Nickname A nickname is " a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place , as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name " , or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name . It can also be the familiar or truncated form of the proper name , which may sometimes be used simply for convenience ( e . g . " Bobby " , " Bob " , " Rob " , or " Bert " for the name Robert ) . The term hypocoristic is used to refer to a nickname of affection between those in love or with a close emotional bond , compared with a term of endearment . The term diminutive name refers to nicknames that convey smallness , hence something regarded with affection or familiarity ( e . g . , referring to children ) , or contempt . The distinction between the two is often blurred . It is a form of endearment and amusement . As a concept , it is distinct from both pseudonym and stage name , and also from a title ( for example , City of Fountains ) , although there may be overlap in these concepts . A nickname is sometimes considered desirable , symbolising a form of acceptance , but can often be a form of ridicule . Etymology . The compound word " ekename " , literally meaning " additional name " , was attested as early as 1303 . This word was derived from the Old English phrase " eaca " " an increase " , related to " eacian " " to increase " . By the fifteenth century , the misdivision of the syllables of the phrase " an ekename " led to its reanalysis as " a nekename " . Though the spelling has changed , the pronunciation and meaning of the word have remained relatively stable ever since . Conventions in various languages . To inform an audience or readership of a person ' s nickname without actually calling them by their nickname , English nicknames are generally represented in quotes between the bearer ' s first and last names ( e . g . , " Dwight David " Ike " Eisenhower " , " Daniel Lamont " Bubba " Franks " , etc . ) , however it is also common for the nickname to be identified after a comma following the full real name or later in the body of the text , such as in an obituary . The middle name is generally eliminated ( if there is one ) , especially in speech . Like English , German uses ( German - style ) quotation marks between the first and last names ( e . g . , " Andreas Nikolaus „ Niki “ Lauda " ) . Other languages may use other conventions ; for example , Italian writes the nickname after the full name followed by " detto " ' called ' ( e . g . , " Salvatore Schillaci detto Totò " ) , in Spanish the nickname is written in formal contexts at the end in quotes following " alias " ( e . g . " Alfonso Tostado , alias « el Abulense » " ) , and Slovenian represents nicknames after a dash or hyphen ( e . g . , " Franc Rozman – Stane " ) . The latter may cause confusion because it resembles an English convention sometimes used for married and maiden names . Uses in various societies . In Viking societies , many people had nicknames " heiti " , " viðrnefni " , or " uppnefni " which were used in addition to , or instead of their family names . In some circumstances the giving of a nickname had a special status in Viking society in that it created a relationship between the name maker and the recipient of the nickname , to the extent that the creation of a nickname also often entailed a formal ceremony and an exchange of gifts . Slaves have often used nicknames , so that the master who heard about someone doing something could not identify the slave . In capoeira , a Brazilian martial art , the slaves had nicknames to protect them from being caught , as practicing capoeira was illegal for decades . In Anglo - American culture , a nickname is often based on a shortening of a person ' s proper name , a " diminutive " . However , in other societies , this may not necessarily be the case . In Indian society , for example , generally people have at least one nickname ( " call name " or " affection name " ) and these affection names are generally not related to the person ' s proper name . Indian nicknames very often are a trivial word or a " diminutive " ( such as " Bablu " , " Dabbu " , " Banti " , " Babli " , " Gudiya " , " Golu " , " Sonu " , " Chhotu " , " Raju " , " Adi " , " Ritu " , etc . ) . In Indonesia , nicknames are often considered more polite and affectionate , especially when the real name exceeds two syllables . Former Indonesian presidents Abdurrahman Wahid and Achmed Sukarno were usually called ' Gus Dur ' and ' Bung Karno ' , respectively . In Australian society , Australian men will often give ironic nicknames . For example , a man with red hair will be given the nickname ' Blue ' or ' Bluey ' . In Chinese culture , nicknames are frequently used within a community amongst relatives , friends and neighbors . A typical Chinese nickname often begins with a " 阿 " followed by another character , usually the last character of the person ' s given name . For example , Taiwanese politician Chen Shui - bian ( 陈水扁 ) is sometimes referred as " 阿扁 " ( A - Bian ) . In many Chinese communities of Southeast Asia , nicknames may also connote one ' s occupation or status . For example , the landlord might be known simply as " Towkay " ( Hokkien for " boss " ) to his tenants or workers while a bread seller would be called " Mianbao Shu " 面包叔 ( literally , Uncle Bread ) . Amongst Cantonese - speaking communities , the character " 仔 " ( pronounced " zai " ) may be used in a similar context of " Junior " in Western naming practices . Performing arts and literature . Many writers , performing artists , and actors have nicknames , which may develop into a stage name or pseudonym . A bardic name may also result from a nickname . Many writers have pen names which they use instead of their real names . Famous writers with a pen name go as far back as Plato ( according to a late tradition ) and Paul , and see also this List of pen names . Sports . It is not uncommon for sportspeople or a sports team to have nicknames . Some , such as those of sports clubs or athletic teams , are official while others are adopted over time . Computing . In the context of information technology , a nickname ( or technically a " nick " ) is a common synonym for the " screenname " or " handle " of a user . Nickname is a name to shorten a name . Nick is a term originally used to identify a person in a system for synchronous conferencing . In computer network s it has become a common practice for every person to also have one or more nicknames for the purposes of anonymity , to avoid ambiguity or simply because the natural name or technical address would be too long to type or take too much space on the screen . Nicknames for people . Nicknames are usually awarded to , not chosen by the recipient . Some nicknames are derogatory name calls . Note : the majority of the following examples are American English usage . Nicknames may be based on a person ' s name or various attributes . Attributes upon which a nickname may be based include : Title . They may refer to a person ' s occupation , social standing , or title . They may also refer to characterists of a person . Physical characteristics , personality , or lifestyle . Physical characteristics . Nicknames can be a descriptor of a physical characteristic , or the opposite of a physical characteristic . It should be noted that in English , such nicknames are often considered offensive or derogatory , unless the nickname is based on a trait that is viewed positively . Some examples of nicknames related to physical characteristics include : Sometimes nicknames are based on things that are not a part of a person ' s body , but alter a person ' s physical appearance . Such nicknames can be temporary . All of the above examples would be offensive in most contexts . Personality . Nicknames can be a descriptor of a personality characteristic , or the opposite of a personality characteristic . These types of nicknames were often used in fairy tales such as " Snow White " . Sometimes such nicknames may be indicative of a physical disorder . Mental characteristics . A nickname may allude to a person ' s apparent intelligence ( though often used sarcastically ) : Abbreviation or modification . A nickname can be a shortened or modified variation on a person ' s real name . Relationship . They may refer to the relationship with the person . This is a term of endearment . Surname . To avoid confusion between peer groups with the same given names , surnames may be used as a nickname . Also common prefixes for names can be used as a nickname : And other variations on the surname , such as : Family . A nickname can be used to distinguish members of the same family sharing the same name from one another . This has several common patterns among sons named for fathers : Action / incident . It may relate to a specific incident or action . Famous / fictional character . It may compare the person with a famous or fictional character . Place of origin / residence . It may be related to their place of origin or residence . Reputation . It may be derived from or related to what the person is well known for . Affiliation . It may refer to a person ' s political affiliation . Unique . A famous person ' s nickname may be unique to them : Titles of geographical places . Many geographical places have titles , or alternative names , which have positive implications . Paris , for example , is the " City of Light " , Venice is " La Serenissima " , and New Jersey is the " Garden State " . It is not correct , and even demeaning , to call these titles " nicknames " , since nicknames are generally familiar or affectionate or abusive , whereas these alternative names for places are almost always used to boost the status of the places to which they are attached , and have the kind of formal standing which a nickname does not have . Many places or communities , particularly in the USA , adopt titles because they can help in establishing a civic identity , help outsiders recognize a community or attract people to a community , promote civic pride , and build community unity . Titles and slogans that successfully create a new community " ideology or myth " are also believed to have economic value . Their economic value is difficult to measure , but there are anecdotal reports of cities that have achieved substantial economic benefits by " branding " themselves by adopting new slogans . Collective nicknames of inhabitants of a geographical place . Besides or replacing the demonym , some places have collective nicknames for their inhabitants . Many examples of this practice are found in Wallonia and in Belgium in general , where such a nickname is referred to in French as " Blason populaire " .