What names have you been called?

(“Señorita Chupacabra”)

My family didn’t give me a nickname (except my brother that one time), but during the years, people have called me names, and I didn’t mind being called these names — most of the time.

“You sword-chinned bitch!” is what my little ten year old brother yelled at me in 1973, during an argument. Much later, I mentioned that to people, and they fell down, laughing on the floor, so I used that name as my first blogger name. It was a tribute to my brother, sort of.

When my first nephew was born, I was so in love with him that my coworkers started calling me “Auntie Sandee.” Then my second nephew was born, cementing my identity as a spinster aunt – I mean, as an aunt. Some of you bloggers picked up on it and started calling me “Auntie Sandee,” too.

I had a Jimi Hendrix-type boyfriend who used to call me “Sandor,” “Sandor the Barbarian,” initially. This was back around 1981. And this sticks! My sister, seven year old nephew, and best friend still call me “Sandor.” Sometimes, my sister calls me “Sandwhore” — a twist on the old moniker! When my three year old nephew begins to grasp more language nuances, maybe he’ll call me “Sandor,” as well. He just only learned to say “Sandee,” without it sounding like “Dadee.”

The next three mean the same thing – they’re transient names, because different people have used these names to describe me throughout the years. The long and short of it – I suppose I’m out there — the names are, “kook,” “space cadet,” and “nutcase.” Now, mind you, the names were always used lovingly. But, if you were to insert the prefix, “you fucking,” obviously, it becomes something else.

The last two names, “La Sucia” y “Chupacabra,” were given to me by a Mexican friend. “La Sucia!” he’d scream upon seeing me. Actually, it was I who gave me the name while chatting with him once, and he just latched onto it. Was I dirty that day? I can’t remember. Well anyway, “Chupacabra” is a name that we called each other. I’d call him “Chupacabra” then he’d call me “Chupacabra”– “Hey Chupacabra!” – “What’s up Chupacabra!” The name belonged to both of us, except for the times that he called me “Señorita Chupacabra.” Unfortunately, I’m not so friendly with him anymore.

It’s fun learning people’s nicknames. Have any of you been called the names that I have been called? Have you called anyone else these names? What kinds of names have you all been called?