NickNames

This is a database of first name equivalence classes. Given a common first name, this class will return an array of possible substitute names (nick names).

This list of names can then be used to build a search in Rails that, for example, return all Bobs, if you search for Robert, and vice versa.

Example

NickNames['bob'] == ["bill", "billy", "bob", "bobby", "rob", "robby", "robert"]

To build a nickname-insensitive conditions = [] first_names_cond_sql = (["first_name SOUNDS LIKE ?"]*first_names.size).join(' OR ') conditions << "((#{first_names_cond_sql}) AND last_name SOUNDS LIKE ?) AND (people.listed = ? AND users.state = ?)"

Credits

Source of data: http://deron.meranda.us/data/nicknames.txt

Prepared by Deron Meranda <deron.meranda@gmail.com>

Based upon 1990 US Census Data and other various sources
Some data also from http://www.censusdiggins.com/

Plugin is copyright (c) 2008 Tyler Rick, released under the MIT license

The latest version can always be found at: http://github.com/TylerRick/nick_names/tree/master git://github.com/TylerRick/nick_names.git