First name variations?

[lanarman]

In County Antrim I believe that the first name "Agnes" is interchangeable with "Nancy" (from family records, numerous times).  So my question is: are these names the same:

1. Martha, Matty, Matilda
2. Margaret, Hannah

[Ruskie]

Nothing is set in stone, and families may have had unusual variants for personal reasons, but this might help:
https://www.rootsireland.ie/help/first-names/

[Little Nell]

Yes, Agnes could also appear as Nancy or Ann(e) or Anna .... or Hannah!  I've found all of them in the life of one woman on the family tree.

In England, Margaret can also be Peggy (very common in parts of Lancashire) and Marjorie is the Scottish form.  Maisie derives from Marsaili, the gaelic form of the name.

Matilda and Maud are considered interchangeable.  Mattie is a diminutive of Matilda.

Nell

[Treetotal]

One of my rellie's on the maternal line was called Agnes but she was always known as "Nessie"
Carol

[Ruskie]

You still might need to look for evidence that the names in your examples are the right people.

[lanarman]

Thank you for the comments.  Nancy and Agnes have been well documented as the same person in numerous US and Canadian records. Her nieces/granddaughters, etc. etc. all used the same pattern of naming.

In Canadian records, Martha was nicknamed Matty. Two of her Aunts named their oldest daughters Matilda.  If I assume a traditional naming pattern (cautiously, though), perhaps the maternal Grandmother was "Matilda".

As for Margaret with a nickname or alias as Hannah- that does not seem realistic.

[Jon_ni]

Maisie = Mary more commonly in Ireland, eg my great aunt Mary Ellen went by Maisie, her sister Martha was Mattie and gran Margaret was Peggy.

[shanreagh]

In my irish  family there are these clusters of names
Hanora
Nora
Hannah


Anna/Ann
Hannah
Johanna

Nancy
Anne/Annie

Then we thought
Sissie/Sis was short for Cecilia or Celia but no
her name was Anne and she was known as Sissie because she looked like her mother's sister (her Aunt)

[Millmoor]

This is my go to site when questions regarding first names occur. I think it is wonderful.


https://www.whatsinaname.net/

William