Are Nicknames Going Extinct

Nicknames. Are those affectionate and fun nicknames for friends we once had, going extinct? 

The Wall Street Journal just did a story on it. The writer has five kids, and is surprised none of them, or their friends, have any nicknames for each other.

Have you noticed that nicknames aren't as common as they used to be?  A writer for The Wall Street Journal says they're going extinct.

He has five kids, aged six to 18.  And none of them have been given nicknames by their friends. He says none of their friends seem to have one either.

Oh, I had a nickname. I was a chubby little kid, so my friends - yes, my friends - called me 'Pudgy.' It was their sweet way of saying "you're chubby." They also called me 'Stretch,' because I was so short. Sometimes it bothered me, sometimes it didn't, because in the end, they were my pals.

Even shortened versions of names seem to be a thing of the past. My nephews, Thomas and Nicholas once went by Tommy and Nick. But just for a short while.

WSJ writer, Mark Oppenheimer, claims all types of nicknames are in decline.  Everything from "Junior" to calling your buddy from Dallas "Tex."  And it's sad, because nicknames are often a positive thing, or a sign of affection.

He says even initials like J.J. or T.R. seems less common, partly because parents take their kids' names more seriously than they used to.  His youngest kid has a few friends named William, and none of them go by Billy, or Will.

Nicknames will never go completely extinct. Plenty of athletes, and radio hosts and DJ's, still go by a nickname. DJ's kind of cornered the market on nicknames a long time ago. And they've had some goofy ones.

But silly nicknames among friends are less common these days, because we're much more worried, and aware of offending people. 

Yes, years ago, you might have called your chubby friend 'Pudgy' as a joke. But you're more aware now. And calling attention to someone's weight, is not always good. Same goes for calling someone 'Red' because they're a ginger - ok, a redhead. See?

Nicknames are cool, just be careful how you use them, and where they come from. We don't want them to go away completely. If they did, we wouldn't have The Rock, or Lady Gaga!