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Original poster

Most unusual nicknames (based on a child's actual name) that you know of?

113 replies

Bagging · 14/06/2022 23:34

What are the most unusual nicknames, which are based on a child's actual name, that you're aware of?

And how do you get schools to use nicknames instead of official names? Surely they have to teach children to use their legal names?

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oneforsorrow1 · 15/06/2022 11:26

funder · 15/06/2022 08:08

I didn't know my granny's name was Sarah until her funeral. I was stood jaw to the floor as she had only ever been called Sadie.

That's what happened with my uncle, he was always uncle Jack before his funeral and it was John - I didn't know Jack was a nickname for John (still doesn't make sense to me)

frydae · 15/06/2022 11:25

And how do you get schools to use nicknames instead of official names?

Form:

Surname: X
Forename (s): Y Z

Known as: A

It's that simple. You tell them.

Surely they have to teach children to use their legal names?

This is a really bizarre idea that school would teach Chris to use Christopher when his parents didn't even call him that.

RewildingAmbridge · 15/06/2022 11:01

DHs gran was always Cassie/Cass I assumed Cassandra or similar. At her funeral we both discovered her name was Priscilla!

Cotherstone · 15/06/2022 10:57

Schools use abbreviations or diminutives all the time, perfectly normal to start your child at school and say their name is Elizabeth but she’s known as Libby.

They're just not going to start calling them Poppet or Stinky…

Honaloulou · 15/06/2022 10:55

I know a Christopher who is always caller Tiffer. Really suits him.

Dinoteeth · 15/06/2022 10:53

A child in my sons class is known as G.V. he has a really long Indian name. Parents call him that and presumably they have it in the school register as "known as".

MooseBreath · 15/06/2022 10:52

My aunt's name is Audrey, but she's always been called "Dede" as that's how her older sister (2 at the time) pronounced her name.

Irishfarmer · 15/06/2022 10:41

@funder my g. granny was called Dolly, her name was Josephine! She was born in 1910 so different times!

funder · 15/06/2022 08:08

I didn't know my granny's name was Sarah until her funeral. I was stood jaw to the floor as she had only ever been called Sadie.

changingroom · 15/06/2022 07:12

Peggy is a common nickname for Margaret. Always thought that was odd.

toastofthetown · 15/06/2022 07:09

Of course children don’t have to be taught using their legal names only. If Alexander and Madeleine have been known as Alex and Maddy since birth or another child uses their middle name for some reason, the school aren’t going to completely ignore that and call them a name they don’t recognise. I recall a celebrity, possibly Kit Harrington, who didn’t realise his name was a diminutive until he was about ten!

I tend to find most very unusual nicknames for names a massive stretch. Even names where the diminutive has a long history of use, such as Polly. Makes perfect sense in a time where every girl was called one of Anne, Mary or Elizabeth so you need more diminutives and swapping consonants was a thing, but in modern Britain it doesn’t make much sense. One of the biggest stretch of a nicknames I know is Polly for Olympia - planned before birth, not sure if the family still use it.

Luredbyapomegranate · 15/06/2022 00:48

Why would a school have to teach a child to use its legal name? That’s a bizarre idea.

If your child is Katherine nn Kitty, then you tell the teacher and the school registry she’s known as Kitty, and that’s what they’ll use.

Krispybacon · 15/06/2022 00:42

Well, people at schools call the children by their nicknames especially if thats what their friends call them on the understanding thats what they go by however theyre under no obligation to

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