Knew Professor Fairbanks.?ÿ We called him Gus, same as the faculty members did, when he was not around.?ÿ His first name really was Gustave.
Quite a few of my high school male classmates had nicknames, many assigned before I joined them as a freshman.?ÿ Rabbit, Tater, Buns, Tank, Wags, Waldo, Jake, Willie A., Hawkeye, Buh, Merle, Red (short for red on the head like the............dog)
Had one girl in our class known as Cooker or Cook for short.?ÿ I believe the story went that her mother gave her that nickname when she was just a little gal.?ÿ Last name was Olson and the first name was a common girl's name, so nothing related to that.?ÿ Her 90 year-old father still calls her Cooker all the time.
In 1968 our basketball team had Razmataz, Feeb (coach told him he was a feeble jumper on rebounds), and Mo (his name was Duane but his dad was Maurice). Probably other nicknames I've forgotten.
I was a three sport athlete in HS and two in college (football and track and field). I was the QB and played linebacker my freshman year (defensive back after that) and loved to hit people so I got the nickname of "Nails." Only a couple people I know now know that, as it left me when I went off to college. Unfortunately my 62 year-old body (neck especially) is paying for all that punishment I delivered. My motto was "It is better to give than to receive."
I surfed with a bunch of guys from the mid 80??s through the mid 90??s that all had nicknames. Dud, Speedy, Star, Boogie, Lima Bean, Walk, Cracker, Lamb Chop, Radar, Manus, Stoney, & Lark. One of those nicknames was mine, given to me by Dud. I don??t see him much anymore, but he still calls me by my nickname.
My dad called me Big B when I was a kid.?ÿ Not because I was actually big for my age; it was just because I was the oldest sibling.?ÿ When I had roommates in college we owned a racing video game where we each had a custom car, and I labeled mine BStrand's Ride.?ÿ Somehow that turned into a nickname for me for the few years that we shared the apartment-- I ended up being called Ride or Mr Ride.?ÿ
I thought my name was Dammit David for the first 3 years of my life.
My Dad called me the Caboose because I was the youngest child.
@spmpls?ÿ
Stump was the name given to a fellow I know well.?ÿ When he was playing football, the ball carriers said that running into him was the same as running into a stump.?ÿ He was short, but powerful, especially in his arms and his grip.?ÿ He had been milking cows by hand and toting five gallon buckets of milk plus full 10 gallon milk cans since he was old enough to walk to the dairy barn on his own.?ÿ Later in life he ran a bar for a few decades.?ÿ He was his own bouncer.
@dave-karoly For a while there growing up I thought my name was a combination of all my brother's names as he would nearly always run through the complete list before getting to mine last.
I was working on a C-130 in Sigonella when it was hit by lightning. I was working on the propeller de-ice system on the starboard side of the #3 engine and took a portion of the shock through both hand.?ÿ I was called "flash" for several years after that episode.
I have called the newest member of the survey crew "junior" for as long as I can remember.?ÿ That person only looses the nickname when a new member is added.
Grade 5-6 I was called Professor. That faded out when we all went to the regional junior high. Later, in high school, another group started calling me Doctor. And that of course went away at graduation and going off to college.
Thanks to the pandemic many schools now video and broadcast sports events.?ÿ Our high school does this by using volunteers.?ÿ The two primary announcers are good buddies and one even worked for me in the past.?ÿ They do a really fine job of covering both girls and boys basketball games, though neither was an all-star 25 or more years ago.?ÿ The varsity boys team includes two brothers with one being a Senior and the other a Sophomore.?ÿ Both are very active in the cattle industry.?ÿ The younger one, though, being an ignorant teenager, wears his hair in a man-bun.?ÿ No problem when he has his big cowboy hat on.?ÿ But, on the basketball court it stands out like hemorrhoids on a boar.?ÿ It so happens this young fellow has to claim both announcers as relatives.?ÿ The brothers' names are similar, making it easy to call out one but mean the other.?ÿ The announcers have decided that his hair looks a bit like that of Pebbles Flintstone.?ÿ But, since he's male, they call him Bamm Bamm on the air.?ÿ Adds a distinctive bit of fun to the sometimes less than thrilling game action.?ÿ The team happens to have a record of 12 wins to one loss so far and many of the wins have been lopsided.
I have long thought a good nickname is well earned.
The story behind them can be a great introduction (or warning)
I worked for a while with a bloke called "Panic"
Then there was "Soft Samurai"
And who could forget "Touch-f*ck"
Each and in their own way totally individual, and so very very appropriate
Not a nickname, but when we were expecting our first child, not knowing the gender and picking names either way, I had an idea. With our last name being Martin, I suggested "Panther" as a gender neutral first name, being a lifelong trout fisherman. Needless to say, I was outvoted, 1 to 1. I think she prefers being called Kristen.?ÿ
@spmpls?ÿ
Could have gone with Rowan Ann Martin.?ÿ Life would have been a Laugh In
Knew a fellow named Willard who was known as Will.
His son was employed in the same place.?ÿ His name was also Willard but was known as Will II, pronounced Will Two.?ÿ While we were in high school together he went by Willie.
There was a diabolical dad from Nantucket
Who nicknamed his son "Crab Bucket."
A friend who was a louse
Shouted it out in a bawdy house
And the girls xywodl poellcoeo owppsle ortestcket.
