Nicknames At Night

My husband and I have the best talks when it's bedtime. 

Or at least I do. 

I think some nights I'm just talking, talking, talking and he's trying to sleep, sleep, snore. 

The other night our voices and thoughts wandered to nicknames. 

No one uses nicknames anymore. 

What happened to calling your Uncle Willard, Wally?

Or Margaret, Peggy?

Everyone these days seems so particular about nicknames, or really the lack of regard for the fun of having two names bestowed upon a person. 

Take my name for instance.

Jennifer. 

That's what I've been called since 1971. 

There was never a Jenny used. 

It wasn't until college that Jen came into use by my friends. 

Thanks y'all!

I do prefer Jen now to the long and breath wasting Jennifer. 

And my nephew. 

Anthony. 

We were never allowed to call him Tony. 

So sad. 

He'd make a great Tony. 

I have two friends from college who use a nickname, but one prefers any new friends and those on FB to call her by her full "adult" name now. 

Not gonna come out of my mouth, though. 

The other prefers to be called Snoopy. 

I'm hip to that. 

Back in the days of rationed food, hippie love, and I guess when times were more fun, nicknames abounded. 

A family friend (who was more like an uncle to my dad) was named Charles. 

But everyone called him Chick.

And his wife was named Ida. 

Chick and Ida. 

Or as my brother thought they were called...Chicken Ida. 

One word. 

For two people. 

So awesome. 

And a guy my dad grew up with. 

I think his name is Dave.

But I don't really know for sure. 

All I know for sure is he was called...Bugs. 

To this day, that's what he's called. 

Another awesome. 

People often ask if our youngest daughter's name is short for something grander.

Nope. 

Really?

Really. 

It's unique. 

It's short. 

And it's so very nickname like. 

Gigi.

But then, that's a whole different story...