| Al | Alexander Mosley, Diana’s son |
| Bird/Birdie | Unity |
| Blor | Laura Dicks, the Mitfords’ nanny |
| Bobo | Unity |
| Boud/y | Unity |
| Cake | Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother |
| Cha | Charlotte Mosley, Diana’s daughter-in-law and editor of these letters |
| Colonel, Col | Gaston Palewski |
| Cord | Diana |
| Count/y | Jean de Baglion |
| Cuddum | Communist |
| Deacon | Elizabeth Cavendish, Deborah’s sister-in-law |
| Debo | Deborah |
| Decca | Jessica |
| Diddy | Ellen Stephens, the Devonshires’ nanny |
| Dink/y/Donk | Constancia Romilly, Jessica’s daughter |
| Duch (my) | Mary, Duchess of Devonshire, Deborah’s mother-in-law |
| Em | Emma Tennant, née Cavendish, Deborah’s elder daughter |
| Farve | Lord Redesdale |
| Fat Friend (F. F.) | President John F. Kennedy |
| Fem | Lady Redesdale |
| French Lady | Nancy |
| Hen/Henderson | Deborah or Jessica |
| Honks | Diana |
| Id/Idden | Ann Farrer, a first cousin of the Mitfords |
| Jonnycan | Jonathan Guinness, Diana’s eldest son |
| Kit | Oswald Mosley |
| Lady | Nancy |
| Leader/Lead | Oswald Mosley |
| Little gurl | Sophia Cavendish, Deborah’s younger daughter |
| Loved One | President John F. Kennedy |
| Maggot | Margaret Ogilvy |
| Mrs Ham | Violet Hammersley |
| Muv | Lady Redesdale |
| Nard/y | Diana |
| Naunce/Naunceling | Nancy |
| Oys | James and Chaka Forman, Jessica’s grandsons |
| P’s/Parent Birds | Lord and Lady Redesdale |
| Prod | Peter Rodd, Nancy’s husband |
| Recs | Chickens |
| Revereds | Lord and Lady Redesdale |
| Rud/Rudbin | Joan Farrer, a first cousin of the Mitfords |
| Sir O | Oswald Mosley |
| Squalor | Jessica |
| Sto/Stoker | Peregrine Hartington, Deborah’s son |
| Tig | Anne Tree, née Cavendish, Deborah’s sister-in-law |
| TPOF | Lady Redesdale, ‘The Poor Old Female’ |
| Tud/Tuddemy | Tom Mitford |
| Uncle Harold | Harold Macmillan |
| Wid/Widow | Violet Hammersley |
| Wife | Lady Mersey |
| Woman/Woo/Wooms | Pamela |
