Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post documents examples of African American nicknames from two discussion threads: topix forum: "Your favorite ghetto nicknames" and lipstick alley: "RANT: Black people make up the stupidest nicknames".
NOTE: I don't agree with descriptions of these nicknames as "stupid" or "funny" or "ghetto". However, I do believe that these nicknames are mostly used by working class or poor Black Americans and not by upper class (wealthy) Black people.
The content of this post is presented for linguistic and cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
This pancocojams post is part of an ongoing series on African American* naming and nicknaming customs.
Other posts in this series can be accessed by clicking the "names and nicknames" tag.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/04/a-chronology-of-use-of-name-nickname.html for a companion pancocojams post that provides a chronology of the use of the name and nickname "Pookie".
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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S COMMENTS
Based on my direct and indirect experiences, it appears to me that there's very little difference between the categories** of Black American nicknames, and the categories of non-Black American nicknames. Also, I believe that a number of the same nicknames are used by Black Americans and non-Black Americans, particularly in the South.
As of the date of this post's publication, except for the probable use of one letter nicknames***, I've found very little online information about or examples of name clips (shortened forms) or diminutives**** of the considerable number of Arabic, or Arabic based names, traditional African language names, and contemporary African American coined given names.
Explanations:
* I use the general referent "African American" and "Black American" interchangeably in this post. However, to be correct, "Black American" encompasses a wider population than African American, i.e. all Black Americans aren't African American- for instance people born in Africa, or Europe, or the Caribbean, or South America, or Australia, etc who identify themselves as being Black Americans.
** With regard to the physical description category of nicknames, my sense is that category is wider for Black Americans as it also includes a number of skin color referents.
*** Here are some categories of nicknames (given in no particular order)
-nicknames that are based on physical appearance
-nicknames based on a person's personality
-nicknames based on a person's ativities or interests
-nicknames based on events or actions, including time of birth
-nicknames based on birth order or being a "junior"
-nicknames based on a person's gender, sexual orientation, or sexual practices
-nicknames based on geographical location
-nicknames based on personality traits or activities
-nicknames using a shortened form of a name, including "ie" or "y" diminutives, or one letter of that name
-nicknames created by duplicatives (repeating the person's name or a shortened form of that person's name)
- nicknames formed by using a term of affection or an offensive term
-nicknames using the person's last name or a shortened form of that last name
-nicknames created because of inadvertent or purposeful mispronunciations or misspellings of the person's first name or last name, including children's-inability to correctly pronounce that name" etc.
Can you think of other nickname categories?
**** By "diminutives" I mean nicknames that end in "ie" or "y" . These endings were widely used for "standard" American names (such as "Johnny" for "John" and "Debbie" or "Debby" for "Deborah". However, after the 1970s or so, along with the rise of multi-cultural names and other "unique" names, these "ie" or "y" names have become much less common.
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EXCERPTS FROM TWO ONLINE DISCUSSION THREADS ABOUT CONTEMPORARY BLACK AMERICAN NICKNAMES
These excerpts are given in chronological order based on their publishing date with the oldest discussion given first.
Excerpt #1
From http://www.topix.com/forum/afam/TONN4EAM1HNU36P3J Your favorite ghetto nicknames; Posted in the African-American Forum
1. Reggie, Carlisle, PA, Jul 9, 2010
"Pookie, Booh Booh, Junebug, RayRay, Bookie, Pooh, JohnJohn, Booh, Stinky, GoGo, Duder,.........any others?"
**
2. _minnie_, Jul 9, 2010
"i swear everybody has a cousin named junebug!"
**
3. Halle Berry Sister, Dec 27, 2012
"Ray Ray
Kool-Aid
June Bug
Pookie"
**
4. Redefined, Orlando, FL, Jan 6, 2013
_minnie_ wrote:
i swear everybody has a cousin named junebug!
"Yup, lol"
**
5. Redefined, Orlando, FL, Jan 6, 2013
"Man Man"
**
6. Chuck, United States, Jan 6, 2013
"Honey Boo Boo"
**
7. Halle Berry Sister, Jan 6, 2013
"Lil BeBe"
**
8. ThisGirl, United States, Feb 1, 2013
"Spongie
Shug
Tee Tee
Plum"
**
9. Erica, Dearborn, MI, Feb 18, 2013
"Pooch pooch or pooche"
**
10. Dopeismyname, Middleton, WI, Apr 2, 2013
"I think..
Booboo"
****
Excerpt #2:
From http://www.lipstickalley.com/printthread.php?t=450033&s=e80a001f9c1df91a8ed8408f308d4c2d&pp=60 RANT: Black people make up the stupidest nicknames
PANCOCOJAMS WARNING:
The first quote in Excerpt #2 includes profanity abbreviations. That quote is given as it was found on that page.
1. Nori West, 11-15-2012,
"RANT: Black people make up the stupidest nicknames
Disclaimer: I am only speaking from a personal stand point. I don't know nor care what white people or Asians or whatever nick name their kids. Sorry if I offend anybody lol with that said...
*START RANT* Where do these people get these damn nicknames from? Who the eff nicknames their child after some random onomatopoeia like Bang Bang. How about the repetitive nicknames like neek neek or man man. How about Dookie (WTF?), just like naming someone sh*t. Also, Boobie.... that's like nicknaming someone titty. Goodness, I can't. Then when the person who came up with the nickname gives the reasoning for that nickname it's something stupid AF. It's even more annoying when someone tries to create a nickname based off of skin color. Some girl tried to start calling me yellow, and I was like nuh uh. *END RANT*
*In a calm voice* Is anyone else annoyed by this? What are some stupid nicknames you have heard?
Here's two of the wildest in my family. Boosie (Like Caboose cause she was suppose to be the last child) and Bay(Baby) Boy.”
-snip-
This comment is given as it was written on that blog
**
2. THUG LIFE,11-15-2012
"In every "hood" you go to there's always either a sand man, ray ray , man man, a eisha, pumpkin, pookie, cookie, or a red man."
**
3. Kingstl, 11-15-2012
"ReRe
Peaches
Punkin - usually sexy
Black - usually a gangsta
NuNu
Meechie - anyone with this name has been shot before
Mookie - guaranteed to be a felon
Big Tiny - very large person"
**
4. Shoewhore 11-15-2012,
..."I know so many Man Man's it's ridiculous. Let's see I am related to: Banky, Boochie, Poodie, Puddy Muddy, Hard Rock, Baby Bean, JiGow (which came from him getting a beating and yelling out Jesus God, shortened to JiGow), Ween, Oodie, Doodie/Doodie Bug/Tip, Neady Beady, 2 Butchies, Punch, Duke and a NuNu.
I know a Pork Chop, a Booty, Keke, KayKay, Boogie, Mookie, Monkey Man, Redman, Red Floyd, Black Floyd, Chicken Wing,Coo, Huggie Bopsie another Punch.
That's all I can think of right now. I wouldn't do that to my kids."
**
5. DarknLovely 11-15-2012
"i always hated the nickname Dae Dae
i have now idea it just bugs me"
**
6. THUG LIFE 11-15-2012
"I have a family and her nickname is Dae Dae."
**
7. Liquid Liner 1-15-2012
"My dad is called Bubba, and I got an uncle Butchie.
But nothing beats my uncle Junebug, I don't even know what his real name is :rose-dead:"
**
8. Sucka Free 11-15-2012
"Off the top of my head, I knew someone nicknamed:
Kool-Aid: because he had a huge, gay ass kool-aid smile
Sprite Cuz: from that slogan "obey your thirst...Sprite" due to his thirstiness.
The Black Album: because he was midnight black
Pig Pen: because he was so damn dirty a dust cloud followed him
Oh, and I'm sure everyone knows a Peanut."
**
9. TheTicket 11-15-2012
"Quote:
Originally Posted by kingstl View Post
If you black and dont know a person named Cookie, you aint really black!
*checks skin color* :pconfused:
Anywho...
Kay-Kay
Lil Red, Big Red
Pooh
C, D, E, G, J, O, P, Q, T, Z (I don't know what's wrong with the other 1st Initials?)
Junior
Jun-yuh
Trey
Ti Ti"
**
10. Titan3510 11-15-2012
"Every black person has a cousin named Pookie out there somewhere.
I hear Bubba and Sissy a lot too. But country white people have the same kind of nick name."
**
11. Boss Leroux 11-15-2012
"I have a peanut, man-man, nae-nae, me-me, bre-bre & lee-lee(twins), baby, and black in my family......we hood lolz
[...]
My sister's nick name is 'Bug'"
**
12. PhoenixRising87 11-15-2012
"Bubbles
Rel
Shay
Ty-ty
Dootsie
Dre
cookie
peaches
Reesie
jojo
Black
wiz
leek
john-john
mookie
pookie
tookie
Papoose"
****
Excerpt #3
From http://www.lipstickalley.com/printthread.php?t=450033&pp=60&page=2 RANT: Black people make up the stupidest nicknames
[with counting continued from Excerpt #1]
13. Love Tenise, 11-15-2012
"My family sometimes makes a nickname from a toddler's pronunciation. My mom has so many "When we were young we couldn't say her name and all the adults just started calling her that" stories lol"
**
14. luxuriousy, 11-15-2012
"The nicknames around my way usually come from babies. They change frequently. They are kinda weird though. Outsiders here the names and are like "What did you just say?"”
**
15. FlyGemini, 11-15-2012
"LMAO...I know a Bay-Bay, Boobie, Juicy, Pooh, and Gooch all from one family lol
I know a Squirk, Stinka, Crip, Munchie, Pig, Snoop, Outlaw, Patty Man, and Fat Man all from the same projects lmao"
-snip-
"projects" = government subsidized housing developments
**
16. Joga, 11-15-2012
"I use to have an Aunt Cookie, and thinking back on it Im pretty sure she wasn't really my aunt nor was her name Cookie.
Also people called me different nicknames cause of my color, I was called Oreo, Lite Bright, and mulatto." ... [link to gif photo no longer accessible]
**
17. arichman1, 11-15-2012
"I call my lil girl Kay Kay, only when we are amongst family. Will never embarrass her around friends
Dude across the street goes by Boobie.
Cousin Junebug
Cousin Ladybug
My friend called my best friend the following, due to his reddish complexion:
RedMan
Chief
Chief UG-A-Mug - My favorite. Didn't realize how funny it was until we got older.
Krink - Have no idea?
Bean-Last name was Green
Salt
Slick
Coco
Boo
Last, but not least, I thought Cedric The Entertainer was kidding about 'Delicious', but I was talking to my friend, and she said that this dude goes by the name Delicious. smh"
**
18. JUJU LA FLAIR, 11-15-2012
..."I know so many Man Man's it's ridiculous. Let's see I am related to: Banky, Boochie, Poodie, Puddy Muddy, Hard Rock, Baby Bean, JiGow (which came from him getting a beating and yelling out Jesus God, shortened to JiGow), Ween, Oodie, Doodie/Doodie Bug/Tip, Neady Beady, 2 Butchies, Punch, Duke and a NuNu.
I know a Pork Chop, a Booty, Keke, KayKay, Boogie, Mookie, Monkey Man, Redman, Red Floyd, Black Floyd, Chicken Wing,Coo, Huggie Bopsie another Punch.
That's all I can think of right now. I wouldn't do that to my kids.”
**
19. Shoewhore, 11-15-2012
Quote:
Originally Posted by Toaster Strudel
How do u know so many ratchet named folk?
Jesus Christ !!
"I'm from the South. That's just what we do here--re-name people. My dad's side of the family is from the country. I think most kids from the country--especially back in the day--were in grade school before they knew what their birth names were."
**
20. lilith, 11-15-2012
"My mom calls my brother "Bubba" because when she was pregnant with him she loved that show "Heat of the Night" and thought the white sheriff named "Bubba" was so fine :dead:"
**
21. Queen Cleopatra, 11-15-2012
"I'm a Nae-Nae (thankfully, only one relative still calls me that)
My daughter is a My-My (another nickname I have for her is Ayama, which is her name backwards)
I also know, are related to:
Precious
Monster
Stain-da
Tootsie
Tookie
Poochie
Face
Cookie
Peaches"
****
22. Freddie, 11-16-2012
"June Bug
Keke
Tee Tee
Quan
Twan
Papa
Pig
Cancer Stick
Ro Ro"
**
23. BronzeBeamer 11-17-2012
"Quote:
Originally Posted by .Sobreviviente
My grandma's nickname is Sweets. Even my mom and uncle grew up calling her that...they never called her 'mom'. The only ones who don't call her that are her grandchildren.
"That's the same way it is my family. My momma calls both of her parents by their nicknames."
**
24. SexNdaCitY 11-17-2012
"I personally can't stand the nicknames "Pookie" and "Lil Man" Too overused and just not cute nor creative."
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25. The Mrs. 11-18-2012
"I know personally a:
Peanut (dude)
Mooka (female)
Dooda Butt (little boy)
Cincinnati (old cat with a bunch of kids)
Bubbi (dude)
Freestyle (dude)
Disco (dude)
Booka (female)
Fat Daddy (dude)
Burger (dude)
Tootie (female)
Mooka man (teen boy)
Cookie (2, actually)
Stinker (big black funky looking dude)
Meder man (dude)
Hollywood (dude)
Puncho (dude)
Motor (female)
Moona (female)
Poonie (female)
Tweety Bird (female)
Bo Bo (female)
Baby Joe (dude)
Punkin (female)
Doobie (female)"
**
26. Opal Indigo 05-30-2014
"one of my classmates nickname was pissy. :neutral:
I worked with a girl named boo boo/boo stank/stanka boo (I can't remember, but it had the words boo and stank in it.) her older cousin worked there so one day she got on the intercom and said, 'stanka boo, you got a call on line 1!' :cry:
I.died. I just laid over the counter cracking up. She ran up to her older cousin, 'don't call me that at work! why would you call me that at work!' older cuz was like, 'i'm sorry! we always call you that, i'm sorry!'
The customers were so confused, wheeeww that was good day. :cry:"
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