Filipino Nickname Generator
Real Filipino palayaw, from Kiko to Jun-Jun
Filipino nicknames (palayaw) as families use them: short forms such as Kiko (Francisco), Paeng (Rafael) and Charing (Rosario), doubled names like Jun-Jun and Bongbong, and regional names like Dodong and Inday. The source name or a short gloss follows in parentheses.
About this generator
Almost every Filipino has a palayaw, a nickname given in childhood that is used at home and often for life. Many come from Spanish-era given names. The name is cut to one or two syllables and finished with -ing, -oy, -ong or -ay: Domingo becomes Doming, Andres becomes Andoy, Salvador becomes Badong and Dorotea becomes Doray. About 300 entries are short forms like these, with the source name in parentheses. Where several given names share a nickname, as with Celing or Osang, the commonest source is shown.
Other nicknames have no source name at all. Syllables are doubled (Jun-Jun, Bongbong, Ling-Ling), a child is named for a place in the family (Boy, Baby, Girlie, Bunso for the youngest) and a Junior is Jun or Jay-R. Modern spellings add an h, as in Jhen and Bhoy, and initials such as JR, MJ and KC serve as names. Regions have their own: Dodong and Inday in the Visayas, Toto and Nonoy among Hiligaynon speakers, Balong and Ading in Ilocano.
The list also holds terms of endearment such as Mahal and Langga, and family words like Kuya, Ate, Manong, Tito and Lola. These are forms of address that often stand in for a name, and each carries a short English gloss.
Tips for choosing a name
- Pick the ending to fit the generation. Forms in -ing, -oy and -ong such as Pedring, Caloy and Badong suit grandparents and period stories, while Migs, Jhen, initials like KC and doubled names like Yan-Yan sound current.
- Pair a formal name with a palayaw the way families do. A character registered as Francisco can be Kiko to everyone he knows, and a Rosario can be Charing or Chayong.
- Use the regional names to place a character. Dodong and Inday point to the Visayas, Toto and Nonoy to Hiligaynon-speaking Iloilo and Negros, and Balong and Ading to the Ilocos.
- Family words go in front of a name as well as standing alone: Kuya Jun, Ate Charing, Tito Caloy, Lola Pining. Use them for the way younger relatives address their elders.
- A doubled name usually starts in childhood and often sticks. A Jun-Jun or a Ling-Ling can be forty years old and still answer to it.
Frequently asked questions
What is a palayaw?
Palayaw is the Tagalog word for a nickname or pet name. It is usually given by the family in early childhood and used by relatives, neighbors and friends, often for life. Examples from this list are Kiko (Francisco), Pining (Josefina), Totoy and Neneng.
How are Filipino nicknames formed from given names?
Most keep one or two syllables of the name and add an ending. Domingo gives Doming and Inggo, Vicente gives Enteng, Rosario gives Charing and Saring, and Gregoria gives Goring. Others double a syllable, as in Tintin (Cristina) and Lyn-Lyn (Jocelyn).
Why do some entries have a name or a meaning in parentheses?
A name in parentheses is the given name the nickname comes from, as in Paeng (Rafael). Several given names can share one nickname, so the name shown is the commonest source and not the only one. A phrase in parentheses is a short English gloss for a word that is not a short form, such as Bunso (youngest child) or Kuya (elder brother).
What do Dodong, Inday, Toto and Nonoy mean?
They are regional names for a boy or a girl that many people keep as adults. Dodong and Inday come from the Visayas, where Dong and Day are their short forms, and Toto and Nonoy are used by Hiligaynon speakers. Tagalog has Totoy and Neneng for the same purpose.
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All 500 names
A: 23 names
- Abet (Alberto)
- Adeling (Adelaida)
- Ading (Ilocano, younger sibling)
- Ador (Salvador)
- Ago (Santiago)
- AJ
- Ambo (Ambrosio)
- Amparing (Amparo)
- Ampy (Amparo)
- Andang (Andrea)
- Anday (Andrea)
- Andeng (Andrea)
- Ando (Fernando)
- Andoy (Andres)
- Angge (Angela)
- Anong (Mariano)
- Apo (grandchild)
- Atang (Honorata)
- Ate (elder sister)
- Ato (Renato)
- Atoy
- Auring (Aurora)
- Azon (Corazon)
B: 45 names
- Baby
- Badong (Salvador)
- Balong (Ilocano, young boy)
- Bambi
- Baste (Sebastian)
- Basti (Sebastian)
- Basyang (Basilia)
- Bebe Ko (my baby)
- Bebeng (Genoveva)
- Bebot
- Beh (babe)
- Benjie (Benjamin)
- Berting (Roberto)
- Berto (Roberto)
- Bes (best friend)
- Bestre (Silvestre)
- Betchay
- Betong (Roberto)
- Bhe
- Bhong
- Bhoy
- Bibeth (Elizabeth)
- Bibo (lively, bright)
- Biboy
- Biday
- Bing
- Bingbing
- Bingbong
- Bitoy (Victor)
- Bobot (Roberto)
- Bogs
- Bong
- Bongbong
- Bonggoy
- Boni (Bonifacio)
- Boy
- Boyboy
- Boyet
- Boying
- Buboy
- Budoy
- Bugoy (Cebuano, rascal)
- Bunso (youngest child)
- Butch
- Butchoy
C: 31 names
- Caloy (Carlos)
- Carding (Ricardo)
- Cardo (Ricardo)
- Caring (Caridad)
- Carmi (Carmelita)
- Carming (Carmen)
- Celing (Cecilia)
- Celo (Marcelo)
- Cely (Cecilia)
- Chacha
- Chard (Richard)
- Chari (Rosario)
- Charing (Rosario)
- Chayong (Rosario)
- Che-Che
- Chedeng (Mercedes)
- Chelo (Consuelo)
- Cherry
- Chichi
- Chiqui
- Chit
- Chito
- Choleng (Soledad)
- Cholo
- Chona
- Choy
- CJ
- Conching (Concepcion)
- Cora (Corazon)
- Coring (Socorro)
- Cory (Corazon)
D: 30 names
- Daday
- Dading
- Dado (Conrado)
- Dadong (Diosdado)
- Day (Visayan, short for Inday)
- Deday
- Deling (Adela)
- Dencio (Gaudencio)
- Dhong
- Digo (Rodrigo)
- Digong
- Diko (second elder brother)
- Dindo
- Ding
- Dingdong
- Dioning (Dionisio)
- Ditse (second elder sister)
- Dodong (Cebuano, young man)
- Dodoy
- Dolfo (Rodolfo)
- Domeng (Domingo)
- Doming (Domingo)
- Dondon
- Dong (Cebuano, short for Dodong)
- Dongdong
- Doray (Dorotea)
- Doring (Dorotea)
- Doro (Teodoro)
- Dorong (Teodoro)
- Doy
E: 16 names
- Edong (Eduardo)
- Edu (Eduardo)
- Egay (Edgardo)
- Eloy (Eulogio)
- Emong (Guillermo)
- Encar (Encarnacion)
- Enchong (Lorenzo)
- Enteng (Vicente)
- Enyang (Eugenia)
- Enyong (Eugenio)
- Epang (Epifania)
- Erning (Ernesto)
- Espie (Esperanza)
- Esting (Ernesto)
- Estring (Estrella)
- Evang (Evangelina)
F: 4 names
- Feling (Felicidad)
- Fely (Felicidad)
- Francing (Francisca)
- Fredo (Alfredo)
G: 15 names
- Gabo (Gabriel)
- Gani (Isagani)
- Gardo (Edgardo)
- Gely (Angelita)
- Genio (Eugenio)
- Ghie
- Giliw (sweetheart)
- Ging
- Ging-Ging
- Girlie
- Gloring (Gloria)
- Goring (Gregoria)
- Gorio (Gregorio)
- Goyo (Gregorio)
- Gusting (Agustin)
H: 1 name
- Honey
I: 20 names
- Idad (Trinidad)
- Ika (Francisca)
- Impo (grandmother)
- Inay (mother)
- Inday (Visayan, girl)
- Ineng (young girl)
- Inggo (Domingo)
- Ingkong (grandfather)
- Inteng (Vicente)
- Ipang (Felipa)
- Ipe (Felipe)
- Ipeng (Felipe)
- Irog (beloved)
- Isang (Luisa)
- Isay (Isabel)
- Iska (Francisca)
- Isko (Francisco)
- Islaw (Wenceslao)
- Itay (father)
- Itoy
J: 28 names
- Jay-Jay
- Jay-R (Junior)
- JC (John Carlo)
- Jepoy (Jeffrey)
- Jessa (Jessica)
- Jhay
- Jhen (Jennifer)
- Jhing
- Jhong
- Jhoy
- Jhun (Junior)
- Jing
- Jing-Jing
- Jinky
- JM (John Michael)
- Joaqui (Joaquin)
- Jojo
- Jomari (Jose Mari)
- Jon-Jon
- Jong
- JP (John Paul)
- JR (Junior)
- Juami (Juan Miguel)
- Juancho (Juan)
- Juaning (Juan)
- Jun (Junior)
- Jun-Jun
- Junie (Junior)
K: 9 names
- Kanor (Nicanor)
- KC
- Kikay (Francisca)
- Kiko (Francisco)
- Kikoy (Francisco)
- Kokoy
- Kring-Kring
- Kulas (Nicolas)
- Kuya (elder brother)
L: 31 names
- Lab (love)
- Labidabs (lovey-dovey)
- Labs (love)
- Lando (Rolando)
- Langga (Visayan, darling)
- Len-Len
- Letty (Leticia)
- Lhen
- Lilibeth (Elizabeth)
- Ling
- Ling-Ling
- Lita (Carmelita)
- Liyag (beloved)
- Lodi (idol, reversed)
- Lods (idol)
- Lola (grandmother)
- Loleng (Dolores)
- Loling (Dolores)
- Lolit (Dolores)
- Lolo (grandfather)
- Loring (Loreto)
- Lotlot
- Luchi (Lucia)
- Lucing (Lucia)
- Luding (Lourdes)
- Ludy (Lourdes)
- Luising (Luis)
- Lulu (Lourdes)
- Luming (Iluminada)
- Lupeng (Guadalupe)
- Lyn-Lyn (Jocelyn)
M: 66 names
- Maan (Mary Ann)
- Mac-Mac
- Mahal (love, dear)
- Mahal Ko (my love)
- Makoy
- Malen (Maria Elena)
- Malou (Maria Lourdes)
- Malu (Maria Luisa)
- Mameng (Carmen)
- Manang (Ilocano, elder sister)
- Manay (Bikol, elder sister)
- Manding (Armando)
- Mando (Armando)
- Maning (Manuel)
- Manolet (Manuel)
- Manoling (Manuel)
- Manong (Ilocano, elder brother)
- Manoy (Bikol, elder brother)
- Marcing (Marcelo)
- Mare (friend, from kumare)
- Maricar (Maria Carmen)
- Marichu (Maria Jesusa)
- Marilou (Maria Lourdes)
- Maring (Maria)
- Marivic (Maria Victoria)
- Mars (friend, from kumare)
- Mavic (Maria Victoria)
- Mayang (Maria)
- Maymay
- Meann (Mary Ann)
- Meding (Remedios)
- Medy (Remedios)
- Meldy (Imelda)
M, continued
- Meling (Amelia)
- Mely (Amelia)
- Memong (Guillermo)
- Mena (Filomena)
- Menang (Filomena)
- Menggay (Dominga)
- Menggoy (Domingo)
- Mercy (Mercedes)
- Mhay
- Mhel
- Miggy (Miguel)
- Migo (Miguel)
- Migs (Miguel)
- Mik-Mik
- Mikoy (Miguel)
- Mila (Milagros)
- Milagring (Milagros)
- Miling (Emilia)
- Milio (Emilio)
- Minda (Luzviminda)
- Ming
- Mingming
- MJ
- Momoy
- Momsh (fellow mom)
- Mon-Mon
- Monang (Ramona)
- Monching (Ramon)
- Monette (Ramona)
- Moymoy
- Munding (Edmundo)
- Mundo (Raymundo)
- Mutya (darling, pearl)
N: 25 names
- Naida (Zenaida)
- Naldo (Reynaldo)
- Nanang (mother)
- Nanay (mother)
- Nanding (Fernando)
- Narding (Leonardo)
- Nardo (Leonardo)
- Nati (Natividad)
- Nena (Magdalena)
- Nene (little girl)
- Neneng (little girl)
- Nenet
- Nenette
- Nenita
- Nila (Leonila)
- Nilo (Danilo)
- Ninay (Antonina)
- Ningning
- Nining
- Ninoy
- Nita (Juanita)
- Noli
- Nonong
- Nonoy (Hiligaynon, boy)
- Noynoy
O: 9 names
- Obet (Roberto)
- Ogie
- Oka (Oscar)
- Olan (Rolando)
- Omeng (Geronimo)
- Onyang (Antonia)
- Oring (Aurora)
- Oryang (Gregoria)
- Osang (Rosario)
P: 47 names
- Pabling (Pablo)
- Pacing (Paz)
- Pacita (Paz)
- Paeng (Rafael)
- Paking (Francisco)
- Palangga (Visayan, beloved)
- Pangga (Visayan, darling)
- Paning (Epifania)
- Panyang (Epifania)
- Pao-Pao
- Pards (buddy)
- Pare (buddy, from kumpare)
- Parekoy (buddy)
- Pat-Pat
- Patring (Patrocinio)
- Peachy
- Pedring (Pedro)
- Pepang (Josefa)
- Pepay (Josefa)
- Pepeng (Jose)
- Peping (Jose)
- Pepita (Josefa)
- Pido (Alfredo)
- Piling (Pilar)
- Pilo (Teofilo)
- Ping
- Pingping
- Pining (Josefina)
- Pinky
- Pinong (Rufino)
- Pipoy
- PJ
- Pocholo
- Pol (Leopoldo)
- Polding (Leopoldo)
- Poldo (Leopoldo)
- Poleng (Apolonia)
- Poncing (Alfonso)
- Ponso (Alfonso)
- Popoy
- Precious
- Presy (Presentacion)
- Primo (Primitivo)
- Princess
- Pule (Apolinario)
- Puring (Purificacion)
- Purita (Purificacion)
R: 9 names
- Remy (Remedios)
- Repa (pare, reversed)
- Riza (Rizalina)
- RJ
- Roding (Rodolfo)
- Rody (Rodolfo)
- Romy (Romeo)
- Ron-Ron
- Rosing (Rosa)
S: 26 names
- Sabel (Isabel)
- Saling (Rosalia)
- Salve (Salvacion)
- Salving (Salvacion)
- Sangko (third elder brother)
- Sanse (third elder sister)
- Saring (Rosario)
- Sebyo (Eusebio)
- Sela (Marcela)
- Selang (Marcela)
- Sendong (Rosendo)
- Sepa (Josefa)
- Serging (Sergio)
- Seryo (Sergio)
- Sheng
- Sidro (Isidro)
- Simo (Maximo)
- Sinta (darling)
- Sion (Asuncion)
- Siony (Asuncion)
- Sisa (Narcisa)
- Sisang (Narcisa)
- Sita (Teresita)
- Soling (Soledad)
- Sonny
- Susing (Jesusa)
T: 51 names
- Tacio (Anastacio)
- Taling (Catalina)
- Tan-Tan
- Tasing (Anastacia)
- Tasyo (Anastacio)
- Tatang (father, old man)
- Tatay (father)
- Tatoy
- Teban (Esteban)
- Temy (Artemio)
- Temyong (Artemio)
- Teray (Teresa)
- Tere (Teresa)
- Tesang (Teresa)
- Tessie (Teresita)
- Tetay
- Tetchie (Teresita)
- Tetet
- Thess
- Third
- Thirdy
- Tiago (Santiago)
- Tin (Kristine)
- Tinang (Florentina)
- Tinay (Cristina)
- Ting
- Ting-Ting
- Tino (Faustino)
- Tinong (Florentino)
- Tintin (Cristina)
- Tita (aunt)
- Titay
- Tito (uncle)
- Tiya (aunt)
- Tiyo (uncle)
- TJ
- Tol (bro, from utol)
- Tolits
- Tomeng (Tomas)
- Toning (Antonio)
- Tonton
- Tonying (Antonio)
- Tonyo (Antonio)
- Toto (Hiligaynon, boy)
- Totoy (little boy)
- Toyang (Victoria)
- Trini (Trinidad)
- Trining (Trinidad)
- Tunying (Antonio)
- Turing (Arturo)
- Turo (Arturo)
U: 3 names
- Undo (Visayan, boy)
- Utol (sibling)
- Utoy
V: 3 names
- Vangie (Evangelina)
- Virgie (Virginia)
- Viring (Virginia)
W: 2 names
- Waldo (Oswaldo)
- Weng (Rowena)
Y: 4 names
- Yan-Yan
- Yeng
- Yoly (Yolanda)
- Ysa (Isabel)