# ''Trey'' as a nickname for Mr. So-and-so III: Common or regional? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 26, 2003, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trey-as-a-nickname-for-mr-so-and-so-iii-common-or-regional/197747 "2003-08-26T14:52:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trey-as-a-nickname-for-mr-so-and-so-iii-common-or-regional/197747/1 "2003-08-26T14:52:59Z")
I’ve encountered quite a few people whose names were (something) III, and who were called “Trey.” Is that universal or just local? (The question is not about “Why ‘Trey?’” Even Ray Charles can see that.) ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trey-as-a-nickname-for-mr-so-and-so-iii-common-or-regional/197747/2 "2003-08-26T14:57:52Z")
I know of several, and not all are Southerners. (I believe one of the characters on Sex and the City is Trey for that reason.) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trey-as-a-nickname-for-mr-so-and-so-iii-common-or-regional/197747/3 "2003-08-26T15:02:50Z")
I’ve heard it used in the Pittsburgh area, as well as the Navy. ---
**Author:** ![Gotterfunken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/58956e/32.png) [@Gotterfunken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gotterfunken)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trey-as-a-nickname-for-mr-so-and-so-iii-common-or-regional/197747/4 "2003-08-26T15:05:30Z")
Don’t know how universal it is, but I do know a couple here in Tallahassee who call their son “Trey” because he is So-and-So III. So I guess it could be a southeastern thing–though I have to say he’s the first III whom I’ve met that is called “Trey.” ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trey-as-a-nickname-for-mr-so-and-so-iii-common-or-regional/197747/5 "2003-08-26T15:32:06Z")
I believe Bill Gates is a III and his childhood nickname was Trey. Yep, here’s a [site](http://www.lcusd.net/pcy/tech/new_page_2.htm) that also says this. Seattle is pretty far from the south. ---
**Author:** ![caveman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caveman/32/7242_2.png) [@caveman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caveman)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trey-as-a-nickname-for-mr-so-and-so-iii-common-or-regional/197747/6 "2003-08-26T16:20:13Z")
I know a guy who’s a third and goes by “Trey”…but then, I’m also a third and don’t. We’re in Texas. Take that FWIW. ---
**Author:** ![Reepicheep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@Reepicheep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reepicheep)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trey-as-a-nickname-for-mr-so-and-so-iii-common-or-regional/197747/7 "2003-08-26T17:01:34Z")
I know 2 Treys, neither of thier families are from the South. My vote is for universal. ---
**Author:** ![frixxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@frixxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/frixxxx)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trey-as-a-nickname-for-mr-so-and-so-iii-common-or-regional/197747/8 "2003-08-26T17:14:06Z")
I’ve also seen Chip as in “Chip off the old block” Junior only really works if they are a II. I really don’t know about the Trey origins…maybe a new Cecil research project…:dubious: ---
**Author:** ![DreadCthulhu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DreadCthulhu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DreadCthulhu)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trey-as-a-nickname-for-mr-so-and-so-iii-common-or-regional/197747/9 "2003-08-26T17:34:22Z")
My first name actually is Trey, though I am not the third of anything. From the Midwest. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trey-as-a-nickname-for-mr-so-and-so-iii-common-or-regional/197747/10 "2003-08-26T17:51:04Z")
Add Montana to the list: I’ve met at least two Montanan Treys, both of them the third of their line. And a classmate’s son is a fifth, and we call him “Mark Five” or “Version 5.0”. But I don’t think that those have caught on in the rest of the state, yet. ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trey-as-a-nickname-for-mr-so-and-so-iii-common-or-regional/197747/11 "2003-08-26T18:18:55Z")
I had a childhood friend named Such And Such III, and he was called Trip (for Triplet). He and I were both Air Force Brats, so I’m not sure where his family was from originally. ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trey-as-a-nickname-for-mr-so-and-so-iii-common-or-regional/197747/12 "2003-08-26T20:29:48Z")
I’ve known two IIIrds. One went by “Trey” even though his real name was William IIRC. The second went by “Hank” even though his real name was Henry. His son, Henry IV, went by Henry. Weirdness all around if you ask me. The “Trey” was a Texan, I think “Hank” was born somewhere else though. Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trey-as-a-nickname-for-mr-so-and-so-iii-common-or-regional/197747/13 "2003-08-26T23:16:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mtgman \* > \*\*The second went by “Hank” even though his real name was Henry. His son, Henry IV, went by Henry. \*\* “Hank” is a nickname for Henry, like “Jack” for John. Now, Hiram, Randall, and Shelton Williams going by Hank _is_ rather strange (well, not so much Jr. and III; they’re obviously capitalizing on the famous name of Hank the first). Oh, and to reply to the OP: I’ve known a couple of Treys in NE Texas.