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AIBU?

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Original poster

To hate nicknames??

81 replies

CoffeeAndBiscuitsPlease · 08/05/2015 23:25

And by nicknames I don't mean Bobby or Bob for Robert, or Bill, or Will, or Jimmy, Or Jay...etc or anything relating to the name the person has, but nicknames that reveal nothing about what the person's name actually is??

I have a few acquaintances and friends of friends that have the daftest nicknames... I won't write them but they are as stupid as "pork pie man" or "Grinder" "screwdriver" or... I don't know, anything fucking stupid...

If I get introduced to them or hear people talking about them, I'm just completely put off and think "how immature" (These are all people aged 25 plus)

I'm being unreasonable aren't I, people can call themselves what the hell they want...

Still annoys me though!!

OP posts:
lunalelle · 08/05/2015 23:32

I just love the idea of 'Pork Pie man'.

Original poster
CoffeeAndBiscuitsPlease · 08/05/2015 23:32

Haha unfortunately it wasn't that specific name, not food related!

OP posts:
KingJoffreyFanciesDarylDixon · 08/05/2015 23:34

Ooo, I know a 'Peanut', a 'Pink', a 'Haggis' and a 'Gruff'.

Probably loads more. I'll have a think.

Immature? Meh.

Original poster
CoffeeAndBiscuitsPlease · 08/05/2015 23:36

King - As I said I'm probably being unreasonable, but I do find them immature, just use your bloody name!

I'd struggle calling anyone those names without being annoyed for having to.

I have a real problem haha

:)

OP posts:
Bunbaker · 08/05/2015 23:39

We have two guys at work with the same name, so the boss has given them nicknames so we can differentiate them from each other. They sit opposite each other and if someone calls out their real name they both look up, so nicknames it is.

KingJoffreyFanciesDarylDixon · 08/05/2015 23:40

Nah, you're entitled to your opinion.

They got these nicknames when we were all young. Then they the hit their thirties, become parents, get serious jobs and start saying, "Actually, could you call me Colin?"

Er, no. Too used to your nickname, sorry!!

Grin
fiveacres · 08/05/2015 23:41

Honestly, I find nicknames a bit odd generally. Natural shortening of names is one thing, but when people have a baby and choose a name like, say, charlotte, with the explicit purpose of calling her Lottie, I find just a touch strange. Like on baby names when people automatically suggest nicknames you can have with a name ... Maybe it's just me Grin The name I've chosen for my baby is one with so many possibilities as a nickname; I daresay it'll be shortened, but not by me!
Grin

fiveacres · 08/05/2015 23:42

But my brother was known by his mates as Cheesey Hmm

MrsGentlyBenevolent · 08/05/2015 23:44

A friend of a friend (of a friend) has a mate called 'Spaz'. Another guy called himself 'Sparky'. I do find it beyond juvenile, especially anyone over the age of about 15 who chooses to call themselves as such. Don't care if it makes me a snobby cow Grin.

Original poster
CoffeeAndBiscuitsPlease · 08/05/2015 23:48

Obviously two people with the same name something must be done, but doesn't have to be a daft name can be something relating to their own name.

charlotte, with the explicit purpose of calling her Lottie, I find just a touch strange Completely agree with you fiveacres but that bit REALLY strikes a chord with me. My 4 month old has a long first name, say it's "Henrietta" and we named her specifically because we love that name. MIL decided she doesn't and she is now her "Hetty" which I HATE, and the whole side of her family send us card, personilsed baby things...etc with the name Hetty, some actually think that's her name. (That's not her name) But yes naming someone with the specific intention of it being something different is a little odd! :)

Haha @ cheesey

OP posts:
Original poster
CoffeeAndBiscuitsPlease · 08/05/2015 23:49

MrsGently Yep these are all self-named nicknames too that are currently annoying me!

OP posts:
fiveacres · 08/05/2015 23:53

Coffee - after "growing out of" (ie begging his mates to stop!) calling him Cheesey my brother became known as 'small'! There were lots of 'Freds' (not real name) so brother became 'Small Fred.' He wasn't notably small, just smaller than Big Fred who was built like the proverbial brick shithouse Grin (lovely bloke mind you!)

That must drive you mad WRT 'Hetty.'

Original poster
CoffeeAndBiscuitsPlease · 08/05/2015 23:59

At least his name is still involved in the nickname I suppose? :)

It drives me more than mad, choosing a nickname for my child that I hate, and then everyone else uses it because they think a. it's something I must do because no one is rude enough to nickname your child for you and 2. it's cute... lol :/ arrrgh! But that's another thread ;)

OP posts:
elQuintoConyo · 09/05/2015 00:02

I have known:

Johnny Clueless (real name something like Dave Smith).

Maracas (real name Pete).

Berry (real name Bill).

Big Tits (real name Sharon. Who actually encourages it. I just could not call her that.

The men were at uni (er... so that's... 17-ish years ago! Crikeyness!), and Big Tits is 46.

Is it still bad form if one's father still uses your per name(s) and you're over 40? Blush

MartyMaraschino · 09/05/2015 00:05

Men always have multiple Pauls in their life. There'll be Football Paul, Fat Paul, Jingle Bells Paul, and U Bend Paul.

ollieplimsoles · 09/05/2015 00:08

I know a guy who gave himself a nickname in his late teens (think something like 'sparky') he had it tattooed on his arm and insisted we all call him it. He's now 40, works in insurance, but still insists he is young and wild and we all should call him sparky, even though most of the others in the group are considerably younger than him, have kids and are settled down.
We now all really just want to call him his real name, as a grown ass man with that nickname he insisted on himself just sounds so silly!

TinklyLittleLaugh · 09/05/2015 00:13

Hope you are not Welsh OP. Welsh people love their nicknames and keep them all their lives. Quite often they pass them on to their children.

MartyMaraschino · 09/05/2015 00:16

There's something sad about someone picking their own nickname. Nicknames should be thrust upon you.

MartyMaraschino · 09/05/2015 00:17

What kind of nicknames do Welsh people go for?

Talismania · 09/05/2015 00:27

Everyone calls me a name that isn't my name, but it's still a normal name. It has letters in common with my actual name but isn't a 'standard' shortening of the name (something along the lines of 'Harley' instead of 'Charlotte', or 'Adele' instead of 'Madeline'). I started using it when I was a kid and have continued all my life, because I hate my real name.

TinklyLittleLaugh · 09/05/2015 00:37

Well, in my village we had the obvious ones like Tom Big House and Dai the Milk, to differentiate people with the same Christian name, and also descriptors like Jack Cochyn. But our neighbours had ones they'd had since school, and my parents called their sons by the same names too. Things like Chunky or Tiger.

TinklyLittleLaugh · 09/05/2015 00:41

Actually, thinking about it, I am 50, and if I go home to my village and bump into someone I went to school with, odds on they will call me my school nickname.

MartyMaraschino · 09/05/2015 00:59

That's interesting. I didn't know nicknames were such a part of Welsh culture.

ibitemythumbatyou · 09/05/2015 01:21

I didn't realise that from the moment you reach 25 you have to be 100% completely sensible and mature.

Eurgh. Glad I don't live in your world OP. YABU.

glittertits · 09/05/2015 01:26

I know a Jimbo. When someone asked after him using his real name (James Surname) I didn't know who they meant, despite being friends with Jimbo for 15 years.

My nickname at school was simply 'Tart'.