Nicknames. We all love it when we get them from someone else, but it can be almost impossible to find one that just fits that person that we love. But fear no more! I bring to you a beginners guide to forming nicknames that last. Get ready to blow your friends' minds
1. Alliteration and rhyming.
This one may sound cheesy, but it works if used properly! For this one, you want to find something that begins with the first letter of their (typically) first name or matching the end sounds of their name to another word. For this one, think: Dr. Seuss. For instance, my name is Kasey, so my mom would call me "Kasey Lacey." It is a basic rule, but it works for a reason! This should be your go-to nickname generator if nothing else works.
2. Random objects.
Similar to the previous method, this one typically utilizes the first sounds of the person's name. Find that first sound and start racking your brain for objects that sound similar to it. These objects do not necessarily have to have anything to do with their actual personality, but they do have to be quirky. For instance, I call my friend, Chelsea, "Cello." She is not a musician or anything — "Cello" just has a similar sound. And this one has stuck for years now. This is another tried-and-true nicknaming method.
3. Adjectives and titles.
This one takes a bit more effort not to sound tacky or ridiculous, but it can work under the right circumstances. For this one, you can take either a characteristic of their personality or something they do and make a nickname out of that. Of course, these titles do not even need to be accurate — sometimes it is OK for them just to be funny. For instance, you could call your friend "Coach" like in the show "New Girl." You could also make it a bit more personal and call them "Buddy," like my friend and I do. This nickname was not actually intentional, but we have been calling each other "Buddy" for almost three years now. It has fully replaced our own names with each other.
4. Synonyms and other languages.
This one can be a bit tricky, so it depends on the names the person you know has. Essentially, this one requires that you find a synonym of their name either in English or another language. This rule will not be applicable to every person, but it works for some. For instance, my name has two different applications for this. My first name, Kasey, sounds similar to the word for cheese in several languages (Queso, Kase, Caseum), so names like Cheesy, Kasey Quesadilla, Cheese-it, etc. were a no-brainer. My last name, Shell, also works, and people have called my Crustacean before. These are some examples of synonyms for nicknames.
5. Famous people.
This one can be a bit of a stretch, but if your friend group is as strange as mine, this is also fair game. This method takes a bit of contriving to make work, but once you do, you have a unique and odd nickname they have never heard of before. The best way to explain this one is to walk you through the process of how I got from Miranda Quigley to Ezekiel Lynn Quigglesworth. I started off with her last name (which is gold to begin with!) and went from there. Her last name, for some reason, made me think of Ezekiel Wigglesworth (who played on "Doctor Who" for, like, one episode). So, for a second, she became Ezekiel Quigglesworth. This just didn't have enough syllables in it, so I added "Lynn." (I honestly have no idea where I got that name from). I shouted this down the hall at her enough times that it just sort of stuck. And thus, Ezekiel Lynn Quigglesworth — and Zeke — was born.
6. Abbreviations.
This one may be the most obvious route to take, but with a little imagination, you can even make this method into something fun and quirky. This entire method is basically just taking their name and making it shorter. You can obviously go with things like "Kase," "Ash," "Chels," etc., but where is the fun in that? The really good nicknames come from strange abbreviations. For example, my friend Miranda is now called "M'anda" (mi - AND - a). This one is good for shouting across the room at shrill tones, but you can use your own discretion on that one.
7. Something ridiculous.
And, if all else, fails, just go with something absolutely outrageous. For this one, the sky is the limit. It doesn't have to make sense to anyone but you, and it can be as long and cumbersome as you would like. For instance, one of my friends calls me "Cheese Quesadilla Deliverance Sha'Marcus Shelly." That's right — five names. And she says it all the time. Now, to the average listener, this may not seem even remotely similar to my name, but every element of it is an inside joke of ours.
Nicknames can be a fun and hilarious way to grow in your friendship with others and make your relationships truly unique. I hope that you can now go out and dub your friends with all kinds of ridiculous, funny and cumbersome names! Go forth!
