[Preface: I’m not asking about grammar or syntax here. I’m more curious about the cultural norms in Japan that influence how people choose how to create affectionate names for each other.]
In English, we routinely cut off all but the first one or two syllables of a name when we are familiar with someone. For instance, _Emily_ becomes _Em_ or _Emmy_.
In Japan, I’m sure I’ve seen a similar name like _Emiko_ changed to _Emi-chan_ as an affectionate name, but I’m curious whether or not her loved ones might also just refer to her as just _Emi_, shortened and with no honorific, or if that is simply not the done thing because it is too intimate a form.
Thanks!
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Partial answer here from a non-native speaker who has lived in Japan decades.
I know and have known many, many Japanese who shorten their name.
Some people I can think of: an Emiko→Emi like your example, Mamiko→Mami, Mikiko→Miki, Yuriko→Yuri, Sanae→Saa-chan, Junko→Jun, Sachiko→Sachi, Keiichi→Kei, Katsuko→Kacchan, Arisa→Risa, Hideyo→Hide, Hideki→Hide, Hiroko→Hiro, Hiroko→Roko, Kumiko→Kumi, Ayako→Aya.
Yet, most always -chan or -kun gets tagged on.
So for your question, “and with no honorific,” well, that’s far less common in my experience.
Yet, I can think of a few examples among close friends: Masaki→Masa, Yoshiyuki→Yo, Noriko→Nora, Risako→Lisa, and Chinatsu→Chibiki. Edit: Also a Chika who was just called Chika as-is unshortened without honorific.
Clearly, I wouldn’t know of examples who aren’t close friends … so perhaps more common than this.
I can only tell you it _does_ happen, but not how commonly.
I’d be interested to hear if a native speaker could tell us just _how_ common, and also maybe tell us if simply dropping the -ko (which sounds “old style”) is the most common for shortening names, because of all the people I’ve known who I can think of, that’s _most_ of the cases.