Short forms of proper names in German, Dutch and Flemish baptismal registers until the end of the 20th century

On the basis of the Catholic and Protestant parish register, the proportion of short forms under the given names until the end of the 20th century on the name treasure of children in three countries was investigated quantitatively and qualitatively. The abbreviated forms of the names of the Catholics and the Protestants, the boys and the girls, the Germans, Dutchmen and Flemings, were compared. The abbreviated forms fall into groups and from the morphological point of view they represent various derivative types. The origin of the full forms of the names by which they have been made, is different. The short forms of names in each studied group have regional particularities and its special characteristics. The rich inventory includes both abbreviated forms of the old Germanic and the biblical names as well as the names from the Mediterranean, the names of the saints, typical regional names and names of Frisian, English and French origin