Upper/Upper-Middle Class Nicknames

[Slickly]

I grew up upper-working/lower-middle class, state educated, but we moved in Y5 and I went to a good grammar. I've spent the last 20 years in Australia. My DH is upper-working class, a lot of his uni friends went to prestigious public schools. We have just moved back and have seen a lot of DHs old friends. What is with the nicknames that have nothing to do with actual names, talking of names like Minky, Binky, Bunty, Berrie, Minty, Nixxy etc.
I met a grown woman who introduced herself as something similar to these, others were used on children/teens.
AIBU to think these are so cringeworthy? Why do they do this? Do you call yourself by a random unrelated nickname?
I know some small children who might go by a sweet nickname, but not teens or adults, I find it so odd!!

I immediately thought back to my Durham years when I saw this thread

I know a girl who goes by Tiffie/Tiffin, not really related to her name other than sharing an initial, I believe she got it at boarding school as another girl in her house had the same name (despite it being a fairy unpopular name) to differentiate them. I believe her children (who also have fairly uncommon names) also have nicknames of a similar style, although she is definitely 'Posh'.

My Granny was Bunty.

Any chance it’s actually Tirtsa? It’s a Hebrew name (actually from the Bible), not that uncommon in Jewish circles.

DH and several of his pals are all in their 60's now, and still call one another by the nicknames they gave each other at primary school. I don't think it is particularly unusual to have a nickname, whatever background you come from.

My very very working class DP and his friends all have daft nicknames im not sure i know half of their actual real names. Off the top of my head i can think of 'dangerous' 'whiskey' 'spammer' 'bomber' 'luton' 'sparkle' 'mullet' 'duke'. I have no idea (or desire to know) how they got them and i think its pretty twatty but they are all decent hardworking men and it makes them happy so who am i to question them 🤷‍♀️

My sons went to a highly selective grammar school which was as close to a public school you could ever imagine and all the boys called each other by their surnames.
Now as adults my sons still refer to their friends by their surnames.

I don’t think it’s necessarily a class thing to have nicknames, but the upper classes do have a lot of reused family names going on so it’s a frequent thing. Plus the posh names can be amusing.

I was on a train the other day eavesdropping on the adventures of Jonty, Robbo, Imo, Weezy, Minty, and a whole host of Posh sounding 20-somethings.

But the Essex lads in Gavin and Stacey is a pretty good example of how young men in particular use nicknames. As I recall there were: Smithy, Dirtbox, Fingers, Budgie, Deano…

very much a middle class background, but was part of a sports/ societies group at uni. Some very strange nicknames allocated over 3 years: Binty, Titsy, Vlad, Kermit, MiMi, Alice. None of these were linked (easily) to their actual name, or in many cases their gender.

I always thought Jonty was a fairly standard shortening for Jonathan. I know several and that's the case for them all.

Because the actual names can be so long or so grown up and not child like.

There is a big difference between the names OP has mentioned and someone being called by a shortened (or accepted) version of their actual name. I have occasionally met someone who is known by a nickname but around here (not UK) people aren't generally known as Bunty, Minky, Minty etc.

I worked with a girl who called herself Ratty but was a shortened version of her surname. Her real name was Jacqueline.

The only ones I know are working class ones that come from the start of a mans surname.. Like Traff, Jenx, Nix and Smithy 🤣

I know a Minty (Araminta), two Jontys (Jonathan), a Tatty (no idea and I'm too far in to ask), a ZeeZee (Rosie), a Crofty, and a Strickers.

I also know a Rozza (Rosemary) and a Gopher (Hugo).

If you try to make sense of nicknames you'll drive yourself mad.

You need to tell us what the fuck upper working class is!

@Flickersy

The Tatty I know was Christened Tatiana.

Eminently possible but I'm still too far in to actually ask!

I knew a Binkie growing up but her dad was in the RAF

Why is your class relevant to the question?? What a load of waffle 😂 Also wondering what upper working class is…..

I’m from a working class background and no nicknames were common- apart from some people whose names were prefaced by ‘mad’ , ‘ mad mick ‘ etc , in hindsight probably those with mental health problems, I think it’s more a middle class thing to have nicknames , occasionally if two people has the same name- one might be ‘Chris’ and ‘tall Chris’ , just to distinguish between two people with the same name and friends

I love a good nickname, regardless of what bizarre class mashup it comes from (tf is upper working class???)

Best one I've ever heard was Tory Meal Deal because the poor lad got sushi and a sparkling water for his lunch one time instead of a sandwich and some crisps. 10 years later and he still goes by TMD, half the people who use it don't even know why.

I know a Leonora who was Tibby

A Louise who was Winky

An Alexandra who was Bunty

A Vanessa who was Bun

and a Victoria who is Plum

I spose at least the last makes sense - she’s the only one who is proper posh-ish, the others just upper end of prof MC,

anyway, I dunno, but variety in life is good isn’t it

You've lived in AUSTRALIA for the last 20 years & you're commenting on odd nicknames in the UK?! Though perhaps the origins of lots of Aussie nicknames are as a result of personal attributes to the point that I knew few people there who went by their actual name. Including Blue (had red hair), Eggy Rumble (farted a lot), Crumbles (liked biscuits), Tink (maiden name Bell) ...

I remember a Bindy, Fifa, Boo, Carrie, Tori, LooLoo, Dotty. Also a girl whose nickname was Horace, I really can't remember why.