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Help[Opinions] Does anyone else get thrown for a loop when someone has a nickname as their surname?
This is something that I've been thinking about on and off for months. It always surprises me.
Now, when I say that someone has a nickname as their surname, I'm talking about them having a surname that is typically a nickname for a first name. For example, a friend I had in elementary school had the surname "Luke", as in the nickname for Lucas.
Other examples of nicknames acting as surnames that I have seen are Jenny, Kenny, Matt, Ray, Steve, and Terry.
Does anyone else get surprised by these names? More importantly, does anyone have any more?
Now, when I say that someone has a nickname as their surname, I'm talking about them having a surname that is typically a nickname for a first name. For example, a friend I had in elementary school had the surname "Luke", as in the nickname for Lucas.
Other examples of nicknames acting as surnames that I have seen are Jenny, Kenny, Matt, Ray, Steve, and Terry.
Does anyone else get surprised by these names? More importantly, does anyone have any more?
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Replies
Luke's not a nickname btw
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Really? I honestly did not know that. Thanks!
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I very rarely come across these names, so yes I would be surprised :-0
I would assume they came to be when someone down the line changed their surname.
I would assume they came to be when someone down the line changed their surname.
This message was edited 5/6/2023, 5:37 PM
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There was a sociologist member of The American Name Society who was an expert on nicknames whose own name was James Skipper. I always thought that was an example of a surname inspiring someone's research interest.
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This is not uncommon; Terry is quite common as a surname.
Also, I'm Cherokee and a lot of Indians have those sort of surnames. Billy is very common among Miccosukee and Seminole in Florida, for instance.
So no, I don't even really consider the names you mention "nicknames for last names." Ray isn't only a nn for Raymond.
Also, I'm Cherokee and a lot of Indians have those sort of surnames. Billy is very common among Miccosukee and Seminole in Florida, for instance.
So no, I don't even really consider the names you mention "nicknames for last names." Ray isn't only a nn for Raymond.
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Jac Vanek. I don't remember where exactly I saw this name but I forgot the sequence, so I have to google it.
By the way, BtN says, that both Jac and Vanek are diminutives:
Vanek - from an archaic diminutive of the given name Václav.
Jac may be used as a diminutive of Jacque or Jacqueline...
By the way, BtN says, that both Jac and Vanek are diminutives:
Vanek - from an archaic diminutive of the given name Václav.
Jac may be used as a diminutive of Jacque or Jacqueline...
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