Origins of Naval Nicknames

[CrazyWiggy]

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

 

[AuldYin]

This link www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/nav.00h004002009002 will show you a list of them with explanations, but there is no explanation for wiggy

 

[jesse650]

"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]

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.

 

[Streaky]

I bet no-one can guess how I got mine!

 

[andym]

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.

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.

 

[higthepig]

Wiggy was always Wiggy Bennet dont ask me why.

 

[Always_a_Civvy]

I bet no-one can guess how I got mine!

Were you one of those messdeck flashers? :wink: :lol:

 

[brigham600]

Nah - BACON more like :wink: :roll:

 

[Streaky]

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]

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:

 

[stirling2]

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.