"Nicknames"

 

“Nicknames”

 

A nickname is a description of a person, place or object which is used instead of the real or legal name. Usually it reflects something of the appearance, character or contrast of the one to whom or which it’s applied. Often these alternative handles become so familiar that few know the given name. (Does anyone out there know Yogi Berra’s real name? For the record it’s Lawrence Peter Berra.) Here are a few examples which come to mind:

*In high school a student who was about 5’3” was dubbed “Stretch” and another at 6’4” “Shorty”.

*In college a friend who was short and stocky was called “Stubby” (he didn’t object).

*Three Hall of Fame pitchers were known as “Lefty”: Grove, Gomez and Carlton. (Interestingly I remember no one referred to as “Righty”.)

*Some get their titles from their hair color (even if none remained): Red Auerbach, Red Skelton, Red Schoendienst, Whitey Ford, Whitey Herzog. (I was told that my maternal grandfather, whom I hardly knew, was called “Whitey” because of his very blond hair.)

*The Cleveland Browns’ great placekicker, Lou Groza, earned the title “The Toe” for obvious reasons.

*”Junior” sometimes gets attached to boys named after their fathers (most don’t like it—I was told my dad was one of them).

*And there are some who adopt a generic one simply because they don’t like their real names.

Are there any nicknames in Scripture? Two examples come to mind. In Acts 4:36 we read of “…Joseph…whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement….”). He was so described by the early church leaders because he was known as one who reached out to others including his cousin Mark (Colossians 4:10) who was used of God to write the Gospel that bears his name. The other is Saul of Tarsus who is better known as Paul (Acts 13:9). How this change came about isn’t stated but I think one possibility is that it came from the Apostle himself. Paul means “little” and he describes himself as “…the least of the apostles….” (1 Corinthians 15:9). Despite his name he certainly was a giant of the faith.

If God (or my family and friends) gave me a nickname what would it be? I pray it’d be one to make God look good to all I might meet or influence.

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan