Our ancestors' names often appear in records using their nicknames and/or an abbreviation of their name.  Knowing the variations of their names can help, especially when searching census records.  Remember they also sometimes used their middle name or names instead of their first name and used them interchangeably (ie. Benjamin Franklin Jones may be Ben F. Jones or Frank B. Jones).  Here is a list of some of the more common nicknames and abbreviations.  Keep in mind that "y" and "ie" endings are interchangeable and can often be added to another form of the nickname (ie. Gert can be Gertie).