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

[Bagging]

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?

I had a great uncle known to everyone as Uncle Bill. His first name was Edward. ‘William’ didn’t feature in his name at all.

I also had a great aunt called Auntie Bene (pronounced ‘Beany’). We all knew that wasn’t actually her name but nobody seemed to know what it was. At her funeral we found out that it was Lily Beatrice. Her sister - my grandmother - was always known to Bene’s family as Auntie Pat. Her name was Beryl!

My mum had two ancient old aunts when she was growing up - Aunt Mould and Aunt Slag. They would have been Victorian I think. She has no idea what their names actually were. It didn’t even occur to her until a few years ago that they were rather unusual names, until she mentioned them to me and my DH and we gaped at her and tried not to snigger!

"Nan isn't even a name!"

It is. An old professor of mine was called it and it wasn't short for anything.

My dd's name is Lucy but was always called Pearl as she is small and precious. As an adult she calls herself Lu. Her older sister is known as Lou even though her name is in no way related to Lou. They both seem to know which Lu/Lou I'm speaking to regardless.

I've always wondered how Dick became the nn for Richard.

@Titsflyingsouth I know a Mamie/Mary too!
I know a Dodo short for Dorothy. Piggy for Victoria (Vicky).

I know a Pat, knew her my whole childhood, turns out her name wasn't Patricia it was Sarah...

How on earth did they get Pat out of Sarah?

If we're going really way off, my granny was always called Betty, but was officially a Kathleen.

It was very upsetting when she had a stroke and had to go into a nursing home and the staff insisted on calling her Kathleen.

Wouldn't this be Aunt Maud? Not sure about "Slag". Maybe Sal?

Our secondary will totally use a nickname’ - just tell them it’s the preferred name. We have an Iris that is consistently known as Pirate. Not at school though, even she agrees that’s a step too far.

Oldest son is Harvey but always called Winnie. 2nd son is William and called Bob. 1st daugher is Angel but called Jel. 2nd daughter is Ariannwenn but called Georgie. 3rd daughter is Daisy. Called DD

DGM's sister was called Sylvia but known as Peg.

It’s been a mainstream name for over 150 years.

one of the characters in Little Men, by Louisa May Alcott, is Annie, known as Nan.

I know a man in his 60s called ted and one day I asked him whether it was short for Edward or Theodore. Oh, he said, my name is David! Apparently he wore a Duffle coat to school when he was 6 and people said it made him look like a teddy bear. He was then known as teddy bear which later became teddy and then just ted.

Surely he should have been called "Pad"!

A girl at my school was known as Tiger by everyone, even teachers. Nothing to do with her real name at all.

I know a Jonathan called Bubs

After having three male cousins called John, Paul and George born in close succession before me, I've been nicknamed Ringo since birth.

I've a lot of elderly female relatives called Mary who often made up completely different names (Janet, Nancy, Patricia that I can think of).

A friend of mine I'd known for around 5 years as Charlie before he told me his name was Steve! Apparently his Dad used to say 'God you're a real Charlie' to mean a wally, I guess, and it stuck!

There is a famous ex rugby player called Budge Poutney who's real name is Anthony but his brother called him Budge instead of brother

Oh yes and DH has an Uncle Ben who's name is Dave - the Ben is a shortening of his surname

I know a Melissa who is always called Bee. She has Greek heritage and Melissa is Greek for honey. I think it's lovely.

Oh my god I am cracking up at Aunt Mould and Aunt Slag 🤣🤣🤣🤣 that is amazing

I had a great aunt named Cynthia. Everyone always called her Mick. She had sisters with perfectly normal names who were also referred to by men’s names! I have no idea why.

Went to school with a Thomas Ian Todd - nickname Tit! 😅