Top 40 nicknames given to Brits - Big Man and Ginge top the list, survey finds

06 November 2023 , 13:37

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Spud ranks among the top three nicknames commonly given to Brits (Image: SWNS)

The top 40 most common nicknames given to Brits have been revealed – with Big Man, Ginge, and Spud topping the list, a survey has revealed.

Sparky, Chicken, and Sunshine also ranked among the top 10, with Rocky, Smarty, and Nugget other names that appeared high on the list.

And nicknames based on physical size, or on animals, are among the most popular – as Wee Man, Kiddo, Shorty, Foxy, Spider, and Donkey all appeared on the list.

The poll of 2,000 adults also found that over half (53%) feel bestowing a nickname on someone is a particularly British thing to do – with 39% having an alternative moniker that they go by.

And 46% are called by more than one nickname – with 47% of those who do have an alias considering it a “core part” of their identity. However, one in ten admit they are not necessarily keen on some of their nicknames.

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It also emerged that being easy to remember (41%), having a funny story behind it (37%), and only having a few syllables (14%), are key to making a nickname stick.

Top 40 nicknames given to Brits - Big Man and Ginge top the list, survey finds

And animal-based nicknames, like Chicken or Donkey, are also popular choices (Catherine Falls/Getty Images)

A spokesman for luxury chocolatier, Lily O'Brien's, which commissioned the study, said: “Just like gifting a special box of chocolates, we give nicknames to the special people in our lives – the ones we really know.

“Giving nicknames is a very human thing to do. People will give nicknames to their friends, family, pets, cars, even their kettles. There were some unexpected and ingenious results from our research, like Spud, and our personal favourite, Giggles.

“Nicknames can be a great shorthand for showing affection – and when you’re given a nickname that sticks, and it’s one you’re happy with, it can really help make you feel loved.

“As with the nickname we give to our loved ones, chocolate is part of the human language of love for so many of us. They both bring us closer together and give us a feel-good boost.”

The study, via OnePoll.com, also found 42% only give nicknames to the most important people in their lives. More than half (53%) of nicknames given are simply variations on someone’s actual name – but 38% are related to something else entirely.

And 38% of people who have known someone with a nickname only knew them by that moniker – and never even learned their real name.

Just over half (51%) think the most appropriate situation to use a nickname is at home with family members – followed by in the pub, playing sports, or on a stag or hen party. However, 39% wouldn't dare give their boss a nickname, while 29% would shy away from giving one to an in-law.

Behavioural psychologist and relationship coach, Jo Hemmings, said: “There are all sorts of reasons people give others nicknames – ranging from them having a catchy, amusing, or memorable first name or surname, or a play on their name related to some banter or craic. But they are all usually given with a sense of affection and endearment.

“They can express friendship, love, or closeness. It creates both a sense of identity and belonging in relation to those that know them by that name, as well as a sense of emotional bonding.

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“What they all have in common is affection, fondness, and a nurturing quality about them, and they often tend to stick through life if you move in the same circle of friends and loved ones.”

TOP 40 NICKNAMES BRITS MOST COMMONLY GO BY: