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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:
florentina1 · 09/05/2015 11:45

Drives me nuts. When naming our three, my OH opposed any namethat could be altered. Hence they were given 3 no nonsense names.

Since they have been tiny, he gave them all nicknames. They are all middle aged and even them gks use the nick names.

TruJay · 09/05/2015 14:01

I like nicknames, some aren't pleasant to the ears like 'big tits' I don't think that's nice but when they're used as a term of endearment I think it's fine.
DS has many different nicknames all used by various family members. And DD has a name that is actually a nickname of a 'proper' name. We love the nickname but not the full name so called her the nickname. On the baby names thread you can't win with that though as you're told to use the full name then shorten it. Each to their own really

KurriKurri · 09/05/2015 14:45

My older sister had a nickname at school based on her diminutive size, when I started the same school I was referred to as 'Mini Nickname' but it our my 'bus and train' nickname only used by those who travelled on them. Weird indeed. We are now in our fifties and if we occasionally are back in our hometown and encounter people we shared the train with at school, they still say 'hello Nicknames' - very bizarre.

My DD has a nickname for me, but she is the only person who uses it. aAnd it is nice and affectionate. I can;t stand it when grown men refer to themselves as 'Clarky' or 'Jonesy' or whatever - and I know a few who do, like its really imaginative and quirky.

If I had a really awful fist name which I hated I might cultivate a nickname though - or more likely just change it to one I liked.

CatthiefKeith · 09/05/2015 15:36

I used to run a pub full of people with nicknames, including

Dog Shit Dave -I have no idea why
Dave the Blood small and very smart chap - a retired haematologist
Dave the Tiler - self explanatory
Bomber - Ex air force
Winkle - Used to work in a pub on Southend seafront
Bunny - Surname Warren
Martin the gravedigger - No idea why his job was tagged on the end
Bear - first name Ted
Floppit - Ex PCSO, known for flopping his police badge out to impress
Betty - I have no idea why a 6ft man was called this, but he was
Syrup - No idea

There are still about a dozen people that call me by my nickname, which suited me when I was in my 20's, slim and a bit of a party animal, but doesn't at all now I'm overweight and in my 40's. Sad

Toughasoldboots · 09/05/2015 18:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Mousefinkle · 09/05/2015 18:15

Pork pie man Grin, I love it. I actually find nicknames quite intriguing, I like to hear the story behind it.

What I don't like is people being called their surname, it's so inhuman. A man that works with DH does this, he refers to himself as 'Dav' as a shortened version of Davenport. I'd refuse to call him it or anyone who does that, don't like it.

Mousefinkle · 09/05/2015 18:16

Dog shit Dave Grin. See, they're funny.

revealall · 09/05/2015 18:30

Inclusive? I know a couple of posh families who all have fucking stupid nicknames. One is even a nickname of a nickname. It's totally to seperate "in" friends and just everyone else. Not on purpose ( and they are all lovely) but that's the effect.

PaperdollCartoon · 09/05/2015 18:33

My uncle has a nickname that is not only not a shortening of his real name (Paul) it's also not even actually a real word as far as I know. He's been called it since he was a teenager and no one know where it came from, even his wife calls him it and it wouldn't occcur to any of us to call him anything else. Confuses strangers though.

I had a friend at school who was known by a shortening of his very strange, not very nice sounding surname, he changed his name but is still known by the nickname...

Basically, these things stick and it's very hard to get used to calling someone something else!

daughterofliz · 09/05/2015 18:33

OP, I don't entirely agree with you on hating nicknames (some are funny, some are ugly, but I think it should be up to the person), but I totally agree with you definition of a nickname. To me, something like Kate for Catherine or Jamie for James is not a nickname at all, it's a short or informal form of their name. It's one of those usages that irrationally bugs me quite often. I just wanted to let you know I'm totally with you on that.

UncertainTea · 09/05/2015 18:53

Hetty is then by that definition not a nickname!

DD has a nickname. Doesn't answer when I use her real name. Will answer to DH though. If I (or DH) ask her what her name is, she says " I [nickname]". Trying to get her to use a shortened form of her name in preparation for school, she is interested in trying to write it, but won't say it!

Notso · 09/05/2015 19:18

Nearly everyone DH knows is known by a nick name of sorts.
Loads just have 'ey' tagged on the end of their surname eg Jonsey
There's also a lot of Big, Small, Bald, Fat. Like Big Dave, Bald Dave.
A few with their job added, Dave the bin, Dave the fish.
Some with totally random nick names like Smurf, Milky, Bullshit, Bumtricks, Flipper.

We call our DC by nicknames.
DD is Mi'lady
DS1 [his name] the G
DS2 Mini Ginge or [his name]eroodledoo
DS3 B, Boo Boo,Boo Boo child or [his name]bobs

PuppyMonkey · 09/05/2015 19:19

I know a Fucking Louise - she got her name because she was always late and people would say: "where's fucking Louise?" Grin

I know a Skin, a Wappo and a Two Pack as well (these are men in their 40s). I am sometimes called Robbo because of my surname and I quite like it.

PuppyMonkey · 09/05/2015 19:21

Oh yes and Barry the Gnome, who runs a garden ornaments business. Grin

RosieProbert · 09/05/2015 20:08

Good grief YES to the pp who said nicknames are ubiquitous in South Wales Valleys! A small selection:
John the Box (funeral director)
John The Black (landlord, name of pub)
Edders
Big duck and his younger brother, little duck
Jaffa
Bobby Twin and Billy Twin
Ivor Dap and Shirley Dap
Top button Thomas
Bendy Wendy
Dai tock

Kids I have recently taught:
Toothpaste (last name Colgate)
Pies
Carl (his real name is David - no idea)

TinklyLittleLaugh · 09/05/2015 20:29

Yes and I have obviously brought my Welsh culture to my family here in the North. I call DH and the kids by nicknames, and, thinking about it, call lots of my oldest friends by nicknames, and also the kids' friends that are round here a lot.

Listing our family nicknames would totally out me though.

namechangeafternamechange · 09/05/2015 21:03

I don't mind nicknames but can't stand people being named one name only for them to be called a different version of that name. I remember Kate Garraway giving an interview shortly after giving birth to her ds who she announced was called William. In the interview she said 'Me and Billy are doing really well'. Billy? Billy? If you wanted to call him Billy then why didn't you give him that name?!

My OH and I spent a loooong time trying to find a name that couldn't be shortened we found Toby not his actual name but like it and people still call him Tobes, it fucks me right off.

He does, however, have a nickname that bears no relation to his name. He answers to this name and will tell people that's what he's called (I really can't say what it is as I would TOTALLY out myself as I have never heard another human called this!). His nursery still call him Tobes despite my repeated requests not to, I've even suggested they use his nickname but to no avail!

Original poster
CoffeeAndBiscuitsPlease · 09/05/2015 21:26

I made this thread last night, fell asleep, completely forgot, then clicked on it now and realised "ooooh I wrote this!" Haha glad to see a lot of people feel the same as me.

Aww, I think it's nice. Don't be so miserable OP. If you hate nicknames so much, why haven't you put your full name and title as your screen name?!!

A username to create anonymity on a website is not a nickname...

I assure you nobody calls me this name in person.

OP posts:
YoureAllABunchOfBastards · 09/05/2015 21:30

I have a friend known by a nickname he was given twenty years ago at university. I always think of him and refer to him by it, as do many of our friends.

DS2 has a nickname given when he was days old - he is six and it has stuck, but definitely a family thing.

A number of my friends refer to me by a username from the internet even though they know my real name now. I like it.

YoureAllABunchOfBastards · 09/05/2015 21:33

And DH is BigDH's name, because there used to be a Little DH's name.

Mind you, I grew up being called Sarah Jane by DF, and DB was either Sammy Plonk or Charlie. They are not our names. DS1, DS2 and BastardCat all answer to CharlieMouse.

lemonyone · 09/05/2015 21:40

How weird to actively dislike something so innocent as a nickname! I'm amazed on a daily basis what people on MN can get their knickers in a twist about.

All my family and many friends have nicknames. They all grew 'organically' and weren't thrust upon any of us.
I have a friend who is vehemently anti-shortening names for herself and her child, which is fair enough, but even she calls me by my nickname (which is adorable and entirely random BTW).
I'm pretty sure we call out kids 50/50 by their real names and nicknames. If someone wanted me to stop though, I would.

Original poster
CoffeeAndBiscuitsPlease · 09/05/2015 21:44

I wouldn't say my knickers are in a twist, its just a like or dislike , just like people have about many things. Mine is daft nicknames

OP posts:
Original poster
CoffeeAndBiscuitsPlease · 09/05/2015 21:46

Funny a lot of people mentioning about shortened names, and why don't people just name their child a shortened name if that's what they want to call them. My parents did. And I'm forever asked what my name is short for and what my real name is lol.

OP posts:
BallsforEarrings · 09/05/2015 21:50

Still not mad on nicknames for older folks and never will be.

lemonyone · 09/05/2015 21:50

It just seems so trivial though, to be bothered about what someone else chooses to call themselves or their children.

As for shortening names - why shouldn't a parent want that? I named by DD a long name, and use a little-known shortening for her. I did it because if she didn't like the shortened version she could choose to use the long version or a different shortening. As it is, she likes her short name.

And you're not alone in liking or disliking trivial things - I just had a two minute rant about how tacky my neighbours 'welcome' flag is outside their house. I love getting irritated by tiny things Grin

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