“There is pressure to seem like a grown-up, a particular kind of self-serious grown up.”
- Mark Oppenheimer, in his column in the Wall Street Journal’s Review Section, April 19-20, 2025
After the most serious week on the calendar, let’s lighten things up this week, starting with nicknames.
Oppenheimer (or “Oppy” as he was known as a younger man) waxes romantic about nicknames and their disappearance in these politically correct, overly sensitive times.
Nicknames were the norm for generations. While most notably influenced by military and sports teams, my mother, Patricia, was known as Patty, her father, Loren Stark, was Starky and Williams were often Bills, Jeromes Jerry and so on.
I grew up with Doc, Clunk, Tommy Trojan, Wellsy, LJ, Hutch, Crilly, Can Can, Pig, and I was “Hess.” In college, Yeet Yeet, Swaller, Tuffy, JY, Unk, and Woody joined the mix. In a couple of cases, I had to pause to recall their given names.
Once a sign of affection, closeness, and inclusiveness, Oppy bemoans the loss of the nickname as a sign of the times, leading to the quote above.
What if we’re being too serious, hoping not to offend anyone for any reason at any time? What if real attempts to be respectful limit our connectedness and ability to get under the surface with our workaday relationships? One of my largest Clients ever was “Swi,” a shortened version of his last name, and it’s not a coincidence that he remains a friend even after our paths no longer cross professionally.
I’m not sure the intended application of today’s Diff. I am sure that we can find more fun and reasons to smile in our day-to-day, however, when we quit trying to be so serious, or take ourselves so seriously.
Dan Thome says
My bride attended the wedding of one of my college buds in 1987. There were about a dozen guys there who all went by their nicknames, but only within this group. She challenged me to tell me their real names and I was 11/12. When she asked me how I would get in touch with Mud if I needed to, I explained that the folks at the Badger Bowl in Verona would know how.
Mid now lives in Bozeman and I probably need to call the Bozeman Bowl to find him….although I did put his real name in my CRM.
Steve Heston says
Those were the days, Dan!
Jeff Crile says
Always enjoy reading your blogs HESS. They all make me ask myself how your words relate to me. Nicknames have always been a part of life from our most treasured “older” friends, to sports acquaintances and for me, my military family. Almost without exception, these have been my most important relationships. What started out as a fun nickname has evolved into treasured friendships. Especially those in the “older” category previously mentioned. Keep writing and keep me thinking.
Steve Heston says
Yours might be one of the cleanest nicknames ever, all because a PA announcer couldn’t pronounce a one syllable word with the construct of a long i and a silent e. Education. Sigh! Thanks for weighing, in “Crilly”. And, I left off Buck, Horty, Rock, Skeeter, Ledge I and Ledge II, Tree. Heck I could take up five pages of the book, right?