nickname

1 of 2

noun

nick·​name ˈnik-ˌnām 

1

: a usually descriptive name given instead of or in addition to the one belonging to a person, place, or thing

2

: a familiar form of a proper name (as of a person or a city)

nickname

2 of 2

verb

nicknamed; nicknaming; nicknames

transitive verb

1

: misname, miscall

2

: to give a nickname to

nicknamer noun

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History of Nickname

It might look like nickname is a compound noun formed by adding nick and name together, but the actual history of this word is a bit more complicated. It was formed by metanalysis, or the changing of the division of words based upon how they sound together. In this case, the Middle English word eke, meaning “also” or “in addition,” was joined with name to form ekename—literally, “also-name,” used for a secondary or unofficial name in the late Middle Ages. Over time, an ekename became a nickname presumably because eke had become less familiar as a word. Needless to say, nick in this case doesn’t mean “also” or anything else, it just represents a comfortable and familiar alternative to the word’s original spelling.

Synonyms

Noun

• alias
• byname
• cognomen
• epithet
• handle
• moniker
• monicker
• sobriquet
• soubriquet
• surname

Examples of nickname in a Sentence

Noun

His mother gave him the nickname “Winky” when he was a baby.

Earvin “Magic” Johnson got his nickname from the way he handled a basketball.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

These are the questions that truly fuel Baby Reindeer (which is titled after Martha’s nickname for Donny). —Judy Berman, TIME, 19 Apr. 2024

The nicknames are scrawled on a whiteboard in the trailer office. —Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2024

In Priceless Facts About Money, which features illustrations by Caitlin Stevens, the author breaks down the significance of money, from what the symbols on U.S. bills mean, to why people have such strange nicknames for currency. —Carly Tagen-Dye, Peoplemag, 15 Apr. 2024

But the origins of the fascination with that watch, as well as its nickname, apparently date back to the late 1980s and early 1990s. —Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 12 Apr. 2024

Suzanne was a guest on an episode of Curtis' Good Friend podcast, where the two discussed their bond and explained their nicknames. —Makena Gera, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024

Searching for a way to attract tourists and boost the economy, the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce came up with a catchy nickname for the desert oasis — Valley of the Sun — and tapped five business leaders to form a committee to promote the area through a sporting event. —Daniel Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 5 Apr. 2024

The question has to do with Havana Syndrome — the nickname given to a group of debilitating symptoms first thought to be experienced by U.S. personnel posted to Havana in 2016. —The Editors, National Review, 2 Apr. 2024

At times her image and her nickname — the Baroness with the brush — superseded her art. —Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2024

Verb

Upon her return, the car, nicknamed Lumi, was donated to the J Randle Center for Yoruba Culture and History. —Ronny Maye, Essence, 19 Apr. 2024

The killer nicknamed Smiley sat in the last row of an Alaska Airlines jet, barreling toward Los Angeles and his past. —Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2024

Hug, nicknamed ‘the Silver Bullet,’ broke his own course record on the way to victory with the multiple-time Paralympic gold medalist continuing his dominant run in major world marathons. —Ben Morse, CNN, 15 Apr. 2024

Growing up in Detroit, Sam Abrams played on a youth team nicknamed the Pirates. —Scott Talley, Detroit Free Press, 14 Apr. 2024

The most famous of Beecher’s slave auctions was that of a nine-year-old girl named Sally Maria Diggs, nicknamed Pinky. —Louis Menand, The New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2024

Beginning in 1998, more than 15 million viewers tuned in to watch the aspiring comedian, nicknamed Nasubi, who had no clue he was being shown on a program called Denpa Shonen: A Life in Prizes. —Abigail Adams, Peoplemag, 9 Apr. 2024

Cook, who has been nicknamed the Hardest Geezer, wound up averaging about 29 miles a day, even factoring in rest days and his various maladies and mishaps. —Victor Mather, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2024

Adoring fans nicknamed Reese the Bayou Barbie—a wink to her signature long lashes, cascading hairstyles, bold manicures, and unapologetic love of fashion. —Leah Faye Cooper, Vogue, 3 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English nekename additional name, alteration (resulting from misdivision of an ekename) of ekename, from eke eke, also + name name

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1536, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

nickname

1 of 2 noun

nick·​name ˈnik-ˌnām 

1

: an often descriptive name (as "Shorty" or "Tex") given in addition to the one belonging to an individual

2

: a form of a proper name (as "Billy" for "William") used by family or friends

nickname

2 of 2 verb

: to give a nickname to

Etymology

Noun

Middle English nekename "an additional name," from the phrase an ekename (misunderstood as being a nekename), from eke "something added on" and name "name"

Word Origin

The Middle English word eke meant "something added on." An ekename was therefore an added name given to a person or place. Many people who heard the phrase "an ekename," however, thought they were hearing "a nekename." Because of that confusion over the course of many years, the word ekename became nekename. Later changes in spelling have given us the modern word nickname.