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A Light Hearted Look at Nicknames

(106 Posts)
Magenta8 Sat 30-May-26 10:09:16

Of course we all adopt pseudonyms on GN.

Nicknames among the rich and famous seem quite popular. I found that Major Edward Dudley Metcalfe, close friend of the late Duke of Windsor was known as 'Fruity.' (I wonder why) Sir Frederick Arthur Montague Browning's nickname was 'Boy'. His wife, Daphne du Maurier called him 'Moper'.

Nancy Mitford called her sisters Unity, Jessica and Deborah; 'Nit', 'Sick' and 'Bore' among other things, in a family awash with nicknames.

I have found that pets and objects seem to attract nicknames, as well as people. For instance, I had a cat called George who was always known as 'Spud.' My kitchen tongs are know as 'the grabbers.'

What nicknames do you know of? Do you have any family nicknames you don't mind sharing?

JaneJudge Sun 31-May-26 08:55:37

this thread is making me laugh grin

we have

mr nosey
dressing gown
the two baldies
the cheeky fuckers
angry man
the druggies
barbie and ken
gobby woman

none are particularly flattering are they?!!

jusnoneed Sun 31-May-26 08:34:16

BoggledMind we also had a friend know as Hector but no idea why, his name was John.

We have family next door, one of the daughters is known as Smiler (she naturally has the most miserable expression) and the other we call Long shanks (tall and very skinny). Their late father, a horrible man, was always referred to as Muppet.

My partner and my youngest son call each other John when they have a conversation, so it's "look at this John" "what have you got John" etc etc. Neither is a John.

My last cat was called Holly, her name when we rescued her, but I often called her Pidge.

tanith Sun 31-May-26 07:50:45

My Dad was always called Boydie even by my Mum his name was Stanley and I never did ask where it came from. I worked with a very short but busty girl, she was called Titsalena bum squirt by all an sundry she didn’t even mind.

agnurse Sun 31-May-26 07:48:22

Growing up, I never had much of a nickname apart from a shortened version of my own name. My siblings, however, did:

Sister - Larry or the Roo (Larry was from an old segment on Sesame Street featuring The Rhymies, one of whom was called Larry)

Brother 1 - Buddy

Brother 2 - Doozer (as in, from Fraggle Rock)

Brother 3 - Dickens; Grandpa called him Dicky Boy

Brother 4 - the Mouse or Mickey Mouse

Now, Hubby calls me Wifie or Snuggles. I call him Lovey or sometimes Mr. Fussy when I want to tease him. (Sometimes he calls me Mrs. Foussy 😁)

Magenta8 Sun 31-May-26 07:34:35

Not many of our schoolteachers had nicknames but we did have 'Cromwell', 'Old Scratch' and 'Busty Thrusty'.

Grammaretto Sun 31-May-26 00:28:05

I didn't realise that other people gave the neighbours nicknames + I thought it was just us 😂

There was the perfect couple and the imperfect couple, the girlfriend, the ménage (as in ménage a trois)
I dread to think who we were.

All our DC had nicknames, which survive to this day. In fact DS3 is known by everyone as his nickname. I am mumbo which isn't bad. My DD refers to me as mumbo to her DC .

At one school I was monkeyface

Witzend Sat 30-May-26 23:06:06

Many decades ago a small boy came to the door and asked my father whether my brother could come and play.
My DF didn’t know the boy from Adam, but he said he lived down the road.
And added, ‘I’m Bristlebonce’s bruvver!’

My father nearly wet himself laughing afterwards, and now and then all over again later, when he told the story.

butterandjam Sat 30-May-26 23:01:03

Bodach

'Bowfie' is an old Scots term, describing someone who is a bit fat/chubby - which (looking back at the old photos, I am forced to concede) I was as a baby. Hence, for (far too) many years, I was known within the family as Bowfie.

"Stick", short for Stickinsect.

I never properly appreciated being thin, until it was too late.

Marg75 Sat 30-May-26 22:12:16

I call the television remote the 'doofee', don't ask me why!!

HowVeryDareYou2 Sat 30-May-26 21:24:36

We had a neighbour we called Dreyfuss as he looked like Richard Dreyfuss. His brother was referred to as The Terrorist, because he was always in trouble with the police.

Nannee49 Sat 30-May-26 21:15:10

In our family we call towelling bathrobes Kurt Debonairs (or just Kurts) inspired by some suave German gent swanning round the swimming pool on an Italian holiday in the 70s

Sago Sat 30-May-26 20:54:00

JaneJudge

never mind family members, my husband has nicknamed the whole street blush we ever have a neighbour nicknamed 'sperm donor'

We are so naughty at naming neighbours.
In the past we have had, The Fat Controller, Gobbo, Mrs Pissed Again.
The Neat & Tidys, Dumb and Dumber, The Richer than Yous, Tropical Roy, I could go on.

We have a nickname for our middle child and our youngest was known as snugs until he was about 10.

REKA Sat 30-May-26 20:14:53

I've just remembered a neighbour. For some reason the children gave this poor woman the name, Mrs Prim Knickers. We never really knew why.

SpinDriftCoastal Sat 30-May-26 19:54:32

JaneJudge

never mind family members, my husband has nicknamed the whole street blush we ever have a neighbour nicknamed 'sperm donor'

I really enjoyed reading your post. We had a neighbour we called 'Mr Lover Lover Man'. He really was a right romeo.

Grandma70s Sat 30-May-26 19:11:30

When my sons were children they had nicknames for some of our neighbours. There was Mrs Clock, who always walked down the road at exactly 8 a.m They would know it was almost time to leave for school. There were also Howard and Hilda, never seen apart, whose name came from the similar couple in the Richard Briers comedy series Ever Decreasing Circles.

Whingey Sat 30-May-26 18:41:56

Someone called his cat harpic because he was clean round the bend!

Lynette55 Sat 30-May-26 18:39:56

My friend and I had ponies when young. She was always slow at grooming hers and I’d get frustrated wait8ng to go for a ride with her. In the end I’d help her to get done quickly. She’d brush her boy and I’d get the water to wash his eyes, nose, mouth and personal places! Her much older brother in law called us “brushing Sue and Water Lou” the Lou bit stuck and he called me that until the day he died!

Casdon Sat 30-May-26 18:39:38

I’m in my sixties, and my 96 year old dad still calls me Bean.
My dog’s nickname is Diddlyboo at the moment, which bears no relationship to his actual name, but it keeps morphing (the name, not my dog!).
We also have judymadeits for all the babies born into our family, crocheted pram blankets, and have been called that by all the family since as toddlers, my sister and I christened them after Aunt Judy, who made ours. She died over 50 years ago, but I think she’d be pleased that she lives on in all the new baby blankets.

Pittcity Sat 30-May-26 18:37:54

I worked with a guy whose nickname was Kit Kat. He was always taking a break!

Ladyleftfieldlover Sat 30-May-26 18:23:53

We had a neighbour who we nicknamed the Bank Robber. He wasn’t!

I’m afraid I nicknamed one of my daughter’s friends The Spotted Boy. Cruel, I know.

We call the TV remote The Black Thing.

ViceVersa Sat 30-May-26 18:15:48

We used to have a drug addict living quite near us who was known as the bandit - because he only had one arm (having had to get the other one amputated because of his drug use).

BoggledMind Sat 30-May-26 18:13:00

I used to go to school with a lad called Hector. He lived a few minutes away, so one day I called round, asking for 'Hector'. His mother looked puzzled until he came down the stairs. I said "Hector", and pointed to him.

Turns out, that was his nickname (never found out why).

Georgesgran Sat 30-May-26 18:08:22

The nightmare family living next door to me - 8 adults, 8 cars and 2 dogs were referred to as The F*ckwits. They moved last year and our little development heaved a collective sigh of relief. The new owners are lovely.

Witzend Sat 30-May-26 17:31:13

We have a neighbour forever known as Mr Fussy, since he (still is!) constantly tending his front lawn, not quite cutting it with nail scissors and measuring the blades with a ruler, like the Mr Men character, but not far off.

And he once threw stones at a kitten of ours who dared to step on his grass. 🤬

JamesandJon33 Sat 30-May-26 17:25:01

We had a girl in our class who was a bit of a one for the boys.
When we learnt about reproduction in Science, the fruit fly was used as an example.
Said girl was, forever after known as ‘Fruit’. Her surname rhymed with fly.