Dictionary of Meaning
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Nickname
*** Shopping-Tip: Nickname
A '''nickname''' is a short, clever, cute, derogatory, or otherwise substitute name for a person or thing's real name (for example, '''Tom''' is short for '''Thomas'''). As a concept, it is distinct from both
pseudonym and
stage name, although there may be overlap in these concepts.
A nickname is sometimes considered desirable, symbolising a form of acceptance, but can often be a form of ridicule.
Many artists and actors have nicknames, which in years past were called a '''
stage name'''. A person's online nickname may also be known as his '''
screenname handle''', especially within
hacker culture.
Etymology: In Middle English the word was ''ekename'' (from the verb ''to eke'', "enlarge"; compare Swedish ''öknamn''). Later, ''an ekename'' developed into ''a nickname'' when the "n" shifted through
junctural metanalysis.
In
Viking societies, many people had nicknames ''heiti'', ''viðrnefni'' or ''uppnefi'' which were used in addition to, or instead of their family names. 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 formal ceremony and an exchange of gifts.
Nicknames for people
Types of personal nickname:
Also known as pet name, shortened name, truncated name, alternate name, name derivative, associated name, hypocoristic form of a name, diminutized name, or diminuted name. Sometimes related to "alias."
Relating to given names
1. A nickname may be a
hypocoristic form of a person's first name. This is often a simple abbreviation of the name. For most English names the shortened form is taken from the first syllable e.g. Walt for Walter. However in many other languages it is much more common to use the last syllable of the whole name e.g.
Italian language Italian Nino for Giovanni (via Giovannino, which is a
diminutive form of Giovanni). Some abbreviations can use the middle of a word e.g. Liz for Elizabeth. There are a few names for which an archaic pronunciation of the full name is preserved in the short name e.g. Rick for Richard indicates that the -ch- was originally pronounced as -ck-. Some other nicknames were created by rhyming the shortened form of the full name, such as Ted or Ned for Edward (Ed), Bill for William (Will), and Bob or Nob for Robert (Rob). For those abbreviations that do not begin with the same letter as the full name, see
list of short name forms.
Examples:
|
*Ally, Allie, Ali ''for'' Alexandra, Allison, Alison or Alice
*Al, Alex, Lex, Xander, Sasha ''for'' Alexander or Alexandra
*Ann, Anna, Anne, Annie, Bella ''for'' Anabelle
*Andie ''for'' Andrea
*Andy, Drew ''for'' Andrew
*Ant, Tony, Toni, Tone ''for'' Anthony
*Barb, Barbie, Babs ''for'' Barbara
*Ben, Benny, Benji ''for'' Benjamin
*Bert, Bertie ''for'' Albert, Herbert, Bertram
*Betta ''for'' Elisabetta
*Billy Bob ''for'' William Robert
*Chuck, Chaz, Charlie, Charley, Carson ''for'' Charles
*Chris, Chrissy, Tina ''for'' Christina
*Chris, Chrissy, Chrissie ''for'' Christine
*Chris ''for'' Christopher, Christian
*Di, Dicey, Didi ''for'' Diane, Diana
*Donna ''for'' Donnatella
*Dan, Danny ''for'' Daniel
*Dave, Davey ''for'' David
*Den, Denny, Dino, Dean ''for'' Dennis
*Dot, Dotty ''for'' Dorothy or Dorothea
*Ella, Ellie, Elle, Nell, Nellie ''for'' Eleanor
*Beth, Bess, Bessie, Betsy, Betty, Bette, Ellie, Eliza, Lisa, Liza, Liz ''for'' Elizabeth
*Eli, Lige ''for'' Elijah
*Eli, Lish, Leesh ''for'' Elisha
*Em, Ems, Emmy ''for'' Emily and Emma
*Rikki, Rikkie, Ricky for Erica
*Frank, Frankie, Franky ''for'' Francis and Franklin
*Greg and Gegi ''for'' Gregory
*Geoff ''for'' Geoffrey
*Grey Goose ''for'' Gary
*Gerry ''for'' Gerald or Gerard
*Ginny, Gina, Gena ''for'' Ginger
*Harry, Hal, Hank ''for'' Henry, Hazel and Harold
*Isa, Bella, Belle, Bell ''for'' Isabel, Isabelle, Isabella
*Jack, Johnny ''for'' John
*Jackie ''for'' Jacqueline
*Jake ''for'' Jacob
*Jay, Jayce ''for'' Jason
*Jeff ''for'' Jefferson or Jeffrey (originally for Jefferson but now more often Jeffrey, a new form of Geoffrey)
*Jerry ''for'' Jerome
*Jess, Jessie ''for'' Jessica
*Jez ''for'' Jeremy
*Jim, Jimmy, Jamie, Jock ''for'' James
*Joe, Joey ''for'' Joseph
*Jojo, Josey ''for'' Josiah
*Jon ''for'' Jonathan
*Josh ''for'' Joshua
*Judy ''for'' Judith
*Jules ''for'' Julie or Julia
*Kat, Kate, Katie, Kathy ''for'' Katrina, Kathleen or Katherine or Kaitlyn
*Kels ''for'' Kelsey, Kelsie
*Ken, Kenny ''for'' Kenneth
*Kev, Crank ''for'' Kevin
*Kim, Kimber, or Lee ''for'' Kimberly or Kimberley
|
*Larry, Lar, Laurie ''for'' Lawrence or Laurence (male only)
*Laur, Lauri, Laurie, Lozza (australian) ''for'' Laurence, Laura or Lauren (female)
*Leo, Leona, Len, Lenny ''for'' Leonard or Leopold
*Lucy, Ceil, Ceall, Cille ''for'' Lucille
*Mandy, Mandi, Manda ''for'' Amanda
*Maddie, Maddy ''for'' Madeline, Madison
*Marge, Marg, Maggie, Mags, Meg, Megan, Peggy, Greta ''for'' Margaret
*Marty, Martie, Mattie ''for'' Martha
*Mally, Maidie, Mamie, Mare ''for'' Mary
*Matt, Mattie ''for'' Matthew
*Max for Maxwell, or Maximilian
*Liv, Livi ''for'' Olivia
*Meg, Mog, Gog ''for'' Megan
*Merv ''for'' Mervin
*Mo ''for'' Mohammed, Moira, Maurice, Morris, or Maureen
*Moll, Molly Dolly, Good Golly Miss Molly ''for'' Molly
*Nate, Nat ''for'' Nathan, Nathaniel, Natalie
*Ned, Ted ''for'' Edward
*Nick ''for'' Nicholas
*Pat, Patsy, Patty, Patti, Trish, Tricia ''for'' Patricia
*Pat, Paddy, Pa ''for'' Patrick
*Pete ''for'' Peter
*Dick, Dickie, Dicky, Rich, Richie, Richy, Rick, Ricky ''for'' Richard
*Bob, Rob, Robby, Robbie, Robi , Bobby, Rab, Bert , Bertie , Butch , Bobbers , Bobert , Bobadito, Robban (in Sweden) ''for'' Robert
*Ron, Ronnie ''for'' Ronald
*Rosie, Rose ''for'' Rosemary
*Rube ''for'' Reuben
*Rusty ''for'' Russell
*Ry ''for'' Ryan
*Sally, Sallie, Sadie ''for'' Sarah
*Sam, Sammy, Sammie ''for'' Samuel, Samantha, Samson
*Sandy, Al, Alex ''for'' Alexander
*Sandra, Sandy, Al, Alex ''for'' Alexandra
*Shazza ''for'' Sharron
*Sophie, Sophia ''for'' Sophronia
*Steph, Stephie ''for'' Stephanie
*Steve ''for'' Stephen (or Steven)
*Stewie, Stew, Stu ''for'' Stewart, Stuart
*Sue, Susie, Suzie ''for'' Susan/Suzanne (most often Sue or Susie for Susan and Suzie for Suzanne)
*Ted, Teddy, Theo, Tad ''for'' Edward, Theodore
*Teddie, Thea, Theo ''for'' Theodora
*Tom, Thom, Tommy ''for'' Thomas
*Terrie ''for'' Teresa
*Ty ''for'' Tyler, Tyann, Tyrone
*Vicky, Vicki, Vickie, Tori ''for'' Victoria
*Vince, Vin, Vinnie ''for'' Vincent
*Vivi ''for'' Vivian
*Wen, Wendel ''for'' Wendy
*Will, Wils, Willy, Willie, Bill, Billy, Liam ''for'' William
*Zach, Zack, Zac ''for'' Zachary
|
Many of these names are also registered as formal birth names.
2. A nickname may relate directly to a person's surname. Examples:
|
*Fletch'' for someone with the surname'' Fletcher
*Mitch'' for someone with the surname'' Mitchell
*Murph'' for someone with the surname'' Murphy
*Sully ''for someone with the surname'' Sullivan
|
*Smitty'' for someone with the surname'' Smith
*Arch'' for someone with the surname'' Archer
*Churchy ''for'' Winston Churchill
|
3. It may also relate indirectly to a surname. Examples:
|
*Chalky ''for someone with the surname'' White
*Sandy ''for someone with the surname'' Brown
*Doggy ''for someone with the surname'' Barker
|
*Dicky ''for someone with the surname'' Bird
*Dinger ''for someone with the surname'' Bell
*Chook ''for someone with the surname'' Fowler (only in Australia, where 'chook' is slang for chicken)
|
4. A nickname may be based on a person's suffix, as to distinguish them from their namesake, as in:
*Junior, J.R. ''for someone who is'' a junior (Jr.)
*Deuce ''for someone who is'' the second (II)
*Trey, Tré, Trip ''for someone who is'' the third (III)
*Ivy, Ivey, I.V. ''for someone who is'' the fourth (IV)
5. A nickname may reflect a national or cultural style. In the United States, for instance, rhyming contractions or plays on a person's name are common, as in:
*Flo-Jo
Florence Griffith Joyner
*Ho-Jo, any person named
Howard Johnson or the chain of hotels with the same name
*J-Lo
Jennifer Lopez
*A-Rod
Alex Rodriguez
Calling a person by their initials is also common.
6. Nicknames, whatever their original basis, may become cultural norms. 'Sis', (slang for 'sister') for example, is often picked up and used by all the members of a family, their friends and society at large. Similarly, 'Chip' (off the old block) and 'Junior' can be used for any youngster and the nickname may follow the person into adulthood.
Relating to culture/nationality
7. It may relate (offensively or otherwise) to a person's nationality or place of origin.
{{main|Offensive terms per nationality}}
Examples:
*
Aussie ''for an''
Australia Australian
*
Beaner ''for a''
Mexican (Offensive, used in the USA)
*
Bonians or
Frog ''for a''
French people Frenchman (Offensive, used by English Navy during 19th century against Napoleon Bonaparte's Navy, mainly used by Britons)
*
Canuck ''for a'' person from
Canada
*Caper ''for a'' person from
Cape Breton island in the province of
Nova Scotia
*
Fag ''for a'' homosexual (derogatory, usually refers to male homosexuals, more commonly used for
cigarettes in the UK)
*
Geordie ''for a'' person from
Newcastle Upon Tyne
*
JapNip ''for a'' person from
Japan (offensive, used around World War II)
*
Chink ''for a'' person of
Han Chinese Chinese or other
East Asian descent (offensive, normally used by Britons)
*
Dyke ''for a'' female homosexual (derogatory)
*
Kimchi ''for a'' person from
Korea
*
Kiwi (people) Kiwi ''for a''
New Zealand New Zealander
*
Kraut ''for a''
Germany German (offensive, used since World War II)
*
Keling ''for an''
India Indian (offensive)
*
Charlie ''for a''
Vietcong (mainly used around Vietnam War)
*
Harp ''for an''
Irish people Irish person
*
Hong Kee ''for a''
Hongkonger (Used by some Malaysians and Singaporeans)
*
Indon(s) ''for an''
Indonesia Indonesian (used by Malaysians)
*
Alternative words for British Limey ''for an''
England English person (U.S. usage); Pom or Pommy (Australian usage)
*Mac or Jock ''for a''
Scotland Scottish person
*'Mank' ''for'' someone from
Manchester, UK
*
Mainlander ''for a'' person from
The People's Republic of China, to distinguish them from Hongkonger or Taiwanese of Han Chinese ethnicity. Mainly used amoungst
Asia Asians
*
Mick ''for an''
Irish people Irish or
Catholic person (offensive)
*
Paddy ''for an''
Irish people Irish person
*Pinoy (or Noypi) ''for a''
Philippines Filipino person
*
Polak,
Pollok or
Pollack ''for a'' person from
Poland
*
Pommy ''for an''
England English person
*
Newfie ''for a'' person from Newfoundland and Labrador
*
Nigger ''for a'' person of African descent (derogatory, particularly if said by a person of non-African descent)
*
Queb' ''for a'' person from the province of
Quebec
*Scouser ''for a'' person from
Liverpool
*
Reds ''for a'' communist person, especially for one from the
Soviet Union
*
River Taff Taff ''for a''
Wales Welsh person
*
Ruskies ''for a''
Russian
*'Seppo' ''for a'' person from the
United States - Australian slang, orig. British
rhyming slang (Seppo - Septic - Septic Tank - Yank.)
*Tex ''for a'' person from
Texas
*Tit ''for a'' person with a small brain
*Wack ''for a'' person from
Liverpool (obsolete)
*Wog ''for a '' Westernised Oriental Gentleman, also a southern European (usually Italian or Greek)- Australian usage
*
Yankee Yank or
Yankee ''for a'' person from the
United States, particularly those Americans from the
U.S. Northeast (if used by someone from the
U.S. South, the term is intended to be pejorative)
Relating to personal characteristics
8. A nickname may relate to the person's occupation. Examples:
*Chips ''for a''
carpenter
*
Sparky or Sparks ''for an''
electrician or
radio operator
*Chief ''for a'' boss
*Skipper ''or'' Skip ''for a'' captain or boss
9. It may reference a person's physical characteristics. Examples:
* Baldy or Curly (ironic) ''for a''
baldness bald person
* Tubby or Chubby ''for a'' fat person
* Lofty, Lanksta or Stretch ''for a'' tall person
* Four-eyes ''for a'' person with glasses (offensive)
* Specs ''for a'' person who wears glasses
* Wheels ''for a'' person who uses a wheelchair (generally considered offensive)
* Carrot,herring, bloodnut, Carrot Top, Red, Rusty or Firecrotch ''for a'' person with
red hair
*
Blondie ''for a'' person with
blond hair
* Grey ''for a'' person who has a very Light Blue
eye color, also called the Grey
eye color.
It may be a sarcastic, or simply ironic, reference, e.g., Curly ''for'' someone with straight hair (or
The Three Stooges no hair at all) - this form is very typical in
Australian English, e.g:
* Blue ''for a'' person with red hair
* Tiny ''for a'' very large person
* Dulz ''for a'' cross eyed person (offensive)
* Shorty ''for a'' very tall person
* Slick ''for a'' clumsy, awkward or shy person
* Slim ''for a'' fat person
10. It may relate to a person's character, imagined or real. Examples:
*Grumpy
*Swotty
*Romeo
11. It may relate to a specific incident or action. Example:
Capability Brown was so called because he used the word "capability" instead of "possibility". Other examples include:
Ali Hassan al-Majid Chemical Ali and
Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf Comical Ali. Many fictional characters have nicknames relating to events: Examples include the
Char Aznable Red Comet,
Shin Matsunaga White Tiger,
Andrew Waltfeld Desert Tiger and
Mu La Flaga Hawk of Endymion.
12. It may compare the person with a famous or fictional character. Examples:
*
Napoleon ''or''
Adolf Hitler Hitler ''for'' someone with a dictatorial manner
13. It may be related to their place of origin or place of residence. Examples:
* Gloucester, Paul from Gloucester or PFG for someone named Paul who comes from a town called
Gloucester, New South Wales Gloucester.
* Robin Hood (Robin ''of Hood''), a famous fictional character.
14. It may reference a person's political affiliation. Examples:
* Dipper for a member of
Canada's
NDP Party.
* Tory for a person affiliated with
Great Britain's
Conservative Party
Others
15. A famous person's nickname may be unique to them:
*Tippecanoe ''for''
William Henry Harrison
*Dubya ''for''
George W. Bush. Dubya is from the Texan pronunciation of 'w', Bush's middle initial.
*Jack The Dripper ''for'' painter
Jackson Pollock who created many of his works by dripping paint over horizontal canvas
16. A person's nickname may have no traceable origin. For example, a person named "Harold" may be nicknamed "Fred" for no apparent reason, or a man who was named after a relative may ask his friends to call him "Chip" to avoid confusion.
Nicknames of geographical places
Cities
See also:
list of city nicknames for a more comprehensive list.
* Heart of America (It's near the geographical center of America), City of Fountains (It has the most public fountains of any U.S. city), KC (also KCK when refering specifically to Kansas City, Kansas, and KC Mo when refering specifically to Kansas City, Missouri) -
Kansas City Metropolitan Area Kansas City,
Kansas and
Missouri
* The Big Sweet Grass Basket, The Palmetto City, The Holy City, The Big C-H-S, The Marina City, Chucktown -
Charleston, South Carolina
* Charm City -
Baltimore, Maryland
* The
Big Apple, "The City That Never Sleeps"-
New York City New York, New York
* "The Windy City", "Chi-Town", "Second City", "City of Big Shoulders", and "Hog-Butcher To The World" -
Chicago, Illinois. (These last two are from
Chicago (poem) the poem by
Carl Sandburg; see also
Nicknames for Chicago.)
*
The Forest City -
Cleveland, Ohio and
London, Ontario
*
The Big Easy -
New Orleans, Louisiana
* Space City, Bayou City, H-Town, Oil Capital of the World -
Houston, Texas
* The Holy City -
Charleston, South Carolina
* Hotlanta/ATL/A-Town/The A -
Atlanta, Georgia
* The Circle City, Indy, Nap Town (popular slang) -
Indianapolis, Indiana
* Bluff City, City of Churches, Blues City,M-Town, The M -
Memphis, Tennessee
* The Magic City -
Birmingham, Alabama
* Mill City, City of Lakes,
Twin Cities,
Moscow on the Mississippi,
San Francisco on the River -
Minneapolis, Minnesota
*
Brew City -
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
*
Motor City, De-twah (Mostly used by Michiganders), D-Town -
Detroit, Michigan
*
Music City, Cashville -
Nashville, Tennessee
* The Big Smoke -
London, United Kingdom, also
Toronto, Canada
* "Hogtown", "T-Dot"; and Centre of the Universe -
Toronto, Canada, often used negatively by Canadians who live outside of Toronto due to the fact that the city is one of the financial and cultural hubs of
Canada and that there is a perceived bias towards Toronto by the Canadian media and its Prime Minister
* "The Hammer", "Hammertown" or "Steeltown" -
Hamilton, Ontario
* Van City -
Vancouver, British Columbia
*
Beantown,
The Hub -
Boston, Massachusetts
*
City of Angels, La La Land -
Los Angeles, California
*
Pearl of the Orient -
Hong Kong and
Manila both claim this nickname.
* Queen City of the South -
Cebu City, Philippines
*
Steel City -
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
*
City of Brotherly Love -
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
*
The Emerald City -
Seattle, Washington
* STL, The Lou -
St. Louis, Missouri
*
The Ingrown Empire - pejorative slang for the
Inland Empire (Pacific Northwest) Spokane, Washington
*
Crossroad of the Pacific -
Honolulu, Hawaii
*
The City of Lights and Flowers -
Anchorage, Alaska
* Harbour City -
Sydney, Australia
* City of Churches -
Adelaide, Australia due to the overall large nature of them in this city.
* The Place to Be -
Melbourne, Australia. Initially created by the local Government to describe the numerous world events Melbourne hosts each year.
* BrisVegas -
Brisbane, Australia due to its similarities with
LasVegas as far as weather, nightlife and general atttractions go
* Winterpeg or "The Peg" -
Winnipeg, Canada Due to the city's extremely cold weather and the idea that Winnipeg is the geographic centre of Canada.
*
The Bridge City,
The Hub City -
Saskatoon, Canada due to Saskatoon having many bridges relative to its population and being the "hub" along many provincial highways, with convenient routes to other centres in the province and beyond.
* J-Ville, "Where Florida Begins" -
Jacksonville, Florida
*
Big D -
Dallas, Texas
* "Where the West Begins," Funkytown, FW (pronounced "EFF-dub") -
Fort Worth, Texas
* BK/BX- Boroughs in New York City
Brooklyn, New York and
Bronx, New York
* "Vah-Beach" -
Virginia Beach, Virginia
* The Rocket City -
Huntsville, Alabama
* Peanut Capital of the World -
Dothan, Alabama
Countries
* The Great White North -
Canada
* The Land Down Under, Oz -
Australia
* The Land of the Long White Cloud -
New Zealand
* L'hexagone (The Hexagon) -
France
* The Fine Country -
Singapore - Often in a sarcastic or satirical manner, as to playfully describe the law enforcement of Singapore as corruption-free and highly efficient; however, the island nation is also widely accepted has been imposing high fines to minor offences such as littering with such high effienciency that granted such nickname to the nation.
* The Land of the Rising Sun -
Japan
* The Pearl of the Orient Seas -
Philippines
*
Da Lu (mainland - lit. 'Big Land') -
The People's Republic of China mainland China
* The States, America, Land of the Free, Jesusland -
United States (Jesusland is '''mostly''' the United States [http://www.jesusland.com/])
* The Emerald Isle -
Ireland
* Blighty -
Great Britain
* The
Lucky Country -
Australia
Regions
* The Wet Coast -
British Columbia, Canada; a play on "The West Coast" because that area of the country rains a lot
*
Red states - states that strongly supported George W. Bush in the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections
*
Blue states - states that strongly supported Al Gore and John Kerry in the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections, respectively
* The
Deep South,
Bible Belt - Southern U.S.
* The Dirty South (usually the South Eastern States but not limited to the whole Old South)
* The Left Coast - Washington, Oregon, and California, United States; due to their location in the country and general support of "the left" (
liberal political ideology).
* Bridge of the World, Heart of the Universe (Spanish: Puente del Mundo, Corazón del Universo) - Republic of Panama; due to the convergence of the principal trade routes through its Panama Canal
Nicknames for political terms
* Red - a
communist, but can also mean a rebel who is against the government; inclining towards the left wing politically, as in a "Red Tory" in Canada, that is, a moderate conservative; also, ironically, a member or supporter of the
United States Republican Party
* Blue - a member or supporter of the
United States Democratic Party; a supporter of the Conservatives in Canada -- and a "Blue Tory" is a right wing conservative
*
Pinko - a borderline
communist
*
War Hawk Hawk - a person who supports and pursues aggressive foreign policies, such as going to war in order to achieve his/her goals
* Dove - a person who supports and pursues peaceful means to conduct foreign policy, as opposed to war
* Skinhead - a
neo-Nazi or a white supremacist
*
Tory - a person belonging to the
Conservative Party in
Britain and
Canada
*
Grit - a person belonging to the
Liberal Party of Canada Liberal Party in Canada
* The Little Red Book - the book that contains
quotations from Chairman Mao Zedong, often called that because the book itself has a red cover and small enough to fit into a pocket
Nicknames for some common items
*boob tube, idiot box, telly, TV, goggle-box (UK) -
television
*bug or VW bug -
Volkswagen Beetle
*head -
toilet on a
ship
*loo, john, potty, bog -
toilet
*Old Glory - the
Flag of the United States
Nicknames for professions
* Blue (southern US), Stripes, Zebra, Sisco -
referee
*
Beancounter -
accountant
* Chippie, Wood Butcher -
carpenter
* Chaps -
chaplain in the Navy or Marine Corp
* Copper, Cozzer (Brit.), Bobby (Brit.), The Fuzz (plural), Cop, Pig/Bacon, Flatfoot, Blueboy, Po-po -
police officer
* Doc, Sawbones, Quack -
Physician doctor
* Fed - agent from the
Federal Bureau of Investigation
* Foodie -
chef
* Geo -
geologist or
geophysicist
* Loan Shark - a loan salesman
* Narc - an undercover cop
* Roomie - hotel employee
*
Roughneck - oil rigger
* Sawbones -
surgeon
* Shark, Ambulance Chaser, Shyster -
lawyer
*
Shovelbums - archaeological field technicians
* Shrink -
psychiatrist
* Spook (usually a plural) - (U.S. military)
List of intelligence agencies intelligence agent
Nicknames for companies
*"Big Blue" -
IBM, computer hardware/software manufacturer
*"Bloblaws" or "Blah-Blahs" -
Loblaws, Canadian supermarket chain
*"BK Lounge" -
Burger King, global fast-food chain
*"Gold Mansacks" -
Goldman Sachs, investment banking firm
*"Great Yellow Father" -
Eastman Kodak
*"Ho-Jo" -
Howard Johnson
*"Jacques Penné" -
JCPenney clothing stores
*"K-Fry" or "K-Fried" -
KFC, American fried chicken restaurant chain
*"The Little Thief" -
Little Chef, UK roadside restaurant
*"Lose-It" -
Loomis, Canadian courier company
*"Ma Bell" -
AT&T, American telephone company
*"Mickey D's", "Rotten Ronnie's", "McDogchow", "McDick's", "McConvicts", "MacDo" mainly in
France, though former usage common in
Australia in addition to Australian "Macca's" -
McDonald's, global fast-food chain
*"Monkey Ward" -
Montgomery Wards Department Store chain
*"M$," "Micro$loth," "Micro$haft" or "The
Borg" -
Microsoft, American software company
*"Mothercorp" -
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Canadian national broadcaster
*"OOPS" -
United Parcel Service UPS, American courier service
*"Pizza Slut", "Pizza Smut" -
Pizza Hut, Global pizza chain
*"Rotten Ron's" -
McDonald's, global fast-food chain
*"Scan dick", "Scandalic" -
Scandic
*"Skandial" -
Skandia
*"Sooner-or-Later" -
Purolator, Canadian courier company
*"Tar-Get" ("Get" pronounced "zhay")-
Target retail store chain.
*"Timmy's," "Tim's" or "Timmy Ho's" -
Tim Hortons, Canadian coffee and doughnut chain
*"Taco Hell", "Toxic Hell", "Baco Tell" -
Taco Bell fast-food restaurant chain
*"Wally World" -
Wal-Mart, global chain of retail stores.
*"Weggies" - Wegmans Food Market inc.
*"Office Despot" - Office Depot, chain of office supply stores.
Nicknames for universities
*"Ikey" for student from
University of Cape Town,
South Africa
*"Matie" for student from
University of Stellenbosch,
South Africa
*"
The U" for
University of Miami Football Program,
University of Utah,
University of Minnesota
*"U-Dub" for
University of Washington
*"Bobby-Gee's" for
Robert Gordon University,
Aberdeen,
Scotland
*"Mizzou" for
University of Missouri - Columbia
*"Ole Miss" for
University of Mississippi
*"Wazzu" for
Washington State University
*"UConn" for
University of Connecticut
*"UMass" for
Univeristy of Massachusetts
*"Vandy" for
Vanderbilt University
*"Bama" for
University of Alabama
*"Okie State" for
Oklahoma State University
Military nicknames
* G.I. -
United States American soldier (short for Government Issue or General Infantry)
* Dogface, gopher, grunt, cannon fodder, Bullet Stopper, Bushwacker, 11 Bang-Bang, 11 "Bravo" Infantard -
infantry soldier
* D-boys, Delta boys, Deltas -
Delta Force
* Zipperhead -
armoured soldier
* Gunbunny -
artillery soldier
* Matelots, squids, swabies, deck ape, deck monkey -
sailors
* Frogs -
Navy Seals
* Leathernecks, jarheads, devil dogs -
United States Marine Corps U.S. marines
* Puddle jumpers, shallow water sailors, weekend navy, puddle pirates, Gilligans -
United States Coast Guard
* Chairforce, Flyboys -
United States Air Force
* Blue job, wallet head -
Canadian Forces Air Command Canadian Air Force
* Blanket Stacker - members of
Royal Logistics Corps Logistics or
Royal Engineers Engineering units
* Bin rat - Supply technician,
Canadian Forces
* Redcap -
Royal Military Police British Military Police officer
* Floating Heads and Diggers - Australian Army Soldiers
* Biggles - Australian Air Force Pilot
* Raffies - Australian Air Force Personnel
* Fire Dawgs - American Marine, Air Force, and Army Firefighters
* Pongos -
British Army, Australian Army (As in 'Where ever the army goes, the pong goes')
* Crab fats, crabs - Members of the
Royal Air Force
See also:
List of nicknames of British Army regiments;
Regimental nicknames of the Canadian Forces
Sports clubs and their nicknames
Sporting
clubs are often given nicknames. These may or may not be incorporated into official names or be used by the club. The names of animals or colours are popular. Examples:
Football (soccer)
|
* The Addicks - Charlton Athletic
* ''Les Aigles de Carthage'' (Eagles of Carthage) - Tunisia national football team Tunisia national team
* ''Albicelestes'' (The White-and-Sky-Blues) - Argentina national football team Argentina national team
* All Whites - New Zealand national soccer team New Zealand national team
* ''Els Arlequinats (Harlequins)'' - CE Sabadell
* ''Asini Volanti'' (Flying Donkeys) - Chievo Verona
* ''Gli Azzurri'' (Blues) - Italy national football team Italy national team
* ''Bafana Bafana'' (The Boys) - South Africa national football team South Africa national team
* The Baggies - West Bromwich Albion F.C. West Bromwich Albion
* ''Bajen'' - Hammarby IF
* Bhoys, Hoops - Celtic F.C. Celtic
* ''I Bianconeri'' (The White-and-Blacks), ''La Vecchia Signora'' (The Old Lady) - Juventus
* The Black Cats - Sunderland A.F.C. Sunderland
* ''Blåvitt'' (Blue-White), ''Änglarna'' (The Angels) - IFK Göteborg
* ''Les Bleus'' - France national football team France national team
* ''The Blues'' - Chelsea F.C. Chelsea
* Canaries - Norwich City F.C. Norwich City
* ''Canaris'' - FC Nantes Atlantique Nantes
* ''Los Carballones'' - Real Oviedo
* ''Los Ches'' - Valencia CF Valencia
* ''Colchoneros'' (Mattress Makers) - Atlético de Madrid Atlético Madrid
* ''Los Chicharreros'' - Club Deportivo Tenerife Tenerife
* ''Chivas'' or ''Chivas Rayadas'' - Chivas de Guadalajara Club Deportivo Guadalajara A.C.
* ''Clube do Povo'', ''Rolo Compressor'' (historical) - Sport Club Internacional
* ''Los Culés'', ''Los Azulgranas'' (The Blue-scarlets) - FC Barcelona
* ''Les Diables Rouges'', ''Rode Duivels'' (Red Devils in French and Dutch) - Belgium national football team Belgium national team
* ''Los Diablos Rojos'' - Club Toluca Club Deportivo Toluca
* The Dons - Aberdeen, AFC Wimbledon, Milton Keynes Dons F.C. MK Dons
* The Dynamite - Denmark national football team Denmark national team
* ''Les Éléphants'' - Côte d'Ivoire national football team Côte d'Ivoire national team
* ''Els Escapulats'' - CE Europa de Barcelona
* ''Geißböcke'' (Billy Goats) - 1. FC Köln FC Köln
* 'Gers, Blue Bears - Rangers F.C. Rangers
* ''Gnaget'' - AIK
* ''Godenzonen'' (Sons of God) - Ajax Amsterdam
* The Grecians - Exeter City F.C. - Exeter City
* The Gunners - Arsenal F.C. Arsenal
* The Hoops - Shamrock Rovers F.C. Shamrock Rovers
* The Hoops - F.C. Dallas (USA)
* The Jags - Partick Thistle F.C.
* Jambos, Jam Tarts - Heart of Midlothian F.C. Hearts
* ''Järnkaminerna'' (The Iron Stoves) - Djurgårdens IF Fotboll Djurgårdens IF
|
* ''Klubi'' - HJK Helsinki
* The Latics - Oldham Athletic, Wigan Athletic F.C. Wigan Athletic
* ''Les Lions de l'Atlas'' (Lions of Atlas) - Morocco national football team Morocco national team
* ''Les Lions de la Téranga'' - Senegal national football team Senegal national team
* ''Lions Indomptables'' (Indomitable Lions) - Cameroon national football team Cameroon national team
* The Locomotive - Czech Republic national football team Czech Republic national team
* Magpies - Newcastle United F.C. Newcastle United
* ''Makrillarna'' (The Mackerels) - GAIS
* Matildas - Australia women's national football team Australia women's national team
* ''Los Merengues'' (The Whites), ''Los Galácticos'' (The Galactics) - Real Madrid
* ''NÃ stic'' - Gimnastic de Tarragona
* ''Oranje'' (Orange) - Netherlands national football team Netherlands national team
* ''Els Orelluts (Long-eared bats)'' - CD Castellón
* ''O Peixe'' (The Fish), ''O Alvinegro'' (The White-and-Black) - Santos FC Santos
* Panzer, Elf - Germany national football team Germany national team
* Portokaloi - [ APOEL F.C., Cyprus Football Association]
* ''Los Pimentoneros (The Peppers)'' - Real Murcia
* Rams - Derby County F.C. Derby County
* Red Devils - Manchester United F.C. Manchester United
* The Reds - Liverpool F.C. Liverpool
* The Reggae Boyz - Jamaica national football team Jamaica national team
* ''Sinivalkoiset'' - Finland national football team Finland national team
* Sky Blues - Coventry City F.C. Coventry City
* Soccerroos - Australia national football team Australia national team
* Super Eagles - Nigeria national football team Nigeria national team
* ''Taeguk Warriors'' - South Korea national football team South Korea national team
* 'The Three Lions', 'St. George Cross' - England national football team England national team
* ''Los Ticos'' - Costa Rica national football team Costa Rica national team
* The Toffees - Everton F.C. Everton
* ''Los Tricolores'', ''El Tri'' - Mexico national football team Mexico national team
* United - Clubs named United often use their surname as a nickname.
* ''Vatreni'' (The Firey Ones), ''Kockasti'' (The Chequereds) - Croatia national football team Croatia national team
* ''I Viola'' (The Purples) - ACF Fiorentina Fiorentina
* Wolves - Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club Wolverhampton Wanderers
* ''Xeneizes'' - Boca Juniors
|
Australian Rules Football
See also
List of nicknames used in Australian rules
|
* Fremantle Football Club - Dockers, Freo
* West Coast Eagles - Weagles
* Essendon Football Club - Dons, Bombers, Baby Bombers
* Collingwood Football Club - Pies, Woods, Colliwobbles
* St Kilda Football Club - Saints, Sainters
* Western Bulldogs - Bullies, Dogs, Doggies
* Melbourne Football Club - Demons, Dees, Redlegs
* Carlton Football Club - Blueboys
* Sydney Swans - Swannies, Bloods, Blood Soaked Angels
* Kangaroos Football Club - Shinboners, Roos, Rooboys
* Hawthorn Football Club - Hawks, Hawkers
* Adelaide Football Club - Crows, Croweaters
* Brisbane Lions - Lions, Brissie, Roys (Derived from Fitzroy; one of the two teams merged to create Brisbane)
* Geelong Football Club - Cats, Catters
* Port Adelaide Football Club - Port, Power
* Richmond Football Club - Tigers, Tiges
* Victoria, Australia Victorian Representative Team - ''Big V'', Vics
* Western Australian Representative Team - Sandgropers
|
* South Australian Representative Team - Croweaters
* Queensland Representative Team - Cane Toads
* New South Wales Representative Team - Cockroaches
* Combined NSW/ACT/QLD/NT/Tas Representative Team - Allies
* Papua New Guinea (Australian rules football National Team) Papua New Guinea National Team - Mosquitos
* Samoa National Team - Bulldogs
* Ireland (Australian rules football National Team) Irish National Team - Green Machine
* Nauru (Australian rules football National Team) Nauru National Team - Chiefs
* Canada (Australian rules football National Team) Canada National Team - Northwind
* United States of America (Australian rules football National Team) USA National Team - Revolution
* Denmark (Australian rules football National Team) Denmark National Team - Vikings
* South Africa (Australian rules football National Team) South African National Team - Buffaloes
* New Zealand (Australian rules football National Team) New Zealand National Team - Falcons
* Great Britain (Australian rules football National Team) Great Britain National Team - Bulldogs
* Indonesian National Team - Bintangs (Stars)
* Spanish National Team - Bulls
* Japan (Australian rules football National Team) Japan National Team - Samurai
|
Rugby Union
* Baa-Baas -
Barbarian F.C.
*
All Blacks - New Zealand national team
* Les Bleus -
France national rugby union team France national team
*
'Ikale Tahi (Sea Eagles) -
Tonga national rugby union team Tonga national team
*
Leicester Tigers - Leicester Rugby Football Club
* ''Lelos'' -
Georgia national rugby union team Georgia national team
* ''Manu Samoa'' -
Samoa national rugby union team Samoa national team
* ''Los Pumas'' -
Argentina national rugby union team Argentina national team
* Springboks -
South Africa national rugby union team South Africa national team
* Wallabies -
Australia national rugby union team Australia national team
Baseball
*
Arizona Diamondbacks - D-backs
*
Atlanta Braves - Bravos, America's Team
*
Baltimore Orioles - O's, Birds
*
Boston Red Sox- BoSox; Carmines; New England Nine; Olde Towne Team; Red Sux (by haters), Red Cubs
*
Chicago Cubs - Cubbies; Loveable Losers; Scrubs; Dubs; Northsiders; Build-a-Bears (by haters).
*
Chicago White Sox - ChiSox; "Da Sox"; Pale Hose; Southsiders; Black Sox (after losing the
1919 World Series); White Sux (by haters), Sox Suxs (by haters who think "White Sux" is offensive).
*
Cincinnati Reds - Redlegs; nicknamed "The Big Red Machine" during the team's run in the 1970's, when they won the division 6 times and appeared in the
World Series 4 times
*
Cleveland Indians - The Tribe
*
Detroit Tigers - The Motor City Kitties
*
Florida Marlins - Fish; Fighting Fish; The Men of Teal
*
Houston Astros - 'Stros
*
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - Halos; Seraphs
*
Los Angeles Dodgers - Bums, the Boys of Summer (from their Brooklyn days; usage in L.A. has faded with time)
*
Milwaukee Brewers - Brew Crew; Brew-has; Proffessional Alcoholics (by haters)
*
Minnesota Twins - Twinkies
*
New York Mets - nicknamed "The Loveable Losers" when they first started playing, the Kings of Queens; The Amazin' Mets
*
New York Yankees - The Bronx Bombers; The Pinstripes; Yanks; Dream Dashers; Evil Empire (by haters. Coined by Red Sox executive Larry Lucchino).
*
Oakland Athletics - A's; F's (by haters, in reference to grades in
school)
*
Pittsburgh Pirates - Bucs; Buc-o's
*
Philadelphia Phillies - (Fightin') Phils; Phightins; Sillies; Pillies (given when some players were involved in an amphetamine scandal in the early 1980's); Quakers (alternate nickname used early in the team's history)
*
St. Louis Cardinals - Cards; Redbirds
*
San Diego Padres - Pods; Friars
*
San Francisco Giants - Jints (rhymes with "pints"); gigantes (Gee-gant-As) which is spanish for Giant
*
Tampa Bay Devil Rays - D-rays; Rays
*
Washington Nationals- Nats
NBA Basketball
* Wolves, T-Wolves, T-bots, T-pups -
Minnesota Timberwolves
* Knickerbockers -
New York Knicks
* Blazers-
Portland Trailblazers
* Mavs -
Dallas Mavericks
* Sixers -
Philadelphia 76ers
* Sonics, or Supe's, or Hedgehogs -
Seattle SuperSonics
* Canada's Team, Raps -
Toronto Raptors
* Cavs -
Cleveland Cavaliers
* The Celts -
Boston Celtics
International Basketball
* Gli Azzurri -
Italy national basketball team Italy national team
* Les Bleus -
France national basketball team France national team
*
Boomers - Australian national team
*
Tall Blacks - New Zealand national team
Cricket
{{Main|List of nicknames used in cricket}}
American Football
*
Atlanta Falcons - The Dirty Birds
*
Carolina Panthers - Cardiac Cats (Due to winning/losing many games in the closing seconds during the 2003 season)
*
Chicago Bears - Da Bears;
Monsters of the Midway, Build-a-Bears (by haters)
*
Cleveland Browns - Dawgs (from the
Dawg Pound, a famously rowdy bleacher section of the team's former home,
Cleveland Stadium, since transferred to today's
Cleveland Browns Stadium), The Brownies, The Turds (by haters)
*
Cincinnati Bengals - The Bungles (applied when the team plays poorly)
*
Dallas Cowboys - America's Team, Cowgirls (when playing poorly), Cryboys (by haters)
*
Denver Broncos - Orange Crush
*
Green Bay Packers - The Pack, The Peckers (by haters), Fudgepackers (by haters), Pack-queers (by haters)
*
Houston Texans - Procrastinators (when playing poorly)
*
Indianapolis Colts - The Blue Crew, The Herd, The Dolts (by haters)
*
Jacksonville Jaguars - Jags
*
Kansas City Chiefs - The Chefs (in honor of a Snickers ad in which the grounds crew paints Chefs in the end zone)
*
Miami Dolphins - Fins, The Fish
*
Minnesota Vikings - Vikes, Vi-queens (when playing poorly)
*
New England Patriots - Pats, The Patsies, Patty Cakes
*
New Orleans Saints - Ain'ts (when playing poorly), Sinners (also when playing poorly), The San Antonio Saints (because they might move to San Antonio)
*
New York Giants - G-Men, Jints, Big Blue, Big Blue Wrecking Crew, New York Football Giants (Made Popular by
Chris Berman)
*
Oakland Raiders - The Silver and Black, Da Raidahs, The Faders
*
Philadelphia Eagles- Birds, Iggles (many Philadelphians pronounce the team's name this way), Pigeons (by haters), Beagles (by haters and when playing poorly)
*
Pittsburgh Steelers - The Steel Curtain (in their glory years of the
1970s, has been resurrected due to their recent success), The Black and Gold, The Stillers, Shitsburgh (by haters)
*
St. Louis Rams - Rammers, Lambs, Goats (when playing poorly)
*
San Diego Chargers - Bolts (from the
lightning bolt design on their helmets)
*
San Francisco 49ers - 'Niners, The Whiners
*
Seattle Seahawks - Hawks
*
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Bucs
*
Tennessee Titans - The Thumbtacks, The Flaming Thumbtacks, The Oilers
*
Washington Redskins - 'Skins, The Chesapeake Watershed Region Indigenous Persons, The Potomac Drainage Basin Indigenous Persons, DeadSkins (by haters)
Canadian Football
*
Calgary Stampeders - Stamps
*
Edmonton Eskimos - Esks
*
Hamilton Tiger-Cats - Ti-Cats
*
Montreal Alouettes - Als
*
Saskatchewan Roughriders - Riders
*
Toronto Argonauts - Argos; Boatmen (team was founded by the Toronto Argonaut Rowing Club in
1873)
*
Winnipeg Blue Bombers - Bombers
Hockey (Ice)
*
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim - Ducks
*
Carolina Hurricanes - Canes, Katrina's Team (in reference to
Hurricane Katrina)
*
Chicago Blackhawks - Hawks
*
Colorado Avalanche- Avs
*
Detroit Red Wings - Wings
*
Edmonton Oilers - Billy's Boys (after
Bill Hunter William "Wild Bill" Hunter, founder of the
World Hockey Association and the team's predecessor, the Alberta Oilers
*
Florida Panthers - the Cats
*
Montreal Canadiens - Habs (short for "Habitant", or Québecois farmer) or Crabs or les Crabs (by the haters); Flying Frenchmen; Les Rouges (after the red colour of their jerseys); Le Bleu, Blanc, Rouge (the three colours of the logo); Le Tricolore; La Sainte Flanelle
*
Nashville Predators - Preds
*
New York Islanders - Isles
*
New York Rangers - the Blueshirts or Broadway Blueshirts
*
Ottawa Senators - Sens
*
Philadelphia Flyers - nicknamed the "Broad Street Bullies" during the team's Stanley Cup runs during the 1970's (the
Wachovia Spectrum Spectrum, the arena where the Flyers then played, is on Broad Street in
South Philadelphia)
*
Pittsburgh Penguins - Pens
*
St. Louis Blues (hockey) St Louis Blues - Blue notes (re-pluralize the singular Blue note used for one player)
*
Tampa Bay Lightning - the Bolts
*
Toronto Maple Leafs - Leafs, Blue Leafers, the Buds (nickname bestowed by sportswriters, probably based on the team's use of a leaf as a logo), Maple Lafs (by the haters)
*
Vancouver Canucks - 'Nucks
*
Washington Capitals - Caps, Crapitals (by haters)
*
Winnipeg Jets - Jets (nicknamed the Jets after aqcuiring Bobby Hull "The Golden Jet" as a part of the World Hockey Association)
* ''Tre Kronor'' (Three Crowns) -
Swedish national men's ice hockey team Swedish national team, after the three crowns in their jersey, from the
coat of arms of Sweden.
* ''Leijonat'' (Lions) -
Finnish national men's ice hockey team Finnish national team, after the lion in their jersey, which is from the
coat of arms of Finland. Also ''Leijonapaidat'' (Lion Shirts) and ''Kiekkoleijonat'' (Hockey Lions)
Sports stadia and their nicknames
Australia
*
Melbourne Cricket Ground - the 'G
*
Woolongabba Cricket Ground - the 'Gabba
*
Subiaco Oval - Subi'
*
Telstra Dome (Melbourne) - The Dome
South America
*
La Bombonera Boca Juniors Stadium - ''La Bombonera'' (The Chocolate Box)
*
El Monumental River Plate Stadium - ''El Monumental''
Britain
*
Wembley Stadium - The Twin Towers (now extinct)
United States
*
Chase Field (formerly known as Bank One Ballpark) - The BOB
*
HP Pavilion - The Shark Tank, The Tank
*
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome - Thunderdome, Homerdome
*
Oriole Park at Camden Yards - The Yard, Oriole Park, Camden Yards
*
Tropicana Field - The Trop, The Juicer
*
U.S. Cellular Field - The Cell
*
Wachovia Center - (when known as the First Union Center) F.U. Center
*
Wrigley Field - The Friendly Confines
*
Yankee Stadium - The House that Ruth Built
*
Dodger Stadium - Chavez Ravine
*
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum- The Grand Old Lady
*
Angel Stadium of Anaheim - The Big A, The Big Ed (when Edison International Field)
*
Turner Field - The Ted
*
Legion Field - Old Gray Lady
*
Jacobs Field The Jake
*
Kauffman Stadium - The K
See also
External links
-
Company Nicknames and Psuedo-Slogans that you can add to!
-
Nicknames, Pet Names and Metaphors
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Category:Pseudonyms
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