tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post115244552193511483..comments2024-03-16T00:21:43.240+00:00Comments on Separated by a Common Language: nicknames: clipping+s, -zzalynneguisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-31726496289154471882023-03-20T09:21:00.536+00:002023-03-20T09:21:00.536+00:00Also (extremely late to the party), as I recall, N...Also (extremely late to the party), as I recall, Nancy was Bill Sikes's girlfriend, not his wife; no surname is given for her.Robhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05569133758797905525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-7063247620927833672020-10-05T11:56:45.764+01:002020-10-05T11:56:45.764+01:00I realize that this post is several years late, bu...I realize that this post is several years late, but I just discovered your blog. Commenting because when I saw people talking about Jules popping up in AmE more often, I immediately thought of Bend it like Beckham, which came out a few years before your post. With one of the main girls named Jules, it could certainly have caused a bump in the popularity of that nickname for Jul- names.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-33995874281300383192020-07-31T18:45:28.380+01:002020-07-31T18:45:28.380+01:00BrE. Just some often unrecognised hypocoristons (s...BrE. Just some often unrecognised hypocoristons (spelling?) from names used in our family. Henry becomes Harry: thing Henry V, cry God for England and Harry. Nancy can derive from Agnes as well as from Ann/Anne, as it does in our family. Incidentally, the Scottish girl’s name Senga is Agnes in reverse. Often used by mothers who want children named after themselves, but don’t want to saddle them with an old-fashioned name.Shy-replyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01891566073375322808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-20659807828109401142017-08-28T23:10:13.851+01:002017-08-28T23:10:13.851+01:00Despite Giddy's last remark, since Joseph can ...Despite Giddy's last remark, since Joseph can become Joe, Thomas can become Tom, I do believe that Chas could be carried through as a diminutive to 'Chazza' or 'Chaz'. There's also Charlie, of course. But I have never understood 'Chuck' for Charles.biochemisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02583985909434048932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-58103498673164356032017-05-21T21:00:38.632+01:002017-05-21T21:00:38.632+01:00Well, Morrissey was called Mozzer or Moz in the ea...Well, Morrissey was called Mozzer or Moz in the early days of the Smiths, if that's any help...<br />https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morrisseylynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-67387649079909010352017-05-21T16:31:46.643+01:002017-05-21T16:31:46.643+01:00Do you have a solid reference for when the zz/za t...Do you have a solid reference for when the zz/za trend began? There's a Vanity Fair article from 1998 by Richard E. Grant in which he talks about calling Sharon Stone Shazza and the same year in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, the various villains have zz/za hypocristics. (like that new word btw!) I am writing a screenplay sert in the early 1980s and want to know if my character may employ this device in naming her best friend, or if it would be anachronistic. Any ideas? CheersDiana Trimblehttp://66witches.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-84811687630313501272016-08-04T09:41:33.795+01:002016-08-04T09:41:33.795+01:00My daughter, Mara, gets called by friends 'Mar...My daughter, Mara, gets called by friends 'Mars'. A Clara, of course, would be Clarrie, not Clars, but I don't know what a Lara or Tara would be.Martyn Cornellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16843357962176591317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-58532058826981648652016-07-19T19:06:29.156+01:002016-07-19T19:06:29.156+01:00American here--I call my daughter Lydia "Lyds...American here--I call my daughter Lydia "Lyds".....and I've met quite a few Al(l)isons who use the nickname, with 3 spellings represented (Ali, Allie, Ally). I still haven't met an Alley which I think is prebably a good thing, although it would be easier to be sure of the pronunciation than the Ali or Ally spellings! Hadn't heard of the -azza phenomenon before today, but it makes more sense to explain the name Chas/Chazz than does the idea that the name came from the abbreviation. No one uses the abbreviations Thos. or Jas. as names, even though they are abbreviations from the same era as Chas. Love your blog!Giddyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04895428169080381574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-80068256659002586382016-07-19T18:35:31.301+01:002016-07-19T18:35:31.301+01:00My father's name is Paul, and much of the reas...My father's name is Paul, and much of the reason none of my brothers is named 'Paul' (except for a middle name) is that my parents feared with two Pauls in the family, the younger would be "Paulie", which sounds just like "Polly" in our pronunciation.lynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-10777235727776864482016-07-19T18:28:29.196+01:002016-07-19T18:28:29.196+01:00We don't only shorten names here. One of my fr...We don't only shorten names here. One of my friends at uni was called Paul by his mum to prevent shortening. He was renamed Paulie by one and all (this was Liverpool, where a lot of the nicknames have an /-e/ sound at the name because it works well with the accent). This was long enough ago certain other modern usages weren't in place, and to distinguish from another, thinner, Paulie, he was in fact "Fat Paulie" to everyone.<br /><br />About 5 years I met him and his wife for the first time in about 30 years. She still calls him Paulie. He still lives up the cognomen too, although with just the three of us there and because times have changed, we didn't use it.Eloisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00645110245532917138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-88921934738135035662016-02-29T13:51:32.783+00:002016-02-29T13:51:32.783+00:00Jeremy Fry - I think I'm right in saying that ...Jeremy Fry - I think I'm right in saying that El Tel picked up his Spanish article when he became Barcelona manager in the 80s. Of course the alliteration of his nickname can't be beaten, but Gary Neville's recent move to coach Valencia has seen him called "El Nev". I'm sure there are other similar examples of nicknames for foreign based football managers - but the closest I can think of is Steve "Schteve" McClaren.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09159576251804230944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-53966142660514096362015-03-23T20:32:56.138+00:002015-03-23T20:32:56.138+00:00I see someone else has caught why Derek Trotter en...I see someone else has caught why Derek Trotter ends up as Del Boy, but it at least used to be more common as a general rule that names with initial -er and -ar were shorten and the r changed to l.<br /><br />There were some who referred to me as 'Jel' at school, and Terry in 'Minder' was often called Tel. I also seem to recall that Terry Venables, one time managet of Spurs I believe, was nicknamed 'El Tel', although where the spanish definite article comes from I have no idea.<br /><br />I would associate Bazza etc as Brum/Black Country.<br /><br /><br />Hunter Davies wrote a book where the girlfriend's name was different in each section. It was only slowly that you realised that they were all variants of Elizabeth - Liz, Beth, Eliza etc.<br /><br />Above Nell for Eleanor is given (sorry writing this on a phone and I have difficulty cutting and pasting), I believe I have also seen for Elizabeth. <br /><br />Speaking of Nancy Blackett from Swallows and Amazons, I have never met a girl called Titty. Maybe I move in the wrong circles. <br /><br /><br />Jeremy. Born early 60s London/Essex border. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11215675076577628776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-80663341353722796602012-10-20T03:38:12.314+01:002012-10-20T03:38:12.314+01:00My given name is Melinda nickname Mindy, I was alm...My given name is Melinda nickname Mindy, I was almost never called by my given name. So I have a tendency to hate nicknames.<br /><br />So, I named my kids short name to try and avoid this.<br />Daughters name is Zoe (pronounced Zoee) which did not work too well because I find myself calling he Zo without the ee<br /><br />And my sons name is Ivan, and so far so good, no one not even me, has shortened it (although I can see how it could be)Mindynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-24910262107173296162012-06-08T23:07:57.209+01:002012-06-08T23:07:57.209+01:00I'm 13 and I got interested with this because ...I'm 13 and I got interested with this because I saw a friend tweet, addressing Harry Styles as "Hazza" so I researched about it.<br /><br />I think that the names with or without an /r/ after the first syllable and that has a nickname ending with -zza are common amongst the Brits or people from England, UK, Australia or whichever. I have two people for example.<br />The first one is Corin Storkey from the reality TV show "The Beauty and The Geek Australia Season 2". I remember watching an episode wherein Corin's partner were to answer what his high school nickname was, and there she answered "Cozza" which was correct.<br />The second person, as I've mentioned, is Harry Styles; a member of the boy group singing sensation from the UK, "One Direction". Harry's fellow group member, Liam Payne was the one who gave him the nickname "Hazza" and the one who calls him that, but now, also their fans are calling Harry that as well.<br /><br />I don't know, I guess this is just me. All these are just according to my observations. jmsd723https://twitter.com/#!/jmsd723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-82575512832591316012011-11-24T03:28:41.104+00:002011-11-24T03:28:41.104+00:00So late, but I've been clicking links and read...So late, but I've been clicking links and reading through your archives all day and finally have to comment.<br /><br />I (AmE) know two Allies (one Allison and the other Alexandra) and one Ali (Alison). I get confused by the spelling Ali (thinking it should be aLEE after Muhammad) and Ally (thinking it should be like the noun), but that's probably mostly me.<br /><br />I also know a woman, Jax, short for Jacqueline and, of course, pronounced the same as Jacks. There is also a female character named Jax in a series of books by Ann Aguirre, but my friend Jax says she's only known other male (but still rare) Jax/Jacks'.<br /><br />Jules (preferred in AmE over Jools, I think) is gaining a lot of popularity over here, but I don't know about the other forms.<br /><br />I find nicknames that skip letters interesting. For instance, I know an Amelia/Mia and an Elspeth/Eppie. What's going on there?<br /><br />Also how spelling can denote gender: Jessy, Jessie, & Jessi are all women, but Jesse is a man.Jessicahttp://nisababepraised.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-25711307865968396012010-09-23T10:49:27.732+01:002010-09-23T10:49:27.732+01:00An american Ally - Allison Marie "Ally" ...An american Ally - Allison Marie "Ally" McBeal<br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ally_McBealPaulnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-88914980729750019342010-09-21T01:21:23.723+01:002010-09-21T01:21:23.723+01:00-ers is an old-fashioned / posh approach to nickna...-ers is an old-fashioned / posh approach to nicknames. I (Richard Gadsden, in case it doesn't come through as my name) caught a nickname as "Gadders" when I had an ex-public school friend. This would fit with "Blowers" (Henry Blofeld) "Aggers" (Jonathan Agnew) and "Johnners" (Brian Johnston) from TMS, which perpatuates that style of naming.Richard Gadsdenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10545595590359552775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-45616429019841528602009-04-18T00:32:00.000+01:002009-04-18T00:32:00.000+01:00Just wanted to address in a rather jumbled fashion...Just wanted to address in a rather jumbled fashion three points that you mentioned. Is Nancy still a popular name in the States? I myself am a big fan of hypocoristic s, shortening friends' names to Kels (Kelly), Jules (Julia), and Wills (William). And, there is a girl at work who I've never heard called anything but Allie/Ally.<br /><br />I wonder if you could do a followup piece talking about the diminutive -ster? (ie Chuckster, Mikester, etc.)Arianenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-38115927520617115432009-03-13T15:23:00.000+00:002009-03-13T15:23:00.000+00:00Nancy (or Nan) originated as a nickname for Anne (...Nancy (or Nan) originated as a nickname for Anne (cf Nell for Eleanor, Ned for Edward). It later became an independent name, but, as you say, is very uncommon in the UK nowadays.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-65786536015335424722008-01-08T03:23:00.000+00:002008-01-08T03:23:00.000+00:00One of the only successful nicknames I've ever had...One of the only successful nicknames I've ever had dates from my childhood in Worthing and was 'Ez' (for Ella)ellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13036209994244477176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-72903130252994861092007-04-30T02:03:00.000+01:002007-04-30T02:03:00.000+01:00I love Jill's explanation, although why choose "z"...I love Jill's explanation, although why choose "z" rather than some other sound? But with respect to Chaz: it may come from a different source, the antique abbreviation of "Chas." (Compare "Thos." as in "Thos. Jefferson.")Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-25241869166735024452007-04-23T09:00:00.000+01:002007-04-23T09:00:00.000+01:00It's the same.It's the same.Phil Vinerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18054313101947457594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-34285134128424280582007-04-23T04:24:00.000+01:002007-04-23T04:24:00.000+01:00In Australia, Gaz" or Gazza is short for Garry/Gar...In Australia, <B>Gaz"</B> or <B>Gazza</B> is short for <I>Garry/Gary</I>. Also, <B>Chaz</B> for <I>Charles/Charlie</I>. Is it the same in the UK?Altissimahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01367694104106778194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-11237898843419956322007-03-24T00:41:00.000+00:002007-03-24T00:41:00.000+00:00I'm an American studying linguistics in England. I...I'm an American studying linguistics in England. In a phonology lecture a few weeks ago, the lecturer touched on this subject as a tangent, unsurprisingly from a phonological perspective. He wrote the name "Karen" on the board and asked the English students how they would shorten it if one of them wanted to make a nickname for Karen. There was a silence, and then one of the students spoke up with "Kaz". He said yes, that that was what he was looking for, and pointed out where this odd /z/ came from. It's normal to shorten two-syllable names to the first syllable, which is fine for Philip or Stanley, but if that would leave a name ending in /r/ there is a problem in non-rhotic varieties of English. Non-rhotic English doesn't allow /r/ word-finally, but dropping the /r/ would leave */kæ/, which is not a well-formed syllable in most (maybe all) varieties of English. A monosyllabic word requires a bimoraic syllable (to oversimplify slightly), and /æ/ is a single mora. It needs a consonant to provide the second mora; the /z/ therefore completes the syllable. He then commented that in a rhotic English the situation would be handled differently and asked me to shorten "Karen." I replied something sounding like "care", since /r/ at the end of a word is fine in my English. I should have asked him how he would do it, since he speaks a rhotic English himself, but I didn't.<BR/><BR/>Excellent tangent to an excellent lecture. In fact, just the other day I remembered this while watching an episode of _Only Fools and Horses_, and I was abruptly enlightened as to why the character Derek Trotter is called Del or Delboy.Jillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06332056233110232454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-8637477957524325772007-03-20T09:30:00.000+00:002007-03-20T09:30:00.000+00:00Please use the 'search blog' feature to find ass/a...Please use the 'search blog' feature to find <I>ass/arse</I>. Feel free to use the 'contact lynneguist' link to request new topics.lynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.com