Navy Life

Navy Nicknames

Often, a sailor's identity is a nickname. Many sailors are known only by their nickname, their real first name is often strange to many, and only appearing on official documents and records.

A practice, probably unique in naval and military circles is that of associating certain nicknames with particular surnames. Although the reason for some of these is obvious, the origins of others are obscure.

The following nicknames have at one time or another (some for long periods: some for short) been current in the Canadian Navy for sailors with these surnames:

Surname, Nickname
Surname, Nickname
Surname, Nickname

Baker, BAGSY
Bell, DAISY
Bell, DINGER
Bennett, WIGGY
Beresford, CHARLIE
Bone, JOHNNY
Brown, BUSTER
Campbell, SOUPY
Casey, GINGER
Clark, NOBBY
Cole, SMOKEY
Collins, JUMPER
Day, HAPPY
Evans, BANDY
Ford, HENRY
Francis, CONNIE
Freeman, HARRY
Gale, WINDY
Gardiner, DIGGER
Gordon, FLASH
Gray, DOLLY
Green, JIMMY
Harris, WIGGY
Harrison, BOOTS
Henderson, GRANNY

Hewitt, NOBBY
Hinds, COSHER
Holland, DUTCHY
Howe, GIBLEY
Hughes, FLAPPER
Jones, TAFFY
Kay, DANNY
Knight, BOGIE
Lane, SHADY
Larking, SKY
Long, DODGER
Marsh, SWAMPY
Martin, PINCHER
May, DAISY
Miller, DUSTY
Moore, PONY
Mullins, MOON
Murphy, SPUD
Noble, CHARLIE
Parker, NOSEY
Payne, WHACKER
Powell, COZY
Reynolds, BURT
Rhodes, DUSTY
Rogers, BUCK

Shaw, ARTIE
Shepherd, JACK
Short, JUMPER
Smith, SMUDGER
Snow, FROSTY
Steel, RUSTY
Sullivan, SPIKE
Taylor, BUCK
Thomas, TOMMY
Todd, SWEENEY
Turner, TOPSY
Walker, WHISKEY
Wallace, NELLY
Ward, SHARKEY
Warren, BUNNY
Webb, SPIDER
West, BANJO
White, CHALKIE
White, KNOCKER
White, NOBBY
Williams, BUNGY
Wilson, TUG
Wood, TIMBER
Woods, SLINGER
Wright, SHINER
Young, BRIGHAM