The UK’s top nicknames have been revealed following new research which shows over half (52%) of Brits have one.
The list reveals that food is the biggest inspiration for nicknames with ‘bean’, ‘cookie’, and ‘egg’ all featuring in the list of the top 20 most used nicknames. However, the research uncovered a huge array of food-inspired titles, including sausage, mustard, and Hovis.
The UK’s top 10 most common nicknames:
- Bean
- Cookie
- Egg
- Jamo
- Lala
- Ma
- Remo
- Sar
- Smurf
- Tig
The research, conducted by name label manufacturer mynametags.com, found that school is the breeding ground for the UK’s nicknames. Over half (51%) of Brits acquire their lifelong nickname by the time they finish their GCSEs.
Not all nicknames are earned though, with 9% of Brits admitting to giving themselves their own nickname.
However, while nicknames are widely used, the research suggests it’s not acceptable for everyone to use them with over half (52%) saying they’re only happy for certain people to call them by a nickname.
In fact, almost one in 10 believe the use of nicknames is insulting in some scenarios. This is especially true in the professional world, with 46% claiming a nickname is a major no-no at work.
“Our research highlights the UK’s fondness for nicknames,” says Lars B Andersen, Managing Director at mynametags.com. “Over half of Brits have one and they often stem all the way back to our childhood. As a nation of foodies, it seems our love affair extends beyond eating with nicknames like ‘bean,’ ‘cookie,’ and ‘egg’ widely used as terms of endearment, often from a young age.”
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