So last week I was into rugged nicknames (Thom, Clem, Bill, etc--see
http://www.behindthename.com/bb/view.php?id=3308164&board=baby). From there, I grew interested in rugged nicknames that aren't (usually) related to fns, but that wouldn't seem unusual as nns (in the US, at least).
Here's a list I made trying to come up with as many names as I thought fit into this category. Most if not all of these are cribbed from a website with a list of Air Force pilot call signs. The list is probably endless, and I'm far from fond of many of these names, but WDYT?
Ace Buck Beck Bud Buddy Bull Beau Boo Bam Bubba Brick Buster Biff Bird Bones Boom Boot Bro Bugs Bug Bugsy Bullet Burns Butch Buzz Cap Chief Cam Carnie Casper Chevy Curly Cypher Cajun Chewy Chico Copper Conan Crash Cruise Doc Dash Dog Dice Dizzy Drip Dingo Doogie Duck Duke Dutch Elk Elf E.T. Fez Fizz Flash Flea Flex Flint Freeze Fudge Finch Fletch French Gory Gadget Gator Ghost Gig Goose Guppy Gopher Grim Groucho Gold Goody Grit Gunner Gun Hawk Heck Hollywood Homer Hulk Hurley Harpo Happy Hatch Horse Hoss Huey Indy Irish Ike Iron Jam Jughead Jedi Jet Junior Kong King Kato Kid Kiddo Kojak Khan Lucky Link Lump Law Lefty Linus Maddog Magellan Marlin Max Mikey Mac Maverick Merlin Mex Mo Monk Moose Moss Mule Mustang Notch Noodle Nuke Opie Oz Patch Peanut Pink Pinky Pointer Punch Pup Pyro Pasha Pig Quiz Rock Red Razor Ram Ranger Rattler Rex Rip Roach Rocket Rocky Rag Rat Rascal Rebel Rocko Rube Sport Sage Scoop Sonny Sweep Sandy Scooter Shakes Shooter Slick Smokey Snake Solo Spider Splinter Squawk Squirt Stretch Scar Scotty Scruffy Shadow Skeet Skeeter Skip Slim Smash Spike Snoopy Snoop Spanky Speedy Spyro Spoon Spook Spud Spot Stallion Stork Streak Suds Surf Tread Tank Thumper Thunder Torch Track Tag Taz Tex Toad Tron Turbo Turk Utah Viper Web Wedge Whiskers Wooly Waldo Wilder Wiz Wizard Wolf Wolfman Woody Yoyo Yogi Zoot Zip
Now I don't think that this type of nn makes a good fn. But I would like to find nns like these for my children (which ones they'll end up with, of course, depends on them, and as they're not born yet, who knows?). To match these nns, though, I like very traditional fns paired with a quirkier mn. Separate from the whole question of old-timey nns, WDYT of these combos?
John Mattituck - I was in Mattituck, Long Island yesterday...I think this is the Yankee-est combo I have ever liked. John is also my father's fn (he goes by his mn) and my grandfather's fn.
Victor Swainland - My grandmother lived on Swainland Road when her house burned down. It's certainly a strange thing to carry in a name, but I like the idea of honoring what has been lost.
Blaise Norman - Just two names I like, really. The name nerd in me things that Norman, because it has such a French meaning, calls attention to the French origin of Blaise.
Martha Consuelo - This is certainly the stuffiest girls combo I have ever loved. Fn honors my aunt Marta María. In real life, I probably won't be able to use the name Consuelo (she's a step-great-aunt, with whom my family isn't on great terms), but lately I have been going crazy for it.
This message was edited 7/24/2008, 2:26 PM