View Message

[Opinions] nicknames
What does everyone think of nicknames that have nothing to do with one's name? Perhaps they are after a personality trait or physical feature, acquired as a result of an event, or are simply like by their user or have a special meaning for him/her. WDYTO them? Any you like, dislike, have encountered? I'm curious to hear your opinions!
Archived Thread - replies disabled
vote up1

Replies

I personally really like nicknames that have no relation to names. It favorite is Cricket, but not for any particular name. I also like "normal" nicknames for not so normal names, ex. Maia for Hermione, Nell or Penny for Penelope, etc. :)
vote up1
I've got a few 'non name related' nicknames.My dad calls me Titch, which is a 'joke' nickname, as I'm actually tall (6ft).One of my brothers calls me Buzz. That came about as one of my 'name related' nicknames is Bee, and one day he started being silly and said, "Bee, buzzy buzzy Bee', and after that he started to call me Buzzy Bee. Eventually 'Buzzy Bee' got shortened to Buzz!Another one is Coco, as I absolutely love coconut, especially coconut water. A friend came up with that one.
vote up1
My father had one. His name was Joseph but he was always called Bud.I also like Trey as a nickname for a boy who is the third to have a name, i.e., John William III, called Trey.Then I've known many others who have those sorts of nicknames, and the nicknames are generally terrible: Mookie, Pootchie, Bootsie, Cheese, Cowboy, Batman.I love Bud as a nickname, but I'd never use it on its own.In principle I have nothing against it---in practice, the majority of such nicknames that I've heard have been terrible.
vote up1
lol TreyDP wanted triplet boys so he could call them Uno, Dewey and Trey (funny if you speak Italian.)
vote up1
My father has a nickname like this for everyone in the family. Mine is Pookie, but I'm not sure why. I don't think he's ever called me by my real name.I have no problem with them.
vote up1
Most of my nicknames have nothing to do with my name (it is rather nn proof.) But almost no one outside of my close family knows these nicknames. I'm good with any kind of nickname on some one else but I have to admit that the babytalk nns (Boo, Doodles, BoBo, Sissy, etc.) seem odd on teens and adults. I would be embaressed if my family called me something like that in public.
vote up1
The only time I don't like nn's, is when they are contrived. Like trying to come up with nn's based on the full name before a kid even gets born. They should be something that comes about naturally IMO.
I don't have a problem with nn's that don't relate to a persons actual name.
vote up1
I think it all depends on the context (and if it's appropriate and the person w/ the nn is ok w/ it)... Sometimes certain nns are just used w/in a certain context like camp or a small group of friends and that can be kinda fun. Had camp kids calling me Frawgue for years even when they'd bump into me outside of camp.
vote up1
I think they make a name more personal
vote up1
I like when nns evolve naturally rather than predecided with a name. I think you should take possible nns into consideration when choosing a name, but making up quirky ones ahead of time seems silly. My children's nns are
Mousie Moo - came from his small size and his habit of nibbling at his food
FinnFinn (Aidan's choice) or Finn Foo
Calla Coo/Boo or Calla Boom Boom (from a drum beat DP was trying to write) or sometimes Little Fish as Kala in Finnish means Fish
vote up1