.

More info here https://irelandxo.com/ireland-xo/news/irelandxo-insight-old-irish-first-names-and-aliases#:~:text=sonny%20(eldest%20boy)%20and%20sissy%20(eldest%20girl).%20

[ThrelfallYorky]

As I mentioned quite early on in this topic, my grandma was known by all her younger siblings as "Cissie" although that was never her name. some of the younger ones were apparently quite surprised on her death to discover her real names! (Elizabeth Ann)
TY

[aghadowey]

Cissy just means she was the oldest girl.

It has no relationship to their birth name. 

Not always true. My mother sometimes calls my younger sister Cissie although her actual name is Nancy.

[KGarrad]

Cissy just means she was the oldest girl.

It has no relationship to their birth name.

Likewise with Sonny for boys.

More info here https://irelandxo.com/ireland-xo/news/irelandxo-insight-old-irish-first-names-and-aliases#:~:text=sonny%20(eldest%20boy)%20and%20sissy%20(eldest%20girl).%20

Not true!
As I said earlier in the thread, my grandmother was christened Cicely.
So she was always Cissie, whenever a short version was required.