# What do you call your boss? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 21, 2007, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-your-boss/393132 "2007-02-21T20:33:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rucciface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ba9def/32.png) [@rucciface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rucciface)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-your-boss/393132/1 "2007-02-21T20:33:30Z")
1. “Mr./Mrs. LastName” 2. “FirstName” 3. “Nickname” 4. “Other” If it’s Nickname or Other, can you tell us what it is? Now the fun part. What do you call your boss behind his/her back? ---
**Author:** ![rucciface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ba9def/32.png) [@rucciface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rucciface)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-your-boss/393132/2 "2007-02-21T20:35:14Z")
Wow. This is all kinds of in the wrong forum. A little help, please? And my apologies. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-your-boss/393132/3 "2007-02-21T20:37:09Z")
1. “First Name”, all the way up to the president & CEO. They’re not stuffy. Oh- and just “First Name”. They’re all top notch fellas and even if they weren’t, self preservation would keep me from using anything derogatory out loud. ---
**Author:** ![kurilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ea5d25/32.png) [@kurilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kurilla)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-your-boss/393132/4 "2007-02-21T20:38:58Z")
[QUOTE=rucciface] 1. “Mr./Mrs. LastName” 2. “FirstName” 3. “Nickname” 4. “Other” If it’s Nickname or Other, can you tell us what it is? Now the fun part. What do you call your boss behind his/her back? [/QUOTE] I call my immediate boss by his first name. My ultimate boss is Mr. LastName. Out of their hearing, immediate boss is still first name, and ultimate boss is first name. They’re both wonderful men, so unfortunately, I don’t have any funny/rude nicknames for them. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-your-boss/393132/5 "2007-02-21T20:39:24Z")
First name. Both to her face and otherwise. When I’m in a playful mood its, ‘favorite supervisor named [firstname]’ ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-your-boss/393132/6 "2007-02-21T20:41:42Z")
I alternate between just his first name and just his last name. (His last name makes a convenient nickname as it’s also the one-syllable name of a popular food.) It’s a pretty informal environment where I work. Behind his back, myself and my coworkers call him by his last name (so as not to confuse him with another employee who has the same first name). When I leave notes for him I extend his name out into some silly made-up thing like Joseph T. Soyman (his real name isn’t actually Joe Soy, but you get the point). Also, him, myself and another coworker in particular spend all day lobbing gratuitous insults at each other when we work together, including all sorts of name-calling. We have fun with it. ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-your-boss/393132/7 "2007-02-21T20:41:52Z")
[QUOTE=rucciface] Wow. This is all kinds of in the wrong forum. A little help, please? And my apologies. [/QUOTE] Alright, but just a little. Help doesn’t come cheap, no matter what they say behind my back. Off to **IMHO**. ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-your-boss/393132/8 "2007-02-21T20:45:24Z")
1. FirstName 2. FirstName In both cases it’s because my boss (and his, the CEO) just don’t HAVE a nick, or we’d be using that. Yes, it’s an informal place. ---
**Author:** ![Bobotheoptimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Bobotheoptimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobotheoptimist)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-your-boss/393132/9 "2007-02-21T20:45:26Z")
First name. I think I’d laugh at anyone wanting #1, then follow up with “Oh yes sir, massa sir”. I’m sure I’d regret it while packing up my stuff, but I’d still say it. Immediate supervisor is either “botman” (like boss-man, but more insulting) or firstname. I don’t call him anything behind his back I wouldn’t say to his face, although he probably wishes I would. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-your-boss/393132/10 "2007-02-21T20:48:33Z")
First name, for my supervisor, but Dr. Mac (Nickname made out of lastname) for the Big Boss. I don’t call them anything different behind their backs. Maybe I’ll bitch about them more, if it’s a bad week, but I’ll still use their names. ---
**Author:** ![rucciface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ba9def/32.png) [@rucciface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rucciface)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-your-boss/393132/11 "2007-02-21T20:52:13Z")
[QUOTE=SkipMagic] Alright, but just a little. Help doesn’t come cheap, no matter what they say behind my back. Off to **IMHO**. [/QUOTE] Thank you, Coolness. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-your-boss/393132/12 "2007-02-21T20:53:48Z")
First name, occasionally nickname. When you’ve gone out and gotten drunk together, only to storm another co-worker’s art gallery on her feature night with your boss, manager, and another co-worker, you damn well \*better be \* on first name terms. Otherwise, it just gets awkward. She’s always been a first-name kind of lady, though. She’s damn cool. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-your-boss/393132/13 "2007-02-21T20:55:22Z")
1. First name. 2. Penishead. Because he is one. ---
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-your-boss/393132/14 "2007-02-21T20:57:02Z")
First name for my boss and all higher ups. I guess if I had to address the President of our school, I’d call him by his first name too. Nobody is called Mr. or Mrs. or whatever by anyone, even students, just first names. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-your-boss/393132/15 "2007-02-21T21:03:25Z")
1. Firstname. I don’t call him anything behind his back that I wouldn’t say to his face, because he is also my best friend. Everyone in the company goes by their first names, even the CEO. ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-your-boss/393132/16 "2007-02-21T21:05:12Z")
To their faces: just “Doctor” or “Doctor Lastname” depending on circumstances. Behinds their backs, well, it varies. Those I like are either First Name or Dr. Lastname (for a couple of very senior, very nice guys.) Two others are known as “Sh\*thead” and “God’s Gift.” ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-your-boss/393132/17 "2007-02-21T21:22:33Z")
FirstName and sometimes, teasingly, “O Fearless Leader.” ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-your-boss/393132/18 "2007-02-21T21:26:45Z")
First name. First name or first and last because we have another co-worker with the same first name. I have only good things to say about my boss. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-your-boss/393132/19 "2007-02-21T21:33:32Z")
[QUOTE=StarvingButStrong] Two others are known as “Sh\*thead” and “God’s Gift.” [/QUOTE] Thank you. I was wondering if I was the only one who had a nasty name for his/her boss. FTR, he really deserves it at least 75% of the itme. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-your-boss/393132/20 "2007-02-21T21:37:52Z")
First name. I like my boss, and it sucks that his position has been eliminated as of 6/30, and he won’t be my boss anymore. But I also like the guy that will be my boss after that. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-your-boss/393132.md?page=2)