I’ve been thinking lately about how “awful nicknames” cause too many wonderful names to stay on the shelf. I’m making my own short list for future children and even some of my favorites could be cruelly changed…
thought it might be informative (and fun) to hear what names other Berries have decided not to use for this reason or even ones you’ve used regardless; or possibly one you used without knowledge of what it could/would become. *Please include any details you’d like, but don’t forget, we want to hear the name and the awful nickname that goes with it!
I’ll start:
“Tubby” [name_u]Toby[/name_u]
“[name_m]Gordo[/name_m]” [name_m]Gordon[/name_m]
“Hoe-sy” [name_u]Josie[/name_u] (this was a new one I just heard!)
“Sexy” [name_u]Lexi[/name_u]
“Meany” [name_f]Mena[/name_f] (for [name_f]Philomena[/name_f])
I adore [name_m]Oscar[/name_m], but wouldn’t use it as a first name because of [name_m]Ozzy[/name_m]. Not as bad as these already listed, but the associations with [name_m]Ozzy[/name_m] [name_m]Osbourne[/name_m] are too strong.
I must be missing something, but I don’t understand what’s wrong with [name_m]Gordo[/name_m]… I have a friend who’s [name_m]Gordon[/name_m] nn [name_m]Gordo[/name_m]!
This is a bit of a leap, but I worry slightly about “[name_m]Hugo[/name_m]” --> “Huge-o”
Exactly! …and unless your friend is a string bean, it really could damage the self-esteem, especially if you know your child could potentially be heavy-set. Very much like Tubby [name_u]Toby[/name_u] or Huge [name_m]Hugo[/name_m].
For what it’s worth, I wouldn’t pass on [name_m]Gordon[/name_m] because of “[name_m]Gordo[/name_m]”. Most Gordons that I’ve known go by their full name or [name_m]Gord[/name_m]. It doesn’t seem to be a natural nickname. I have definitely heard “Sexy [name_u]Lexi[/name_u]” (and also “Sexy Rexy”, though that was for Canadian ballet dancer [name_u]Rex[/name_u] [name_m]Harrington[/name_m] and I assume he liked it as it was on t-shirt).
Kids can come up with all kinds of names. I remember my friend [name_f]Joanna[/name_f] being devastated at being called “[name_f]Joanna[/name_f] [name_f]Banana[/name_f]” in grade school. I wouldn’t nix a name because of bad nicknames unless it was really really obvious, like “whore” for [name_f]Hortense[/name_f].
Awe… I like being a Sexy [name_u]Lexie[/name_u] or Sexy Rexy (yes it has happened, as well as Slexy).
I think with Grodon/[name_m]Gordo[/name_m] and [name_m]Hugo[/name_m]/Huge-O it really depends on how large someone is. Unless you have a weight problem these don’t really become an issue - and honestly if you do kids will find awful ways to make fun of you regardless. [name_m]Even[/name_m] if it’s turning a name like [name_m]Mike[/name_m] into Big or Fat [name_m]Mike[/name_m]. (Also [name_m]Gordo[/name_m] or Gordito can be used as a term of endearment provided one has the right self esteem).
I don’t love Scar for [name_f]Scarlet[/name_f] or [name_u]Tony[/name_u] for [name_m]Anton[/name_m] but i think for me it’s usually a specific nn I don’t like instead of letting a nn ruin a whole name for me.
I’m with you, namenthusiast - I don’t like the whole “Hairy” association either. And I’ve never thought about “Harlot” [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]! Goodness!
Now this is my kind of thread! [name_f]My[/name_f] name comes with a lot of unfortunate nicknames…most of them I think are quite funny.
[name_f]My[/name_f] name is [name_f]Beryl[/name_f], pronounced kinda like Barrel.
I’ve gotten [name_f]Beryl[/name_f] of monkeys, [name_f]Beryl[/name_f] of rum, [name_f]Beryl[/name_f] of wine, Crackle [name_f]Beryl[/name_f], crate, box, short long box (because I’m short and skinny), [name_u]Berry[/name_u], and many others haha.
[name_f]My[/name_f] boyfriend’s name is [name_m]Brandon[/name_m] and he gets [name_m]Brand[/name_m]-flakes a lot, and we have some friends named [name_m]Joe[/name_m] we call cup-of-[name_m]Joe[/name_m] of Mojojojoe.
I’m extremely picky about nn’s myself; I’m not a big fan of [name_f]Scarlet[/name_f], but I’m not sure if that’s actually because of the awful nn Scar or just that it’s NMS to begin with. [name_f]My[/name_f] niece’s given name is [name_u]Lexi[/name_u] and the thought of “sexy lexi” didn’t bother my [name_m]SIL[/name_m] at all. However, my parents were concerned about it the minute they heard it… but I’m not sure how I feel about it. If it were me, I’d have given a fuller name so [name_u]Lexi[/name_u] could pick what kind of nn she actually wanted.
Unfortunately, my own child/ren will probably struggle to keep a healthy weight as my husband and I do (I sure hope not, but sometimes you just have to embrace reality) so we must consider names that could have negative associations regarding weight I’ve loved the name [name_m]Tobias[/name_m] for years, and only realized the other day that we may have to deal with the awful nn Tubby [name_u]Toby[/name_u] should we decide to use it.
Funny thing is that you mentioned “Big [name_m]Mike[/name_m]”… my DH ([name_u]Michael[/name_u]) created his own fun nn name for himself because there are just too many “[name_m]Mike[/name_m]'s” in the world and our very Irish last name was difficult to pronounce for his students; plus he is an avid [name_f]Apple[/name_f] computer lover. He is now known as Big [name_m]Mac[/name_m] to almost everyone under the age of 18. LOL. It made sense that his students would ask when we were going to have children so they could call them “McNuggets” and after that comment/suggestion as newlyweds, our new puppy was dubbed McNuggie
Unfortunately nicknames will pop up no matter what you call them, either in fondness or teasing. It’s just a fact of life. [name_f]My[/name_f] name is [name_u]Julie[/name_u], and my elder brother was my worst tormentor, leaving me with the moniker ‘Ghoulie’ for most of my childhood. [name_u]Jules[/name_u], Ju, and [name_u]Red[/name_u] were the other main ones. We teased my little sister [name_f]Carly[/name_f] by rhyming her name with [name_u]Harley[/name_u], which really isn’t insulting at all! Kids will be kids.
At the end of the day, pretty well any name you pick will have a nasty association somewhere. [name_m]Don[/name_m]'t let it deter you unless its really obvious.
Your response made me smile; thank you for sharing! I haven’t given much thought to what the name [name_f]Beryl[/name_f] could bring about, but you have such a great lighthearted attitude that is quite refreshing! [name_f]Beryl[/name_f] isn’t one you hear too often (where I live at least)… Within the last couple of months, I just discovered the unusual feminization of [name_m]Basil[/name_m]: Basilea/[name_f]Basilia[/name_f]. Not sure if the correct pronunciation is [name_u]BAY[/name_u]-sell-i-ya or Ba-SILLI-a; if the latter, I can only imagine the main nn would be “Silly,” which to me, is pretty amusing!
[name_f]My[/name_f] friend [name_u]Dana[/name_u] gets Great [name_u]Dane[/name_u] like the dog.
Smelly [name_f]Ellie[/name_f]
Lazy [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] (like the kids TV show)
Lamy [name_f]Amy[/name_f]
I’ve loved the name [name_m]Tobias[/name_m] for years, and only realized the other day that we may have to deal with the awful nn Tubby [name_u]Toby[/name_u] should we decide to use it.
