nickname

nickname, an informal name used to replace a formal one, often giving rise to familiar or humorous terms. The word nickname is derived from the Middle English ekename, literally meaning “also-name,” via nekename. Nicknames differ from pseudonyms, which are usually used to conceal one’s identity.

Nicknames played a significant role before the 13th century in England, where surnames were uncommon. Physical characteristics played a significant role in nicknaming, as people were identified by means of descriptive terms such as barefoot, brown, and russell (“red-haired”), many of which have become common surnames. Nicknaming in Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking communities served as a means to distinguish between family members, especially those sharing both a first name and the family name. Such motivations were also common in Ireland, the West Indies, and the Arab world. Nicknaming has been used to reinforce the social bonds within a community, as exemplified by the traditional naming system in Catalonia, Spain, where surnames are secondary to the renom (“renown”), the nickname that characterizes the casas (corporate households) that are central to the region’s social structure.

The practice of assigning nicknames has played a major role in childhood in different contexts, impacting social cohesion and forging groups within the classroom. In Nicknames: Their Origins and Social Consequences (1979), Jane Morgan, Christopher O’Neill, and Rom Harré distinguish between internal and external formulations. The former stems from features of the language itself, such as rhyming with a given name, whereas the latter originates in extralinguistic variables, such as intellectual, behavioral, and physical traits as well as traditions, events, and stereotypes.

Contemporary nicknames in the English language often involve clipping or truncation, as exemplified by “Sam” for Samantha or “Dan” for Daniel. Sometimes the letters -y or -ie are added to convey a sense of familiarity or intimacy, such as in “Danny” or “Sammie.” Some nicknames are based on a syllable from a given name, such as “Liz” for Elizabeth, and others involve an alteration to a part of the given name, as with “Greta” in the case of Margaret. Still other nicknames go beyond first names and convey public personae through the use of a term or phrase based on the individual in question’s talent or reputation by using the linguistic device antonomasia. Examples include “La Divina” for Maria Callas, “the King of Rock and Roll” for Elvis Presley, “the Iron Lady” for Margaret Thatcher, and “the Prince of Laughter” for Antonio de Curtis Gagliardi Griffo Focas, whose stage name Totò was based on the nickname given him by relatives. Some nicknames convey physical characteristics, such as “the Golden Bear’’ when used to refer to the burly blond golfer Jack Nicklaus or “Ol’ Blue Eyes” for Frank Sinatra, who is also known as “the Voice” and “the Chairman of the Board,” indicating that a person can have multiple nicknames. Nicknames can also highlight an individual’s connection to a place, such as “the Bard of Avon” for William Shakespeare or “the Maid of Orléans” for St. Joan of Arc.

In writing, nicknames are often indicated by using quotation marks in English, as exemplified by Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington or Dwight David “Ike” Eisenhower. This practice has a parallel in languages such as Italian—which uses the term detto to set off nicknames, as in Sandro Filipepi detto il Botticelli—and Spanish, which employs the word alias (the cognate of which is also used in English). Nicknames can be used to refer to groups of people based on certain common traits, as exemplified by “righties” and “lefties” for right-handed and left-handed people, respectively. In some countries, such as Thailand, nicknames are given at birth and are often related to physical appearance, whereas in China they play a major role in fostering in-group solidarity and capitalize on that language’s profusion of homonyms, which enables punning through tonal change and verbal play.

Nicknames are not solely used to refer to people. Cities have nicknames too. For example, Kansas City and New York City are commonly called “the City of Fountains” and “the Big Apple,” respectively. Nicknames have been used informally to refer to states (e.g., “the Nutmeg State” for Connecticut), regions (“the Sun Belt” for the southern United States), and countries (“Down Under” for Australia). The citizens of various countries also have nicknames, as is the case with Australians, who are known as “Aussies,” and New Zealanders, who are called “Kiwis.”

The practice of nicknaming extends to fields such as astronomy, where Sirius, the brightest star in the Canis Major (“Greater Dog”) constellation, is known as “the Dog Star.” Nicknames are also sometimes used to refer to monuments and buildings. Visitors to London do not go in search of the clock in the Elizabeth Tower of the Houses of Parliament, but instead they look for “Big Ben.”