不管是古代中国，还是日本，美国，通过对一个人的称谓可以透露彼此距离的远近。
中国人包括学生和学者来到美国，开始不知道如何称呼对方，
- 大部分的美国人不希望称全名，不希望称先生，当然，外交礼仪除外。
- 同事同学直接就省下姓，直接称名。比尔·盖茨会让你叫他比尔。更近些的人，就可能让你称呼昵称，比如叫 Thomas 的告诉你就叫他 Tom，叫Anthony 的就称他 Tony。
但是要有条件：
- 1、是大家都这样称呼，
- 2、他希望你这样称呼。
1. 从名称到昵称：缩写
Abraham → Abe，Anthony → Tony
Benjamin, Benedict → Ben, Benny
Carolyn → Carol, Lyn, Carrie/Cary，Christopher → Chris, Criffer, Topher
Deborah → Deb, Debby
Elizabeth → Eliza, Libby, Liz, Lizzy, Lisa, Beth, Bess
Fiona → Fi
Gregory → Greg
Jacob → Jake；Jonathan → Jon, John, Nathan；Joseph → Joe, Joey
Katherine → Kate, Katy, Kathy；Katrina → Kat, Trina
Matthew → Matt；Megan → Meg
Nathan, Nathaniel → Nat, Nate
Peter → Pete, Petey；Priscilla → Cilla, Priss, Cilly, Prissy
Raymond → Ray；Robert → Rob, Bert, Bob
Samuel, Samantha → Sam, Sammy
Stephanie → Steph, Annie, Stephy
Victoria → Tori, Vick, Vicky
Zachary → Zach
2. 从名称到昵称：加、减后缀，通常有-ie即或-y
虽然最常用于儿童的名字，也用于成人，尤其在家人，朋友和熟人之间：
Alexander, Alexandra → Sandy；Anne → Annie；Arthur, Arturo → Art → Artie；Andrew → Andy → Drew
Barnaby → Barney
Daniel → Dan → Danny；David → Dave → Davy
Dennis → Denny；
Edwin, Edward, Edmund → Ed → Eddie, Eddy；Elaine → Lainie
Franklin→ Frank → Frankie
George → Georgie
Isabella → Izzy
James → Jamie；Jessica → Jess → Jessie；Joel, Joseph → Joe → Joey
Jonathan → Jon, John → Jonnie, Johnnie, Johnny
Katherine → Katie；Kimberly → Kim → Kimmy；Kenneth → Ken → Kenny
Lawrence → Larry；Louis → Lou → Louie
Nicholas → Nick → Nicky
Oliver → Ollie
Ronald → Ron → Ronnie； Rosemary → Rose → Rosie/Rosy
Stephen → Steve → Stevie；Susan → Sue → Susie, Suzy
Thomas → Tom → Tommy；Timothy → Tim → Timmy；Tobias → Toby
William → Will, Bill, Willie, Willy, Billy
3 从名字到昵称：存在明显不同
这种情况下，可能更多的是照顾发音。
Barbara → Babs
Charles → Chuck → Chaz → Chicka
Dorothy → Dot, Dottie
Edward → Ted, Teddy (如 Edward “Ted” Kennedy)；Eleanor, Helen → Nell, Nellie；Elizabeth → Bess, Bessie
Gerald → Jerry
Henry → Hal, Hank, Harry
James → Jim → Jimbo, Jimmy；John → Jack
Katherine → Kitty
Margaret → Peggy, Peg, Meg
Philippa → Pippa, Pip or Pippy
Richard → Dick
Sarah → Sally
Theodore → Ted, Teddy
Virginia → Ginger, Ginny