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Due to my longstanding interest in cars, when Dunlop introduced the D75 performance tyres back in the 70’s, I, along with many others had advertising stickers for them, and I aquired the nickname groundhog as a result, although I’d just left school at that time. I don’t think anyone that I know now remembers it, apart from a girlfriend I went out with for a while, and while I rarely bump into her these days, she still calls me that, which I find rather heartwarming.
If we’re doing teachers, I ha do a history teacher called Mr Woodcock so obviously he was known as balsa balls.
Big John 6’5 and Little John 6’3 at uni.
“Floaty” McFloatface for a svelte riding buddy after a woman who was watching him fly up a technical climb said in a very broad Welsh accent “ooooh, he just floats up doesn’t he?”
Tweety-pie/Orville for a mate who put himself in hospital at a bike park. Because he’s not very good at flying.
We did have a mate who went by the name of Yogurt and we never knew why.
I was a college with a guy known as 'Yoghurt'. To be honest the nickname was probably the least baffling thing about him. I don't even think I imagined it was a nickname at the time - its not unimaginable that he was just called Yoghurt. I mean I presume I was at college with him and he wasn't just hanging around the building. Not even sure what year he was in - I don't think he was in mine.
The funny thing is until reading this thread I'd pretty much forgotten about him. If I meet old college friends he never comes up in conversation and I think its just because he, and every encounter with him, was so baffling that you can't actually find anything to say about him. He was unstoryfieable - there was no beginning, middle and end of anything he said or did.
Not at school, a friend of mine christened a girl "Choosy Spice" on account of her undiscerning nature when coupling up.
Has the nickname been consigned to history?
fairly sure it’d be deemed a hate crime these days with a 35 yr prison term.
Pornstar names (first pet name and mums maiden name) alongside nicknames a plenty in my day.
as was organised brawls with one school year waiting for another different school year In the local park.
character building i called it. Now….blimey….think of the mental health and hate issues that’d ensue from taking a kicking on a friday night!
ray alder (oldest alder)had 2 sons known as older younger alder and younger younger alder
My family had Big Allan, Little Alan, Young Alan, Old Alan. Respectively my uncle, me, dad, granddad.
I ha do a history teacher called Mr Woodcock
I knew a lad by that name. An ex of his quipped that Knob Of Butter would have been more appropriate.
Pornstar names (first pet name and mums maiden name) alongside nicknames a plenty in my day.
On the upside, you now know everyone's Internet security questions.
School gyp names.. haha.
At our secondary school in the north west + late 80s almost everyone had a 'gyp' nickname, the name that you called someone to give them gyp. Gyp wars were like banter but really it was true to the term, it was who could wear the other down by being annoyingly consistent, public or your comic timing with the gyp, while staying entertaining for others so it didn't backfire on you and make you a gyp target. Or, get you a smack in the mouth from misjudging it - gyp between mates could go on for a long time but gyp to people outside your circle was risky when it became simply taking the p1ss and could have consequences.
Gyp names came from one-off embarrassing events or personal quirks or appearance-related in a Viz/Bash St Kids sort of way, often very non-PC. All in all, glad there was no social media record of those days : )
Maybe like the Jimmy Hill / Chinny Reckon thing, a regional phenomenon?
.. laughing remembering some of that stuff now.. Being in class and someone saying something as an answer to a question but really it was hidden gyp to someone in the room who might not spot it.. until there was a muffled "ohhh deeaaar, gyp to Roberts!" from someone who either did or was simply inferring gyp where there wasn't any to sh1t-stir, then Roberts*'s challenge was to give gyp back and risk a bollocking or stay quiet and concede, taking the gyp.
The best gyp names were ones that could be weaved into class discussions so subtly that whether you were getting gyp or not was a Q of who it came from and the level of gyp wars or paranoia. Some people ended up with a few gyp names because the primary gyp name was impossible to say in class w/o getting done and as gyp evolved we realised the more subtle ones could be used more publicly so they were more powerful.
Even teachers got gyp - some of them got to know what we called them and you had to be really subtle in using their gyp name out loud somehow but you got laughs and respect with your mates if you did.
*Name probably changed
organised brawls with one school year waiting for another different school year In the local park.
I never understood this. We had full-on race wars, I wanted no part of it and generally hid in the corridors. The idea of hurting someone was anathema to me and I didn't get why I was supposed to hate someone because they had a bit of a tan.
It staggers me that for some people this has continued into adulthood. Not once have I been getting ready to go out on the lash and thought, "I hope I get into a fight tonight." I've been on the receiving end a couple of times though.
One evening, I was walking through town with a mate and a gang of lads plotted an intercept course towards us. I can only assume they targeted us because we had long hair and leather jackets, we weren't doing anything, just walking along. I hear something like "bump him," one of them shoulder-checks me as the passed. I span around to deliver a stern yet witty response and before I had chance to open my mouth he punched me in it. I 'did the math' there was maybe eight of them and they were making to surround us. I looked at Matt, said "run" and legged it. I'm no fighter but one thing I am rather exceptional at is running away, a skill I perfected back in high school.
Thankfully, the townies in hot pursuit had sudden catastrophic bravado failure and turned heel when about a dozen of our mates along with half of the rest of the biker bar we were running to came spilling out to have a quiet word.
Maybe like the Jimmy Hill / Chinny Reckon thing, a regional phenomenon?
With hindsight, I wonder how these things spread pre-Internet / social media / phones. Chinny Reckon was a saying when I was at school, replete with imaginary-chin stroking actions. Unless you were at my school, I'm reasonably confident that it was a national thing. The source - Jimmy Hill's misdemeanour - was national of course, but I cannot fathom that something as odd as "chinny reckon" sprang up independently in multiple schools across the land. There were loads of others too, pulling your best belm face... but that's probably a thread in itself.
Chinny Reckon was a saying when I was at school, replete with imaginary-chin stroking actions
We had a school band called that!
They weren’t bad actually. I remember seeing them play in the Town Hall once and the lead singer (Rob) was dressed in a silver sequinned dress and threw mini eggs out at the crowd. Their main song was… Chinny Reckonnnnn and everyone could sing along to the chorus.
The poor fella who got his hand mangled in a machine was Fingers.
We had a mate called Fingers at college. He couldn't skin one up if he knew people were watching. His hands would literally shake.
Just remembered.... Big Asian dude we called Edge..... Only found out years later that it was Hedge (Essex accent) because within a few weeks of getting his licence he parked his Orion with bean can exhaust into the same bush.
Oh and Pony Tony because every time he pulled in a club he went straight for her pony.
We had full-on race wars, I wanted no part of it and generally hid in the corridors. The idea of hurting someone was anathema to me and I didn’t get why I was supposed to hate someone because they had a bit of a tan.
You could also have gone with 'a bit swarthy', them having 'a touch of the tar brush', and the modern version; 'funny tinged'.
Please understand, I mean no disrespect. I've spent my adult life up until three years ago living in a neighbourhood which was predominantly Muslim, mostly British ****stani. They were great. In later years we had an Eastern European influx, they were great too. It was the ones with England flags in the window that were the dickheads.
Please understand, I mean no disrespect. I’ve spent my adult life up until three years ago living in a neighbourhood which was predominantly Muslim, mostly British ****stani. They were great.
That's wonderful for you. I've lived my entire life with brown skin, having to endure ignorant comments like those you've made on this thread. It's pretty tiresome. So please have a bit of a think before posting stuff. Referring to people of colour as having ' a bit of a tan' is very offensive. This is 2024, not 1974. It was wrong then, and it's still wrong now.
Is it any more or less offensive than "brown person"?
If you're going to be offended over words rather than intent then it quickly makes language very difficult, what you find offensive another may not and vice versa. I once got told off for saying "coloured person" rather than "person of colour" - those are the same words in a different order for goodness' sake. I was using what I thought was preferred terminology.
My tone was intended to be jocular and I'm sorry if that didn't come across. Again if you missed it, I was one of about four lads in our school year who actively shunned racial friction. It's stood me in good stead as it turned out, those kids turn into adults and have long memories.
And for what it's worth,
If that term is genuinely offensive then I'll stop using it. I - sincerely - thought that it was suggesting how we're all broadly just people.
Having a surname Hurley, curley hair it didn’t take much for my nickname to be linked to a curlywurly.
At work in the late 90s, I had a colleague called Lyn that had transferred from our Cardiff factory to Kent. He got fed up of people expecting a lady so to make him feel better myself & another colleague gave ourselves female names Paul Turner became Tina & naturally I was Liz.
At the same place we had a warehouseman, Arthur, who always got jokes a heartbeat after everyone else. So he was called Brain. He thought it was a compliment until someone pointed out when put after his name….
If that term is genuinely offensive then I’ll stop using it. I – sincerely – thought that it was suggesting how we’re all broadly just people.
Ok.
We had one of those after one kid called another a Spastic, turned out that he was.
Hmm...
At the same place we had a warehouseman, Arthur, who always got jokes a heartbeat after everyone else. So he was called Brain. He thought it was a compliment until someone pointed out when put after his name….
That reminds me.
An ex's mum started work in a factory when she was younger. (Hard to start when she's older, I suppose.) She was introduced to Warren.
Time goes on, they got an email system. Warren wasn't to be found anywhere. She asked him why.
"Warren's not my name," he told her, "it's Brian."
"Well then, why do they call you Warren?"
"It's short for 'Warren Uglybastard'" he replied.
You’re determined to shoot the messenger, aren’t you.
Ok here's the thing. You've made some very offensive comments on here, and when it's been pointed out to you, your response was to blather on about living near Muslims and some other irrelevant twaddle. Instead of doing what a reasonable person would, which would be to acknowledge your mistake, apologise and move on.
I'll try to help you out a bit because we can all learn. The thing about 'just words' is that they're not just words, there is context and history behind certain words and expressions. I find it incredible that you fail to understand why using the term 'coloured' is so offensive. '****' is merely a shortening of ****stani', so how can that be offensive? Right? No. It's all about context and power structures. '****' wasn't used as an affectionate term by white people towards those from east Asia; it was a derogatory, demeaning and belittling term, used by those with malicious intent. 'Coloured' was a term used by white people to describe those they deemed inferior. You HAVE to understand context and history. And in this day and age, fortunately, you don't get to choose what others might find offensive or not.
As for 'spastic'; it's not a word that's in use any longer, thankfully. Because it's an ignorant, pejorative term that reduces a person to nothing more than a physical condition. The child in question in your post wasn't a 'spastic', they were someone suffering with Cerebral Palsy. Sure, the Spastic Society was once a great charity, but they changed their name quite a while ago, once there was a realisation of just how hurtful the term was. You don't call people 'cripples', 'flids' or 'mongs', for the same reason. Such terms dehumanise people. They're horrible.
I hope this has been of help to you.
well said BP
Why is **** offensive and Scot isn't; they're both just the first part of the country they are from?
Because of the context; so when it's pointed out that words have context don't keep doubling down and sort-of apologising (sorry if you were offended or similar putting the problem on the listener)
I genuinely don't think you are a racist but right now you are saying things that a racist would say. Don't say them, or continue to try to justify that when you say them they aren't the same.
Bloke I worked with was William Williams so was naturally known as Bill Squared.
Another lad is known as Nessy as his spine resembles the Lock Ness Monster.
Another mate is known as Balls (no idea why). His brother is Richard so they are known collectively as the genital brothers.
Ok here’s the thing. You’ve made some very offensive comments on here, and when it’s been pointed out to you, your response was to blather on about living near Muslims and some other irrelevant twaddle. Instead of doing what a reasonable person would, which would be to acknowledge your mistake, apologise and move on.
I used a turn of phrase you've personally found offensive, I've said that I didn't mean to cause offence, I've tried to explain context, and I've said I'll try not to do it again. Quite what else you expect from me I do not know.
I find it incredible that you fail to understand why using the term ‘coloured’ is so offensive.
Because, this was what I was requested to say by a British-born ****stani friend, it was his preferred wording. He objected to "black" because he wasn't black. So I changed my terminology.
I was subsequently told by... I think a taxi driver? that "coloured person" was offensive and the preferred term was "person of colour." So again, I've tried to change my phrasing. But how the actual **** are they different things, it's the same words. You can't take the hump if you're deliberately going out of your way to catch people out.
I've said "bit of a tan" in a jokey way for years and no-one's said anything until right now. That's including the aforementioned Sajid and another mate Roy who is of mixed race and describes himself as "half rice half chips."
With respect, you don't know me, I think you're looking for a fight where none exists. I'm on your side.
As for ‘spastic’... The child in question in your post wasn’t a ‘spastic’, they were someone suffering with Cerebral Palsy.
I know this. But this is how it was presented to us in an extraordinary school assembly. The Spastics Society renamed itself a good ten years after the incident I'm describing.
I hope this has been of help to you.
Well, it's been considerably condescending.
I was called lofty from eastenders as my aunt blew dry my hair and l looked just like him... then it was iron balls when i ended up in hospital after hitting my nads on the crossbar of my bike
With respect, you don’t know me, I think you’re looking for a fight where none exists.
I'm really not. I've come to the conclusion that this discussion probably isn't going to progress in a positive manner (whether that's an ego thing for you or something deeper, I don't know), so I don't think there's any point in continuing. But if you do chose to take my advice and that of @theotherjohnv on board, then hopefully you can learn and develop.
I’m on your side.
You could be. I think that's something to aim for. I think you're still some way off yet though.
I was called lofty from eastenders as my aunt blew dry my hair and l looked just like him… then it was iron balls when i ended up in hospital after hitting my nads on the crossbar of my bike
I first heard Wotcher in Eastenders and I still use it up here in the Midlands.
I started calling my friend Bungle (can't remember why) so he started calling me George. I stopped calling him bungle after a few years but he carried on calling me George for the next 20 years and I would respond like it was my name without even thinking about it.
Most of the boys had nicknames, shortened first names or something based on the surname
Millsy - Jason Mills, you're not on here are you? Scott Knowles -Knowlesy, Surbjit - Surbo, Murdock - he was a nutter ( A-Team). H had a big forehead like H on Red Dwarf
Names we used between ourselves to refer to other friends, big nose Manny, creep, Bullshit Mickey - complete and utter bullshitter, Sinbad (had a turban).
Jan, we started calling him Speedy from Janspeed. Beanhead - head like a bean.
Later on Life
Bobby 2 Pallets - He was involved with some people who were bootlegging. They would buy a lorry load of booze from a bonded warehouse and state that the booze was going to Europe so no VAT and duty to pay but the booze stayed here. He would buy 2 pallets off these people and go around the local shops selling to them. He eventually got caught and HMRC confiscated the money.
Friend of friend - Billy 2 Guns , don't know if he had any guns
BP -take a chill pill son
Cougar - everybody knows you're a good person and you meant no offense. People so easily offended nowadays.