Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Yo, Afro!

So here's something I think about a lot:  Nicknames.  I have no idea where I'm going with this but am intrigued with the topic nonetheless.  I remember as a little kid getting my first nickname by one of my grandparents.  It was "Je-je-boo-bah." I still don't know why or how but it seemed to stick there for a while.  My (very cute) cousin John used it the most probably and he even called me "Jej" at my grandpa's funeral three years ago, proving something about the longevity of nicknames, I'm just not sure what.  I was never called Jen or Jenny as a child but I do remember that once while visiting cousins in Driggs Idaho, when asked by their babysitter what my name was... I said, "Oh, you can just call me Katherine (my middle name)."  Again, proving something about one's innate desire to have a nickname.

The first person to ever call me "Jen" was DK my middle-school through high-school crush. Crush?  That word is so weak.  Unrequited love can never fully be defined in my opinion.  He called me "Jen" for the first time in Physiology. It probably went something like "Jen, let me copy your homework, wench!" But, no matter, however it went down, I embraced it and considered it a term of endearment.  Oddly, I think the next person to really call me that was Nick....then his family.  

Freshman year in college, my dearest girls, Jill and Kim started calling me Fro, quite possibly after seeing "Hollywood Shuffle" for the first time and the famous "Afroooooo you killeded my brutha he was my oooooooooonly brutha!" It was thereafter lengthened to Jennfro or Jennifro and I've answered to it ever since.

Other keepers are "Laffy Jaffy" and "Jafro" also coined my freshman year by my good buddy, Eric. I have no idea how they started but he still uses them today.  I was one of the three "Vegas Chicks" all throughout college and I've heard people admit they never knew my name only knew me as "Vegas Chick." A few years into college, became one of the "Beasely Girls" which is also a name I wear proud. Finally, "Stinkland 1" which is what Dad calls me often enough to count, and "Fro-girl" which is exclusively Chief's name for me. 

(As a side note Nick just entered the room and said that I could also answer to such sweet sentimental tags as "Selfish," or "Me, Myself and Jen"....awww....he has such a way...)

Now, since it's 11:24 and I have nothing better to do, I'm going to think of some of the nicknames I know about.  If I list you on here, you better give me the scoop on how you got your nickname and list other ones I might not know about and what they mean.  AND...for peeps who know the origin of someone else's speak up.  For example--I know Eric knows how Nick got that long one...give it up!  

If you are a blog reader or lurker tell me what people call you to your face or behind your back. Seriously, I really want to know.  I'm into this!  

Nicholas (Nick)---Nicky, Nick-Nicolai-Partii-Poontai-Bajai Guy Wid Da Blue Eye
Nick Sr---Chief!
John---Big Johnny! Milhouse
Jill---Jill of Valley Mill, Jiggy, Jig (evolved from Piggy) Beasley Girl, Stinkland 2
Jessica---Jek, Stinkland 3
Jennifer---Jen, Jafro, Laffy Jaffy, Jennifro, Fro, Vegas Chick, The Jam, Beasley Girl, Selfish
Jayne---"Me, myself and Jayne" (you had it first!) Stinkland 4
Mitch---Twitchell
Mom---Karney, May
Dad---Big Al, (only one giving him nicknames is himself)
Natalie---Noodle
Kelley---Kelsburg
Rob---whatever nasty thing happens to come out of Jig's mouth... poopstank etc.
Eric---G.E.  Eggy, Egg, Tippy
Kolette---Kwit, Kole, Beasley Girl
Alex---Big Al, Alejandro
Niki---Hog (seriously)
Anjie---1-800, Ain-gee, Beasley Girl

Okay...I'm tired and I'm missing tons.  But come on, I know you all are lovin' this.  Spill your guts on the nicknames.  Define yours, his, hers, mine and thems.  

Are nicknames good or bad?
Do you have one?
Do you want one?



15 comments:

Mrs. O said...

What a fun post! I had a whole slew in high school/college.

My maiden name was Biesinger and a guy (who went on to win the Texas Hold Em tournament on the Travel channel) nicknamed me Buttslinger just to annoy the hell out of me - it worked.

Kel probably remembers my nickname of Fernortner best. It's a long story, old boyf. Two more: Cokie, and the BofM classic Korihor or Coribor. I don't really love my name. I love Jennifro, it's awesome.

As for Kelley's nicknames: Kellbel, Kellina, and I'm sure John has some good ones.

Mrs. O said...

Oh and the weirdest thing. when I used to work the phones at WP, people always thought my name was Gloria.

Anjie said...

Sadly, at the moment, I am a victim of Daylight Savings and my brain is mush. I do have one addition for the time being, let's not forget Flash whose name is really ERIC HILL. That's right, Flash is NOT his real name. Just a nickname that has managed to stick for one reason or another. I guess I wouldn't go down the Calleva nickname street... That would take eons... and the stories behind those are generally distasteful and naughty. All thanks to Alejandro...

I will give this some thought though. Maybe I can come up with a few more or add to the ones there.

In high school my good friends called me Wanj and still do. Now let me think.....

Mitch said...

I've had so many nicknames i would never be able to name them all.

Michelin (like the tires. this stuck for about a year.)

All Miller no filler(Which then evolved into...)

Thriller

Milex(mission)

bit*h Miller(Junior high. Out of love of course)

I'm surprised at how many i can't remember. On my mission, i had a "nickname name off" with another elder to see who had more nicknames. At that point they were fresh in the Mem box. I've gone through so many. But the ones that have stuck stuck are Thriller and Twitchell. Alex made up twitchell one day out of nowhere. Everyone liked it and decided to call me it. Thriller was my highschool name with my close friends. Thriller in Mitch Miller was fun for them to say i guess.

I think nicknames are good.They can make you feel like you have a tighter friendship when used right. Jayne also has been dubbed the name Granny panties. Or Sweet sweet jayne? As opposed to Bittersweet Jane at camp. That's all i got.

Jek said...

Dad- Freako, pops, Guy, Pa
Mom-Juggs, Ma
Mitch-Mickie, mick
Jek- Jelikianna(from jill)toilet (my whole 7th grade year), stinky (we might all be called that, but it happens to me all the time.)Jess(jason's family)Biofrin
Jayne- jaynejaynie,
Jason-Jay
Jill-Jill the pill

Jayne Layne said...

I liked this post, and it made me think of and remember the Nicknames that have been given to me...

Elementary: Killer Miller
Junior High: Nothing
High School: Ceaser (I will not say why)
College: Hamster (which evolved into Hammy), Grannie Panties (like Mitch said). But Hammy has stuck for years and years. JayneJaynie has really stuck too with some of my girlfriends.

Jon calls me Tigs, Tags, Tagums.
I call him: Honesy, Sweetsie (anything to be as UGLY as possible)

And I can tell you how mom got Karney...

All because of the Stagg chili in the cupboard. It read... Chili con Carney, and I figured that would be a great name for mom. Since then I have called her Karney.

Mitch, didn't people call you Miller Lite?

Jayne Layne said...

Oh and time out.... I didn't know I had the nickname Me, Myself, and Jayne... Please refresh my memory.

Anonymous said...

I think I have had plenty. Do I remember them not really. The ones I remember are? Kelsburg when I got married. Bugaboo in collage. Legs in high school. Sparky in Jr. high. Kel for short. It sure is fun to see peoples nick names. Kel

Ann Marie said...

How fun!
I like Jennifro... It just fits.
Fun to read all of your nick names..

I have had alot in my life too..
"Binky Malone" or " Bink" was my name as a child.

My little cousins called me Annerie" instead of Ann Marie..

In high school I was "legs" "annban" and "Wright"
My maiden name... There was always jokes about being with the "right girl"..

Chad and I have tons of super sappy nick names for each other.. But when we met..One day I was feeling his big muscles and I said " Oh your quite the Stud!" And then I joked or Stud Muffin? He then always called me "cute Muffin". Well.. Now we don't say it out loud anymore since "muffin" is used in another nickname way.. EW.

~ You always get me thinking! :)

jill said...

This was REALLY funny!! I loved reading everyones nicknames. Grandma Miller used to call me Jilene. Very pretty I know, but it's sweet. Dad's DEFINITELY the king of nicknames along with the Markoff's of course! It's a good thing I think.
I used to call Mitch "Loves" (still do, and there's a song to go with it) He wrote me on my mission, he was probably nine years old and he signed it like this:

Loves
+
Kisses (that's the name I gave to you)

Up in Bubbles said...

Does DK stand for Donnie Kimber? That is the only name I know that has those initials. Just curious...

Probably my favorite nickname to date would have to be "Scrawny Johnny". I was called that pretty much all through Junior high and high school. Becca Hollis coined it and everyone loved it and it stuck. I was called "Miller Time" a bit from the bruthas like Latron and Jermone and the sistas used to call me "White JJ Walker". Most recently the folks at my place of employment, Presidio, have called me JJM (pronounced JiJiM) and Big Johnny...Big Johnny sometimes can come in the form of a quiet hush like Eric does when calling me on the phone or a loug booming BIG JOHNNY from across the hall or bball court. JJM are my initials and that started in inside sales when you would let people know who is placing the orders. Corey Wright started that one.

Me said...

That was a great post. It does get one thinking....

I don't know why, but my dad always called me "Toots" or "Tootsie". He still does sometimes. I had an ex-boyfriend call me "skittles" because of the way I would eat them.

It was fun to see all the different nicknames for people. And I find it interesting that when I would consider baby names, I would also try to think of what nicknames they could be called. I axed a few because of potential nicknames believe it or not.

Anonymous said...

Alex just sent me this so I think you should know I have had other nicknames besides Hog.

Niki Wong Jackson
Sinkhead
Sheephead

I think there were more. Most of them had to do with my large hair but those were all people who had never met Jen.

Isabel is dying for a nickname as she has none. Alexandra has at least 3 : Alibo, Bozie, and Spazy Magee(I think she and Natalie share that one)

I like your blog! Very cute. - Niki

Suzanne said...

I think your nicknames are great! Brian's side of the family is all about nicknames. I will share a few:

Shauna - Lulu (I have no idea why)
Natalie - Babe (From babe goat for her stubborness)
Audrey - Booney, Audrey is Brian's adopted Navajo sister and they kept her last name Boone in honor of her culture, so Brian calls her Booney.
Brian - Buster (his mom calls him that) Robinhood (he got that nickname from his friends because he knelt on an arrowhead and cut a tendon).
Chad (Ann's husband) - We call him peach at the Rentmeister home. Asked why and Brian's mom said he was fuzzy as a child.
With all of our nieces and nephews Brian has given them all nicknames.

Gabby -Beat, short for Beat-N-R
Maddie - Piggly because she is so white and pink
Miranda - Hoodle ??
Lance - Butch, he is a very stout boy
The Rentmeister's cat is mamahomonequa but we call her momma for short.

Shaeler is peanut or cletus. I know, I have no idea where he got that one.

Funny thing is he has never given me a nickname. I don't even have a nickname with the families. With the YW, I am Rentmeister, Rentmeistro or Suzuki. I love nicknames, I think they are great.-Suzanne

{Mo} said...

You guys have a lot of nick-names, how fun!
My dad always called me Fidget when I was young, I have no idea when or why he stopped. My neice Skyler, (only Sky, no one else) calls me Monna. And almost everyone else just calls me Mo, or Aunt/Auntie Mo. The funny thing is my brother-in-law was the one who started it our Senior year of High School, years before he and my sis ever dated. When they fianlly got together he couldn't belive that it had stuck and everyone now called me that. It actually started as Mo the Ho, as a joke because I was so NOT like, but super innocent when it came to guys!
I have nick names for all our kids and the nieces and nephews to....so FUN! Thanks for sharing! I may have to do a post like this soon? Monica