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Origins of Naval Nicknames

C

CrazyWiggy

Midshipman
Would someone please enlighten me on how certain nicknames came about? Some are obvious, but some like my own completely baffle me.
 
J

jesse650

War Hero
"Jesse" coz of my surname........Jesse James.....
"Windy" surname of Miller
"Swampy" surname of Marsh/ or prone to personal accidents whilst drunk!
"Cozy" surname of Powell
"Shady" surname of Lane
"Lofty" coz they're short/ surname of Tall or Short
"stumpy" coz they're tall ----//-------//-------//---
"smudge" surname of Smith
All the regional ones - Taffy, Geordie, Paddy, Jock etc

there are hundreds of them......

.....carry on!
 
chrisredditch

chrisredditch

Midshipman
A Medic I used to know was always called Wayne.
It wasn't until he said it together with his surname that he got (or missed) the joke!

Oh yeah...he was LMA Kerr.
 
andym

andym

War Hero
chrisredditch said:
A Medic I used to know was always called Wayne.
It wasn't until he said it together with his surname that he got (or missed) the joke!

Oh yeah...he was LMA Kerr.
Click to expand...
was he a Jock?I used to know an MA Ian Kerr at Haslar in the 80's.

Pincher or Nipper Martin came from the small boys that used to "nip" or "pinch" the capstan rope around the anchor warps on the old wooden warships a la Victory.Its also where the use of "nipper", indicating a small lad comes from.
 
Streaky

Streaky

MIA
Looking at the RN nicknames section, I see mine is officially Streaky. When I got my loan draft to the Beachampton, however, in between Pt2 & Pt3 training, I was adopted by a one star Killick Pinky who told me to find a nickname acceptable to me, and to introduce myself as that when I joined my first proper ship. So Streaky it was.

One of my drafts was to a torpedo trials unit, and the Chief TI decided Streaky was too conformist, and so I was christened Rasher. When I left, I was quite glad to get my name back, but when I wangled my way back to TTU, the name came Rasher came back.
 
sandygib

sandygib

MIA
Feel sorry for my lad, only in basic training for 3 weeks and got the nickname basher already - apparently got caught doing something mothers shouldn't know about :lol:
 
S

stirling2

Banned
One's that always puzzled me..

'Bungy' Williams/Edwards
'Soapy' Watson
'Whacker' Payne
'Daisy' Adams
'Dodger' Long

people often ask me if my name is Scottish, I reply
''No, I am a retired racing driver'' which confuses some.
 
brigham600

brigham600

War Hero
sandygib said:
Feel sorry for my lad, only in basic training for 3 weeks and got the nickname basher already - apparently got caught doing something mothers shouldn't know about :lol:
Click to expand...
Just like his dad then. :lol: :oops:
 
S

stirling2

Banned
chrisredditch said:
stirling said:
One's that always puzzled me..

'Bungy' Williams/Edwards
Click to expand...
Wasn't that to do with the names of the CPO's who used to look after the Rum Supplies in Pompey/Guzz?
Click to expand...
First time I have heard that explanation Chris so it must be true. :wink:
 
P

Pete_the_Knife

Midshipman
brigham600 said:
sandygib said:
Feel sorry for my lad, only in basic training for 3 weeks and got the nickname basher already - apparently got caught doing something mothers shouldn't know about :lol:
Click to expand...
Just like his dad then. :lol: :oops:
Click to expand...
Well at least I was trying to cut down to four times a day wot was your excuse Brigham 8O
 
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