Polly

Part of speech: noun, proper noun

Definitions

1. A common pet name or affectionate term primarily used for a parrot or a person, often associated with a repeating or mimicking nature; a feminine personal name derived from Mary or Molly; a colloquial nickname used for various characters or figures in stories and popular culture
2. An informal or endearing label typically given to parrots, highlighting their ability to mimic speech; historically a diminutive form of female names such as Mary or Margaret; a familiar or playful moniker found in literature and social contexts
3. A styled name frequently applied to parrots due to their vocal mimicry traits; a traditional given name for girls, often short for more formal names; an informal term adopted in cultural references and informal speech to represent a cheerful or talkative individual

Etymology: "Polly" started life as a pet name for Mary, the most common female name in English. Its origin is a simple piece of wordplay: "Molly," itself a familiar form of Mary, was rhymed with the sound of "Mary" to produce a nickname that stuck. Such rhyming pet forms were a common way of turning a formal name into something affectionate and informal. The parrot sense came later and was a matter of association. Because "Polly" was a widely used name for a girl or woman, it became a generic name that people gave to talking birds, and from there it became the stock name for a parrot in general. The word is capitalised as a proper noun in its personal-name sense, but the parrot sense has become common enough that writers often use it in lowercase.

Synonyms: parrot, bird, pet