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This article was reviewed by Seth Hall and by wikiHow staff writer, Sophie Burkholder, BA. Seth T. Hall (ICF ACC, CLC, and MNLP) is a Certified Life Coach and Founder of Transformational Solutions, a Los Angeles-based life-coaching company that helps people achieve their toughest goals, find their own voice, and think outside the box. He has been a life coach for over 10 years, specializing in personal development, relationships, career and finance, and wellness. He has helped his clients break the negative cycles in their lives and replace them with a positive, proactive mindset. Seth believes that everyone has the potential to live a fulfilling and rewarding life, and works passionately to help them reach their full potential. With a deep understanding of how our minds work and the power of positive thinking, he encourages his clients to find their unique paths in life and find success on their own terms. He is a certified master practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming, a featured co-author for WikiHow, and co-author of "The Mountain Method”, “The Happy Tiger”, and “The V.I.S.I.O.N.S. Program”.
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Whether you want something catchy to call your friends by or a mysterious name to help you go incognito, creating a cool nickname is a great way to stand out from the crowd! Making a fun nickname can be as simple as shortening someone’s real name, or you can invent something unique using an inside joke or punny phrase. Whatever type of nickname you want to make, you'll craft a perfect one by following the simple steps below!
How to Make a Cool Nickname
Shorten a name into one syllable or lengthen it by adding the letters “-ey” or “-ie.” You can also create a cool nickname by incorporating a hobby or personality trait, like “Chef” if you like to cook or “Chuckles” if you have a giggly personality.
Steps
11 Ways to Create a Cool Nickname
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![Step 1 Shorten or lengthen the first name.]()
Shorten or lengthen the first name. The most basic and common type of nickname is a shortened version of someone’s real name. For example, Alexander is shortened to Alex or Al, Katherine to Kate or Katie, Richard to Rick or Dick, and so on.[1]- You can also lengthen your name by adding an “ee” sound with the letters “-ey” or “-ie.”
- For example, the name Hazel can become “Hazey,” or the name “Fran” can become “Frannie.”
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![Step 2 Create a cool nickname using initials.]()
Create a cool nickname using initials. Combine the first letter of your first and last names or the first letter of your first and middle names. Going by your initials can help differentiate you from others if you have a common name or make a difficult or long name easier to pronounce.[2]- This works well if your middle or last name begins with “J,” “D,” or “T.”
- For example, Daniel Joseph can be shortened to “DJ,” Andrew Johnson to “AJ,” Jonathon Jameson to “JJ,” or James Taylor to “JT.”
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![Step 3 Use a last name as a nickname.]()
Use a last name as a nickname. You can also abbreviate or shorten your last name. For example, someone with the name Alison Tadmor could go by just “Tadmor” or the shorter “Tadz.”- This works well in sports or at work, especially if you have a common first name.
- Most athletes go by their last name since it’s on the back of their jerseys.
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![Step 4 Describe a unique physical attribute or personality trait.]()
Describe a unique physical attribute or personality trait. Think of a good feature about yourself or a friend and use that as inspiration for a nickname. For example, the 16th U.S. president, Abraham Lincoln, is often called “Honest Abe” for his integrity.- Be careful not to offend anyone and focus on positive, not negative, attributes.
- If someone is smart, call them “Prof” or “Doc.”
- Similarly, a creative person could be called “Muse” or “Da Vinci.”
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![Step 5 Create a nickname based on a job or hobby.]()
Create a nickname based on a job or hobby. Find inspiration from where you’re from or what you do. You can go by “Chef” if you like to cook, “Mustang” if you like cars, or “Wormy” if you like to read.[3]- These nicknames could apply to hobbies or your actual occupation.
- Some people assign career-based nicknames to differentiate two people they know with the same name.
- For example, they may distinguish between two friends named “Hannah” in conversation by referring to them as “Teacher Hannah” and “Dentist Hannah.”
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![Step 6 Base a nickname around where someone lives or is from.]()
Base a nickname around where someone lives or is from. Some states have nicknames specific to them, like how people from Indiana are called “Hoosiers.” You could also call a friend who lives in the city a “City Slicker” or combine a name with an alliterative geography word like “Southern Sammy” or “Townie Tim.” -
![Step 7 Use linguistic diminutives to make your nickname.]()
Use linguistic diminutives to make your nickname. Many cultures and languages use diminutives to add more affection to a name. If you or the person you’re creating a cool nickname for has a cultural heritage or family tradition regarding names, you can craft the nickname using those.- Spanish speakers often add “-ito” or “-ita” to the end of the name, like Sara → Sarita or Juan → Juanito.[4]
- In Indian languages like Hindi or Tamil, they often take the first syllable and add “u,” like Namrata → Namu or Ashvini → Ashu.[5]
- In Japanese, suffixes like “kun” (くん) or chan (ちゃん) are added to male and female names, respectively.[6]
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![Step 8 Use a childhood nickname.]()
Use a childhood nickname. Rediscovering a nickname from childhood can be a fun way to bring nostalgia and uniqueness to your name. Ask parents or family members about any cute or funny nicknames they used to use.- For example, maybe your best friend’s parents called her “Ducky” as a toddler because her favorite toy was a rubber duck.
- If she’s okay with it, you could start calling her “Ducky” now that you’re older!
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![Step 9 Use a retro or vintage nickname.]()
Use a retro or vintage nickname. Revive a nickname that used to be popular but has since fallen out of use. For example, nicknames “Slick,” “Skippy,” “Biff,” “Dottie,” and “Kittie” were all popular in the 1940s and 1950s. Popular nicknames during the Victorian Era include “Josie,” “Millie,” “Maisie,” “Fritz,” and “Augie.”[7]- Look for inspiration from old TV shows or movies.
- For example, character nicknames on The Little Rascals include Alfalfa, Junior, Froggy, Pineapple, and Buckwheat.
- The popular musical and movie Grease (1978) includes members of the “Pink Ladies” (Rizzo, Frenchy, and Marty) and the “T-Birds” (Doody and Kenickie).[8]
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![Step 10 Use wordplay to craft the nickname.]()
Use wordplay to craft the nickname. Make a pun or anagram from the first or last name. For example, if someone’s name is Ellie, you could call them “‘Ells Bells” as a play off the phrase “hells bells.”- To make an anagram from someone’s name, rearrange the letters like the singer “Halsey” did to create a stage name from her real first name, “Ashley.”[9]
- Add an alliterative word or rhyme to the name, like “Groovy Greta” or “Anna Banana.”
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![Step 11 Make a pop culture reference.]()
Make a pop culture reference. Reference a famous movie, celebrity, or song related to the name you want to create a nickname for. For example, you could call a friend named “Emma” either “Eminem” after the rapper or “Baby Spice” after Emma Bunton.- You could even use viral videos and memes to nickname your friend, like giving the nickname “Damn Daniel” to your friend Dan as a reference to the famous Vine video.
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![Step 12 Use a name generator.]()
Use a name generator. If you can’t come up with a cool nickname on your own, use a random nickname generator. Some generators, like this one, are more generic and use information like your legal name and adjectives that describe you to create your nickname.- Use other generators for more specific purposes. For example, you can create a stage name with this generator or make an anagram or username with the Name Combiner generator.
Community Q&A
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QuestionHow can you get nickname out of Ellie Sofia?
Community AnswerYou have all kinds of options: Sofie, Fia, Fifi, El, Lee, Lia, Eli, Elsie, etc. -
QuestionWhat's a good nickname for Elke (pronounced Elka)?
Community AnswerElkie or Kiki are cute names. -
QuestionWhat is a good nickname for Sage?
Community AnswerSage is a very pretty name, and very short, making it hard to make nicknames out of it. Maybe try "Say".
Tips
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The best nicknames are short and catchy. They should be easy for others to remember and repeat!Thanks
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Make sure your nickname doesn’t use offensive language, especially if you’re giving a nickname to someone else.Thanks
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Make sure you answer to your nickname. If you can’t remember your nickname, "Ace," maybe you don’t need one.Thanks
Tips from our Readers 
- You could give someone a nickname based on a food they like. For example, you could call a pasta-loving friend "Penne" or "Spaghetti-O."
- Even if you think the nickname you gave a friend is really cute and it's not offensive in any way, they still may not like it.
Warnings
- Avoid nicknames that reference sex, drugs, or violence.Thanks
- A nickname should be fun but not obscene or offensive. Being called “Sexy DJ Daddy” may work in some places, but not at work or school.Thanks
- Don’t be a copycat – if another person you know has the same nickname, don't use it.Thanks
- Remember that any nickname might follow you for the rest of your life, including future relationships, jobs, etc.Thanks
References
- ↑ https://www.familiesunearthed.com/nicknames.htm
- ↑ https://nameberry.com/blog/initial-names
- ↑ https://www.aulart.com/blog/from-inspiration-to-identity-how-to-create-the-perfect-artist-name/
- ↑ https://www.spanish.academy/blog/using-diminutives-in-spanish-for-more-colorful-conversations/
- ↑ https://shiningkorean.com/2011/04/13/diminutives/
- ↑ https://shiningkorean.com/2011/04/13/diminutives/
- ↑ https://nameberry.com/list/379/Vintage-Nicknames-for-Boys?all=1
- ↑ https://stageagent.com/shows/musical/1094/grease/characters
- ↑ https://www.anagrammer.com/anagrammer/
- ↑ https://www.southernliving.com/culture/nicknames-best-friends#toc-silly-best-friend-nicknames
- ↑ https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1302685-the-50-greatest-nicknames-in-boxing-history
- ↑ https://www.southernliving.com/culture/nicknames-best-friends#toc-silly-best-friend-nicknames
- ↑ https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/mind-guest-blog/why-do-we-use-pet-names-in-relationships/
About This Article
To come up with a cool nickname for yourself or others, try thinking of cute or creative ways to say the real name. For example, if you have a longer name, like Alexander, try shortening it to Alex or Al. You can also go by your initials, depending on your first and middle name. For instance, you could shorten Alex John to A.J. You can even use your last name as your first name, like going by “Smith.” When coming up for a nickname for a friend, try something like "Prof" or "Doc" if they're really brainy, or "Chef" if they love to cook. To learn how to create a stage name, keep reading!
