why is GW Bush nicknamed dubya?

[Annie-Xmas]

@Jonathan Chance

I also believe it’s his family name from his parents.

He’s ‘Dubya’ to distinguish himself from his father.

Dorothy is ‘Doro’.

John Ellis Bush is ‘Jeb’.

So there’s a family tendency, my guess is from GHWB, to assign nicknames. A tendency GWB seems to share from reports.

There’s also brothers Neil and Marvin and a died-in-childhood sister Pauline. But I don’t see much info on naming issues for those three.

It is a tendancy of Dubya’s mother Barbara’s family to give nicknames to their members. Pauline was called “Robin” from her full name “Pauline Robinson.” Neil was Whitey, from his blond hair.

[Bobotheoptimist]

@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor

Personally, I like to think of them as Bush the Elder, Bush the Younger.

Although I’m not much of a Bush-basher, I prefer “Papa Bush” and “Baby Bush”… You know, like the Duvalier’s? … Hello? Is this thing on?

After saying “W” a couple of times, apparently I normally pronounce it “dubaya” and this explains why I tend to exaggerate the “Duuuubya” when referring to our beloved leader.

As to why I believe anyone cares how I pronounce “W”, I’m still compiling data.

[Chronos]

This entire thread has been a bash, after a fashion. HIs supporters don’t call him Dubyuh.

I’m pretty sure I have heard his supporters referring to him as “Dubya”. It’s consistent with the down-holm, folksy image he’s cultivated for himself. Remember, one of the points which won him votes was that “he seems like the kind of guy you could have a beer with”.

[Little_Nemo]

This entire thread has been a bash, after a fashion. HIs supporters don’t call him Dubyuh.

But nobody than his supporters calls him The Promised One.

[Captain_Carrot]

I like Tris’s term: George the Second.

[11811]

@Captain Carrot

I like Tris’s term: George the Second.

Or Shrub

[Anne_Neville]

@Bobotheoptimist

After saying “W” a couple of times, apparently I normally pronounce it “dubaya” and this explains why I tend to exaggerate the “Duuuubya” when referring to our beloved leader.

Same here.

Dubya can also be said “Duh-bya”, emphasizing that people who don’t like him think he’s not the smartest President ever.

[CapnPitt]

From the bizarre linguistic area of Southwestern PA, we often say dubya when referring to the letter. I even tend to shorten it more when referring to a web address by saying “dub, dub, dub…” But then again, I’m weird.

[blondebear]

@CapnPitt

I even tend to shorten it more when referring to a web address by saying “dub, dub, dub…” But then again, I’m weird.

No, you’re not. There was a talk show host in LA who used that term for years (Nick Federoff, who had a gardening show–go figure). I often wonder why that vocal shorthand never caught on.

[Chefguy]

@Annie-Xmas

It is a tendancy of Dubya’s mother Barbara’s family to give nicknames to their members. Pauline was called “Robin” from her full name “Pauline Robinson.” Neil was Whitey, from his blond hair.

But what do they name their members?

[John_Mace]

I wonder how many Americans really say “double-u”. I think we more often say somthing closer to “dub-oo-u”, but you have to say it pretty fast. Think of how the call letters are said for stations east of the Mississippi: WABC, or whatever. Maybe it’s just me, but I speak what would be considered standard newscaster type American English, and if I’m honest with myself, I rarely enunciate “double-u” that clearly.

And the Texas pronunciation would be DUB-ya, with the “u” drawn out as though it were more like: DUHB-ya. Just in case any feriners didn’t know where the accent goes.