I am a nickname giver, name shortener type of person.
I really cannot help myself, even though I know that not everyone in the world necessarily likes this… I do it with everyone! Even if I hardly know you, I *will* shorten your name to a nickname… it is like an addiction of mine… I love the challenge of shortening names that cannot normally be shortened or if it is a name that absolutely cannot be shortened will delight in giving you a nickname that I will end up always calling you by… as I said it is an addiction, one I cannot stop…
I myself don’t mind when people shorten my name – I mean I am only ever called “Samantha” when I am in deep you know what, and most people call me Sam anyway, but I have been called things like Sammy (erm not my favourite by the way), Samson, Sammy Joe, Sambuca, Samsung, Samantha-FOXy-lady and Lizard. As you can see most of the nicknames I have been given are derived from my original name, except for Lizard. That special one is reserved for my sister “Mozi” to call me… I got it one long time ago holiday in Port Elizabeth when I got terribly sunburnt and peeled literally from head to toe. Lizard it was – shedding my skin. She does not call me it that often anymore but somtimes it slips out.
The point of this drivel is to ask – do you also shorten names and give nicknames? Do you like having nicknames given to you? Or do you want to punch people like me in the face? What is your bestest nickname ever given to you or conversely your worst?
Communiqué 
When I was in middle school, I was “spacing out” at lunch one day, and my friend nicknamed me “Spiff” as in “Spaceman Spiff” from the Calvin and Hobbes cartoon strip. She still writes to me as Spiff even now, 16 years later. 🙂
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Haha!!! Oops! I called you Sammy on a couple of occasions. Soooorieeee!
Anyway, I don’t mind nick names as such but I also have one that I dislike intensely: Elsie, hate that name. My mom calls me bettie, koekie, engel gevreet and angel. My dad often calls me liesbet as did my previous boss. Although my full name is Elize it is derived from Elizabeth. My sister called me lielie growing up, and her sons (10 &11) call me Aunty Lielie. They are such sweeties.
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I love nicknames and have a tendency to call people by them as well. Depending on the type of person and who they are, like I’d never walk up to my boss and call him Phil for example. But my colleueges all have shortened names from me, Chantellie, Jas, Morgs, Cands or Candle etc etc.
I’ve had a million nicknames growing up, from Bibi when my bro was a baby and couldn’t say my name, Bully Beef (as a result of being a rather boisterous little girl) but the two names that have stuck are Shaz and Shari which are still used today. My husband calls me Hartjie and Angel and only calls me Sharon when I’m in the shit!
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You forgot your most descriptive, and most recent nickname.
Dumbass Sam…
But then again, one does expect such behaviour from a Dumbass…
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I once nicknamed a friend of mine Chala. (from Charlotte) To this day it surprises me when other people call her Charlotte.
My favorite nickname given to me is Ladles, given to me by my dad. Two origins. One, my father swears is that it was a diminutive of Lady. Ladles…maybe. My mom says that it started when I was about 3 years old and she was making a cake. My mom said my eyes were the size of tablespoons. My father said, no, Soup ladles…and the name stuck.
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Hehehe, hubby and I are the worst with our pets. We name them and then make up other names for them. Like our Bulldog’s name is Ollie, but we call him snog. I think it has something to do with the noises he makes.
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I am such a nicknamer. I nickname EVERYONE. I have knack for picking ones that stick – to the chagrin of many. The reason for this: I am virtually nicknameless. No one nicknames me. I guess I’m just trying to fill that empty space in my heart where a nickname should be with the joy that comes from nicknaming others.
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I’m known more by my nickname (Dewey) than my real name! I think nicknames that grow organically are great, but my husband has a short, classic name that has a common nickname, and when people try to call him that nickname, watch out!
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I Really want a nickname..one thats similar to my name but also matches my personality x
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