Nickname

"Moniker" redirects here. For the hobo graffiti, seeMoniker (graffiti).For the board game, seeCelebrity (game).

Anicknameornick,also known as asobriquet,is a substitute for the proper name of a person, place or thing. It is commonly used to express affection, amusement, a character trait ordefamation of character.It is distinct from apseudonym,stage nameor title, although the concepts can overlap. Nicknames are typically informal.

Etymology

The compound wordekename,literally meaning "additional name", was attested as early as 1303.This word was derived from theOld Englishphraseeac"also",related toeacian"to increase".By the 15th century, themisdivision of the syllablesof the phrase "an ekename" led to its rephrasing as "a nekename".Though the spelling has changed, the meaning of the word has remained relatively stable ever since.

Various language conventions

English nicknames are generally represented in quotes between the bearer's first and last names (e.g.,Dwight David "Ike" EisenhowerandDaniel Lamont "Bubba" Franks). It is also common for the nickname to be identified after a comma following the full real name or later in the body of the text, such as in an obituary (e.g.,Frankie Frisch, "The Fordham Flash"). Any middle name is generally omitted, especially in speech. Like English, German uses (German-style) quotation marks between the first and last names (e.g.,Andreas Nikolaus “Niki “Lauda). Other languages may use other conventions; for example, Italian writes the nickname after the full name followed bydetto"called" (e.g.,Salvatore Schillaci detto Totò), in Spanish the nickname is written in formal contexts at the end in quotes followingalias(e.g.Alfonso Tostado, alias «el Abulense»), in Portuguese the nickname is written after the full name followed byvulgoor between parenthesis (e.g.Edson Arantes do Nascimento, vulgo Pelé/ Edson Arantes do Nascimento (Pelé)) and Slovenian represents nicknames after a dash or hyphen (e.g.,Franc Rozman – Stane). The latter may cause confusion because it resembles an English convention sometimes used formarried and maiden names.

Various societal uses

InVikingsocieties, many people hadheiti,viðrnefni,orkenningarnöfn(Old Norse terms for nicknames)which were used in addition to, or instead of, the first name. In some circumstances, the giving of a nickname had a special status in Viking society in that it created a relationship between the name maker and the recipient of the nickname, to the extent that the creation of a nickname also often entailed a formalceremonyand anexchange of giftsknown in Old Norse asnafnfestr('fastening a name').

InBengalisociety, for example, people will often have two names: adaknam(pet name) which is the name used by family and friends and abhalonamwhich is their formal name.

In England, some nicknames are traditionally associated with a person's surname. A man with the surname 'Clark' will be nicknamed 'Nobby': the surname 'Miller' will have the nickname 'Dusty' (alluding to the flour dust of a miller at work): the surname 'Adams' has the nickname 'Nabby'. There are several other nicknames linked traditionally with a person's surname, including Chalky White, Bunny Warren, Tug Wilson, and Spud Baker. Other English nicknames allude to a person's origins. A Scotsman may be nicknamed 'Jock', an Irishman 'Paddy' (alluding to Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland) or 'Mick' (alludingto the preponderance of Roman Catholicism in Ireland), and a Welshman may be nicknamed 'Taffy' (from WelshDafydd,David). Some nicknames referred ironically to a person's physical characteristics, such as 'Lofty' for a short person, 'Curly' for a bald man, or 'Bluey' for a redhead.

In Chinese culture, nicknames are frequently used within a community among relatives, friends, and neighbours. A typical southern Chinese nickname often begins with a "A" followed by another character, usually the last character of the person's given name.For example, Taiwanese politicianChen Shui-bian( trần thủy biển ) is sometimes referred as "A biển" (A-Bian). In many Chinese communities of Southeast Asia, nicknames may also connote one's occupation or status. For example, the landlord might be known simply asTowkay(simplified Chinese:Đầu gia;traditional Chinese:Đầu gia;Pe̍h-ōe-jī:thâu-ke)Hokkienfor "boss" ) to his tenants or workers while a bread seller would be called "Mianbao Shu" diện bao thúc (literally, Uncle Bread).

Computing

See also:User (computing)

In the context of information technology,nicknameis a common synonym for thescreen nameorhandleof auser.Incomputer networksit has become a common practice for every person to also have one or more nicknames forpseudonymity,to avoidambiguity,or simply because the natural name or technicaladdresswould be too long to type or take too much space on thescreen.

People

"I, Jimmy Carter...":James Earl Carteris sworn in as President of the United States using his nickname "Jimmy" in January 1977.

Nicknames are usually applied to a person and they are not always chosen by the recipient themselves. Some nicknames are derogatoryname calls.

Abbreviation or modification

A nickname can be ashortenedor modified variation on a person's real name.

• Contractionsof longer names: Margaret toGreta.
• Initials:using the first letters of a person's first, middle and/or last name, e.g. "DJ" for Daniel James.
• Dropping letters: with many nicknames, one or more letters, often R, are dropped:Fannyfrom Frances,Waltfrom Walter.
• Phonetic spelling: sometimes a nickname is created through the phonetic spelling of a name: Len from Leonard.
• Letter swapping: during theMiddle Ages,the letter R would often be swapped for either L or D:Halfrom Harry (which in turn comes from Henry);Mollyfrom Mary;Sadiefrom Sarah; Hob, Dob, Rob, Bob, and Nob fromRobert;Rick, Dick, and Hick fromRichard;Bill fromWill(which in turn comes from William); and Peg and Meg from Margaret. In 19th-century frontier United States, Mary and Molly were often given the nicknamePolly.

Name portions

• Front of a name. Sometimes a nickname can come from the beginning of a given name:Alfrom Alan/Allan/Albert/Alfonse/Alfred/Alden/Alexander,Artfrom Arthur,Chrisfrom Christopher/Christina; Dot from Dorothy,Edfrom Edward, Edmond, Edgar or Edwin, Iz or Izzy from Isaac, Isaiah, Isidore, Isabel, or Isabella;Joeor Jo from Joseph, Josephine, or Joanna.
• End of name: Drew from Andrew; Xander from Alexander; Enzo or Renzo from Lorenzo; Beth from Elizabeth; Bel, Bell, Bella or Belle from Isabelle/Isabella.
• Middle of name: Liz from Elizabeth; Tori from Victoria; Del or Della from Adelaide.
• Addition of diminutives: before the 17th century, most nicknames in English had the diminutive ending-inor-kin,where the ending was attached to the first syllable: thus Walter → Wat → Watkin, Robert → Rob → Hob → Hobkin, Thomas → Tom → Tomkin. While most of these have died away, a few remain, such as Robert → Rob →Robin,Henry→ Henkin → Hank, John → Jankin →Jack,and Nicolas →Colin.
• Many nicknames drop the final one or two letters and add ether ie/ee/y as a diminutive ending: Penny from Penelope, Edie from Edith, Davy from David, Charlie from Charles, Mikey from Michael, Jimmy from James, and Marty from Martin.
• Initialization,which forms a nickname from a person's initials:A. E. Housmanfrom Alfred Edward Housman, or Dubya forGeorge W. Bush,a Texan pronunciation of the name of the letter 'W', President Bush's middle initial. Brazilian strikerRonaldowas given the nickname R9 (initial and shirt number).
• Nicknames are sometimes based on a person's last name ( "Tommo" for Bill Thompson, "Campo" forDavid Campese) or a combination of first and last name such as "A-Rod" forAlex Rodriguez).
• Loose ties to a person's name with an attached suffix: Gazza for English footballerPaul Gascoigne(though used more widely in Australia forGary) and similar "zza" forms (Hezza,Prezza,etc.) for other prominent personalities whose activities are frequently reported in the British press (see alsoOxford "-er"for a similar but wider phenomenon).
• Use of thesecond name.
• Use of thegenerational suffix,like "Junior", or nicknames associated with a particular generational suffix, likeTreyorTrippforIII.
• Combination of the first and middle name, or variations of a person's first and middle name. For example, a person may have the name Mary Elizabeth but has the nickname "Maz" or "Miz" by combining Mary and Liz.
• Doubling of part of a first name. For example, forming "NatNat" from Nathan/Natasha or "JamJam" from James.

Relationship

A nickname may refer to the relationship with the person. This is aterm of endearment.

• InJapanese culture,Japanese honorificsare designed so that a term of endearment conveys the exact status of the relationship between two people. Recipients are allowed to restrict use to a certain person.

Geography

Placenames

Nicknames of U.S. states, 1884

Many geographical places have titles, or alternative names, which have positive implications.Paris,for example, is the "City of Light",Romeis the "Eternal City",Veniceis "La Serenissima", andNew Jerseyis the "Garden State". These alternative names are often used to boost the status of such places, contrary to the usual role of a nickname. Many places or communities, particularly in the US, adopt titles because they can help in establishing a civic identity, help outsiders recognize a community or attract people to a community, promote civic pride, and build community unity.Titles and slogans that successfully create a new community "ideology or myth"are also believed to have economic value.Their economic value is difficult to measure,but there are anecdotal reports of cities that have achieved substantial economic benefits by "branding" themselves by adopting new slogans.

By contrast, oldercity nicknamesmay be critical:Londonis still occasionally referred to as "The Smoke" in memory of its notorious "pea-souper"smogs(smoke-filled fogs) of the 19th and early 20th centuries, andEdinburghwas "Auld Reekie" for the same reason, as countless coal fires polluted its atmosphere.

Residents

Besides or replacing thedemonym,some places have collective nicknames for their inhabitants. Many examples of this practice are found inWalloniaand in Belgium in general, where such a nickname is referred to in French as "blason populaire".

See also

• Antonomasia
• Athletic nickname
• Australian national sports team nicknames
• Calling name
• Code name
• Category:Nicknames
• Epithet
• Honorific nicknames in popular music
• Legal name
• List of baseball nicknames
• List of basketball nicknames
• List of nicknames used in cricket
• List of ethnic slurs by ethnicity
• List of monarchs by nickname
• List of nicknames of jazz musicians
• List of nicknames of United States presidents
• List of North American football nicknames
• List of sportspeople by nickname
• Lists of nicknames
• Pet name
• Pseudonym
• Regimental nicknames of the Canadian Forces
• Category:Regional nicknames
• Sobriquet
• Stage name
• Synecdoche
• Terms of endearment
• Victory titles
• Cliché
• Call sign
• Military call sign
• Snowclone

External links

• The dictionary definition ofnicknameat Wiktionary
• Media related toNicknamesat Wikimedia Commons