Anonymity is nearly impossible on the Internet in this day and age. It was one of the reasons that I waited a long time before starting a blog. I have never been one to reveal my innermost thoughts and feelings, but lately I have revealed much more about myself in this blog than I do to most people. Today I share something that very few people know about me - my childhood nickname.
From a very young age my dad began calling me by the name “Fonky.” Most little girls get pet names like Princess, Sweetie, and Angel. I got Fonky. What does it mean? You got me there. All I know is that until I became a married woman at the age of 29 I remember my dad calling me by my given name only about a half dozen times. Those of you who know my real name know that it cannot be shortened anymore than it already is; therefore, I believe it was his way of taking a name like Christina and making it into Chrissy. Growing up, all my family and friends knew I was “Fonky.” My dad called my younger sister “Flea-Fly” and later shortened it to just “Fly.” Some of my dad’s friends still refer to us by our childhood nicknames. Actually, we still answer to those names when called by them. Old habits die hard. My dad’s sister, Aunt Betty, called us Sweetie and Tootie, respectively (probably because she felt sorry for us).
I even prepared my own Booger Bear for my nickname when we were dating so that he could get the laugh out ahead of time. Booger Bear now calls me Peanut Butter Head. Interestingly enough, Booger Bear isn’t the most appropriate pet name for a 37 year old man, but I do love him to the sky. Monkey Boy isn’t as cutsy as Pooh Bear, but he knows that I love him as well and often refers to himelf as Monkey Boy. Old habits do die hard; don’t they?
Questions of the day: What was your childhood nickname? Current nickname? Please respond. Don’t make me out any of you.
no way to shorten my given name… so I was called clodhopper (lovely) and later cj. Now have a new name and the same nickname. Old habits die hard.
I was usually “punkin.” Now my aging dad just calls me by my sister’s name (Linda) half the time. Dad gives me a hard time because I call my daughter “Bean, “Boo Boo” or “Boo”. He thinks she’s never going to know her real name. I personally love driving my mom nuts when I call Caroline “Sugar Booger”.
[...] - pet name for me (Read all about it here. By the way, he is the only person who is allowed to call me Fonky. Don’t even try. [...]