# A Grown Man Should Not be Nicknamed "Scooter" **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 28, 2005, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-grown-man-should-not-be-nicknamed-scooter/328360 "2005-10-28T19:42:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![purple\_haze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/db5fbb/32.png) [@purple\_haze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purple_haze)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-grown-man-should-not-be-nicknamed-scooter/328360/21 "2005-10-29T12:30:33Z")
Our neighbor’s nickname is Chip. He was named after his dad, but they called him Chip and it stuck. He’s in his 30’s. This is actually one of my pet peeves. My BIL’s name is Ray, and his son is also Ray. Everyone in my husband’s family calls him “little Ray” except for me. Come on! The kid is 12 now. How many years will he have to be referred to as “little Ray”? When my husband refers to him by that name it makes me crazy. His family also calls uncle John, Johnny, cousin Tom, Tommy, Uncle Jim, Jimmy - you get the idea. Every. single. relative. never loses their childhood moniker. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-grown-man-should-not-be-nicknamed-scooter/328360/22 "2005-10-29T12:58:52Z")
“Scooter” is a great name if you’re contemplating committing heinous criminal acts. Never trust anybody with a cutesy, innocent sounding nickname. They’re hiding their true natures. That’s why all those stone-killer mob guys have cute names, like “Baby-face.” Anybody with a real tough sounding nickname is a creampuff. Anyone with a cutsey innocent one is scary bad. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-grown-man-should-not-be-nicknamed-scooter/328360/23 "2005-10-29T13:03:13Z")
At least one very remarkable modern day American had the nickname [Chappie](http://www.fatherryan.org/blackmilitary/chappie.htm) ---
**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-grown-man-should-not-be-nicknamed-scooter/328360/24 "2005-10-29T20:10:47Z")
Ohhh, you can call me Ray, or you can call me J, or you can call me Ray J, or you can call me Johnnie…But ya doesn’t has to call me Johnson! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-grown-man-should-not-be-nicknamed-scooter/328360/25 "2005-10-29T20:24:54Z")
> [@E-Sabbath](#): > > Libby’s nicknamed after a great Yankee, Phil Rizzuto. Who got the name from how he scooted around the bases. > > I think Phil could take him. > > But it’s got nothing to do with frat boys at all. Not according to the piece on NPR I heard. Scooter got his nickname because as a little kid he used to scoot around the house on his backside instead of walking. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-grown-man-should-not-be-nicknamed-scooter/328360/26 "2005-10-29T21:17:16Z")
Stupid nicknames are at least a matter of choice (usually). What gets me are grown men with the legal names of little boys. Like our landlord, whose legal name is Ricky. (To his credit, he goes by his middle name, however.) Or a guy my mother knew whose legal first and middle names were Teddy Jack. At least give people the option of choosing their own stupid nickname rather than inflicting it on them from birth! ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2005, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-grown-man-should-not-be-nicknamed-scooter/328360/27 "2005-10-30T01:18:16Z")
I have an old high school buddy who still answers to “_Fudd_”. ---
**Author:** ![wonderlust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonderlust/32/7237_2.png) [@wonderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonderlust)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2005, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-grown-man-should-not-be-nicknamed-scooter/328360/28 "2005-10-30T05:17:52Z")
Unfortunately I innocently named my kitten Scooter a few months ago. I thought it was a really great retro nickname for a boy-cat. I wasn’t aware of the infamous Scooter at the time. ---
**Author:** ![susan\_foster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@susan\_foster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan_foster)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2005, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-grown-man-should-not-be-nicknamed-scooter/328360/29 "2005-10-30T05:28:20Z")
> [@purple haze](#): > > His family also calls uncle John, Johnny, cousin Tom, Tommy, Uncle Jim, Jimmy - you get the idea. Every. single. relative. never loses their childhood moniker. 😕 My dad’s sisters used to call him Jeffy. Drove him nuts. And yes - this was when he was in his 30’s. I think they’ve stopped now. Either that, or it just doesn’t register for me anymore. Susan ---
**Author:** ![PinkShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/76d3ee/32.png) [@PinkShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PinkShoes)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2005, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-grown-man-should-not-be-nicknamed-scooter/328360/30 "2005-10-30T06:22:25Z")
I know of a man who goes by the name “Skip” and another man who goes by the name “Nugget.” ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2005, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-grown-man-should-not-be-nicknamed-scooter/328360/31 "2005-10-30T07:27:56Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > Not according to the piece on NPR I heard. Scooter got his nickname because as a little kid he used to scoot around the house on his backside instead of walking. I don’t trust the Rizzuto story either, especially if it came from Libby. The man is so secretive that apparently he doesn’t even tell people what “I.” stands for. The Washington Post concluded it’s probably Irv, but might be Irving or Irve. Unless we have a story about the nickname that comes from his parents… ---
**Author:** ![Ace309](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ace309/32/1050_2.png) [@Ace309](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ace309)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2005, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-grown-man-should-not-be-nicknamed-scooter/328360/32 "2005-10-30T16:12:04Z")
It took me almost a full academic year to do it, but I finally broke my law school friends of calling me ‘T-Bone.’ Most of them are just calling me ‘Tom’ now. We’ve nicknamed a particularly nerdy, busybodyish and annoying first-year student government rep ‘Scooter’ in the wake of the Libby affair. The aim is to bother him so much that he quits following us around and lecturing us on things that we’ve put more thought into than he has. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2005, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-grown-man-should-not-be-nicknamed-scooter/328360/33 "2005-10-30T17:14:40Z")
Wikipedia says he says it both ways. > **[Scooter Libby](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_Libby)** > > I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby (first name generally given as Irv, Irve or Irving; born August 22, 1950) is an American lawyer, and former adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney. > From 2001 to 2005, Libby held the offices of Assistant to the Vice President for National Security Affairs, Chief of Staff to the Vice President of the United States, and Assistant to the President during the administration of President George W. Bush. > In October 2005, Libby resigned from all three government positions after... Could both be true. Wouldn’t call him Scooter if Phil didn’t have the nickname too, for example. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Krebbs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5fc32e/32.png) [@Mr.Krebbs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Krebbs)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2005, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-grown-man-should-not-be-nicknamed-scooter/328360/34 "2005-10-30T17:55:21Z")
Incidentally, I know a fully grown man (he’s 34) nicknamed Scooter. I’m currently working on a freight crew at a grocery store, and he’s one of the leads on the crew. Scooter’s real name is Steve and as there are two other Steves working at the store (another on the freight crew and a front-end manager), it was necessary to nickname him. Evidently, Scooter was chosen as he “scoots around the store,” whatever that means. Apparently his mother once called and asked for Scooter by his given name. Whoever took the call responded that no one by that name was working at the store, despite the fact that Scooter has been an employee there for more than 10 years. ---
**Author:** ![LilyoftheValley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@LilyoftheValley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilyoftheValley)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2005, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-grown-man-should-not-be-nicknamed-scooter/328360/35 "2005-10-30T18:31:15Z")
I scoff at Chip and Scooter, and offer you [Chub](http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/tvprograms/houseproject/showdescriptions/0,16559,203795,00.html). > [@](#): > > This Old House > Program #1901 > The new season starts with a visit to Chub Whitten’s Colonial home in Ipswich, Massachusetts, that we toured at the beginning of last season. Then it was a burned wreck; now, a year later, it is impeccably restored. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2005, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-grown-man-should-not-be-nicknamed-scooter/328360/36 "2005-10-30T18:43:10Z")
My folks once had a guy named Steamer work on their house. That’s what was on his business card. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2005, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-grown-man-should-not-be-nicknamed-scooter/328360/37 "2005-10-30T18:45:50Z")
That’s okay, I work with a guy everyone calls “Possum” and another guy who insists you call him “Baby Boy.” He’s roughly 6’ 2" and weighs in around 250 lbs. ---
**Author:** ![zelie\_zelerton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/59ef9b/32.png) [@zelie\_zelerton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zelie_zelerton)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2005, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-grown-man-should-not-be-nicknamed-scooter/328360/38 "2005-10-30T20:54:19Z")
i’ve always been amused by the name/nickname Randy. It means something different where i come from… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-grown-man-should-not-be-nicknamed-scooter/328360/39 "2005-10-31T03:01:49Z")
> [@LilyoftheValley](#): > > I scoff at Chip and Scooter, and offer you [Chub](http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/tvprograms/houseproject/showdescriptions/0,16559,203795,00.html). Also answering to “Chub” was [Charles Stoneham Feeney](http://www.thedeadballera.com/Obits/Feeney.Chub.Obit.html), an executive in the family business (New York/San Francisco Giants) before becoming the president of baseball’s National League. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-grown-man-should-not-be-nicknamed-scooter/328360/40 "2005-10-31T04:15:41Z")
> [@ltfire](#): > > ya doesn’t has to call me Johnson! But will it come, if I do call? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-grown-man-should-not-be-nicknamed-scooter/328360.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-grown-man-should-not-be-nicknamed-scooter/328360.md?page=3)