# Tell us about anyone you’ve known who has an odd or semi-unusual nickname **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 13, 2016, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-anyone-you-ve-known-who-has-an-odd-or-semi-unusual-nickname/762642 "2016-08-13T01:20:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![GrizzRich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ba0ec/32.png) [@GrizzRich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrizzRich)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2016, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-anyone-you-ve-known-who-has-an-odd-or-semi-unusual-nickname/762642/81 "2016-08-16T17:48:28Z")
My father-in-law and his son both are named Conrad, and they both are known as “Connie”. My wife had an Aunt Stinky. I was given the nickname Grizzly in high school. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2016, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-anyone-you-ve-known-who-has-an-odd-or-semi-unusual-nickname/762642/82 "2016-08-16T18:41:51Z")
Used to hang out with a guy named Todd, that we all initially called Toad. After a while it got changed to **Sprocket** , after _Toad the Wet Sprocket_ became popular. To this day, he is called **Sprocket**. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2016, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-anyone-you-ve-known-who-has-an-odd-or-semi-unusual-nickname/762642/83 "2016-08-16T18:43:33Z")
There’s another guy named Reagan, who came up with his own nick-name, the Big Ragu. We all refused to use the _Big_ moniker and just call him **Ragu**. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2016, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-anyone-you-ve-known-who-has-an-odd-or-semi-unusual-nickname/762642/84 "2016-08-16T22:14:55Z")
Some years ago I used to work with a guy named Robert, who went by **Prof**. We were both in IT; if I recall correctly he received the nickname many years before that when he was in the armed forces, and from that point on everyone referred to him as **Prof** , even his wife and daughters (when speaking about him in the third person anyway…I’m pretty sure they called him ‘dad’ to his face). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-anyone-you-ve-known-who-has-an-odd-or-semi-unusual-nickname/762642/85 "2016-08-17T03:30:06Z")
My parents decided a good nickname for me would be Grub. I think they were wrong, but what can you do? ---
**Author:** ![IT\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3ec8ea/32.png) [@IT\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IT_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-anyone-you-ve-known-who-has-an-odd-or-semi-unusual-nickname/762642/86 "2016-08-17T06:08:31Z")
> [@The\_Tooth](#): > > My parents decided a good nickname for me would be Grub. I think they were wrong, but what can you do? My father’s nickname to his brothers and childhood friends was Grub. At 6’2" he was the shortest of the brothers, hence the nickname.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Gedd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gedd/32/4938_2.png) [@Gedd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gedd)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-anyone-you-ve-known-who-has-an-odd-or-semi-unusual-nickname/762642/87 "2016-08-17T14:13:46Z")
I knew a kid who went by “Trace” because he was “the III.” ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-anyone-you-ve-known-who-has-an-odd-or-semi-unusual-nickname/762642/88 "2016-08-17T14:16:05Z")
A buddy in school got the nickname Loopy. It was sort of a mix-up between a teacher, a Hispanic kid that went by Lupe, and my (white) buddy. Being white, he insisted that it be the oo version. Worked with a guy who was universally known as Flash - lots of people never knew what his actual name was. He had a brother who was likewise known as Wolf. The guy who taught my dad to fly was named Virgil, but was called Fats. He wasn’t fat. My grandfather was called Mutt. I know a guy named Ray that is know as Snuffy, his brother-in-law is named Dennis but was known as Bronson (looked a bit like Charles Bronson). ---
**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:** [August 17, 2016, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-anyone-you-ve-known-who-has-an-odd-or-semi-unusual-nickname/762642/89 "2016-08-17T16:38:07Z")
I started this thread about [“Bear”](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=472876) stealing our cement mixer. Bear’s real name is Andrew, but everyone calls him “Huggy Bear” or “Huggy.” Don’t know why. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-anyone-you-ve-known-who-has-an-odd-or-semi-unusual-nickname/762642/90 "2016-08-17T16:53:58Z")
“Greaser” is a friend of mine. He got the name of because of a Premature ejaculation problem “Grease Her” when he was a teenager ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-anyone-you-ve-known-who-has-an-odd-or-semi-unusual-nickname/762642/91 "2016-08-17T18:16:02Z")
> [@IT\_Guy](#): > > My father’s nickname to his brothers and childhood friends was Grub. At 6’2" he was the shortest of the brothers, hence the nickname.😃 I got it because I always looked scruffy. Or grubby, if you will. ---
**Author:** ![SUZ\_MAC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e8cbc/32.png) [@SUZ\_MAC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SUZ_MAC)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-anyone-you-ve-known-who-has-an-odd-or-semi-unusual-nickname/762642/92 "2016-08-17T21:50:32Z")
My dad “Hank” for Henry. Common enough I guess. A big man that I played co-ed softball with : Bubba. Of course the list of nicknames for my softball friends could get pretty long, but I don’t recall if I ever knew Bubba’s real name. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-anyone-you-ve-known-who-has-an-odd-or-semi-unusual-nickname/762642/93 "2016-08-18T12:46:00Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > I started this thread about [“Bear”](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=472876) stealing our cement mixer. Bear’s real name is Andrew, but everyone calls him “Huggy Bear” or “Huggy.” Don’t know why. Huggy Bear was a character on the old TV series “Starsky and Hutch”. In the series the character was played by [Antonio Vargas](https://www.google.com/#q=huggy+bear). In the 2004 movie he was played by [Snoop Dog](https://www.google.com/#q=huggy+bear+snoop). Maybe this character was the genesis of your friend’s nickname. ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-anyone-you-ve-known-who-has-an-odd-or-semi-unusual-nickname/762642/94 "2016-08-18T15:11:47Z")
> [@lost4life](#): > > Anyhoo…I knew a couple people known by their nicknames (most people would not have known their real names). One was a guy named **Bubby** (not Buddy, Bubby). No idea where it came from. To me it sounded southern or Yiddish or something, but he was neither. Based on past experience, I would’ve guessed he had a younger sibling who called him that in an attempt to say “brother.” ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-anyone-you-ve-known-who-has-an-odd-or-semi-unusual-nickname/762642/95 "2016-08-18T15:39:46Z")
I know folks that go by PorkRoll (or P-Roll), Stain, and Peckahead, although they all use their given names often. Pablo (given name David) uses his nickname all the time. A coworker had his legal name changed to Megatron (no last name) after using the name for years. ---
**Author:** ![KRC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@KRC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KRC)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2016, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-anyone-you-ve-known-who-has-an-odd-or-semi-unusual-nickname/762642/96 "2016-08-19T02:18:58Z")
About a century ago one of my distant cousins had the nickname “Splut.” I have no idea where it came from. ---
**Author:** ![OffByOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/45deac/32.png) [@OffByOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OffByOne)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2016, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-anyone-you-ve-known-who-has-an-odd-or-semi-unusual-nickname/762642/97 "2016-08-19T15:30:58Z")
I know a Scrabble player (and Starbucks fan trying to visit every Starbucks stand-alone store) named Winter. When he registered for membership in the NSA (now NASPA), they insisted that he have a last name, so Jkqxz is his last name. (Out of the 100 tiles in a regulation set, these are the only ones with no duplicates.) A former Scrabble Champion goes by Trey, because of the III after his name. My aunt called me Butch when I was little, because I always had a butch haircut. When I grew up, I let my hair grow out, and acquired the name Garfunkle for my effort. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2016, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-anyone-you-ve-known-who-has-an-odd-or-semi-unusual-nickname/762642/98 "2016-08-19T18:02:10Z")
Around here we have: Snake Bubba (an oldie but goodie) Boogie Perk Critter Peaches (who is an old man) ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2016, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-anyone-you-ve-known-who-has-an-odd-or-semi-unusual-nickname/762642/99 "2016-08-19T18:49:29Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > There was an older Hispanic guy who was one of the shift managers at my very first job years ago. Everybody called him “Chewy”, as in Chewbacca. I don’t know how he got the name, and it wasn’t the name on his nametag, but it’s what everyone, including the store manager, called him, to the point that I honestly can’t even remember his real name anymore. His name wasn’t Jesus, was it? Chuy is a common Spanish nickname for people named Jesus. My father’s given name was W. H. His family called him Dub. My mother’s oldest sister was known all of her life as Midge. Her husband was Hap. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2016, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-anyone-you-ve-known-who-has-an-odd-or-semi-unusual-nickname/762642/100 "2016-08-19T19:12:36Z")
I knew of an Italian guy, Carl Gibalarro, who had the nickname “Bubooglio” because of a drunk guy who couldn’t pronounce his name. I knew a guy named “Flock,” a big burly 6’ 3" 300+ lbs. He got the nickname because when he was a boy, he played Pee Wee football, but they didn’t have a jersey big enough to fit him. So they borrowed one from the Church of the Lost Flock, which only showed the last word on his back. So, he was “Flock” ever since. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-anyone-you-ve-known-who-has-an-odd-or-semi-unusual-nickname/762642.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-anyone-you-ve-known-who-has-an-odd-or-semi-unusual-nickname/762642.md?page=6)