I promised you ticky boxes this time!

[amanuensis1]

All the Potterverse fanfic nicknames. All the "'Mione"'s, all the "Siri"'s, all the "Drake"'s and "Reg"'s and "Remy"'s...why do YOU hate them so much?

[Poll #461421]

Comments

[caretta.livejournal.com]

But "'Mione" is used in canon.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Is that so? Where, where?

[exbentley]

I just love watching the tickybox number grow. *f5 f5 f5*

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Click it more, more! Ah ha ha ha ha ha!

[neotoma.livejournal.com]

Not mention that the nicknames that are in canon get replaced by STUPID ones. The only way I can see Remus Lupin getting called 'Remy' is if he's in disguise as a Frenchman... or a mutant.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Now I need to write an HP/X-Men crossover. Where Remus gets annoyed with Rogue for calling him "Remy" all the time. "Sorry, sugah...Ah get confused."

[bethbethbeth.livejournal.com]

I chose the slightly tongue-in-cheek answer "The ones I choose for characters are fine; everyone else's suck."

But really, it does sort of go to the heart of my real response, which is that we all (individually) think that we know what these characters would allow and be happy with in terms of nicknames (even though everyone but me is wrong. *G*).

I mean, really? I don't know if any of the most horrific names are completely inconceivable. For one thing, I can absolutely see various prattish characters (Lockhart, for example) using the silliest of the nicknames and seeing nothing wrong with it. And even with non-prats, well...it absolutely depends on the scenario and the timeframe. Would Snape call Remus "Remy during PoA? Hell no...and Remus wouldn't call Snape "Sev." However, given some sort of developed relationship, well...I *could* see, ten years down the road (see how Beth pretends both characters are going to survive book 7?) one or both nicknames being used - although I have to admit that I think "Remy" is far less likely, primarily because Snape is less likely to come up with any nickname, to say nothing of one that's so cutesy. But would Snape necessarily throw a fit because a long-term lover casually shortened his name? I doubt it. If he ever relaxed enough to be in any relationship, he'd probably be relaxed enough to put up with something like "Sev."

Mind you, I can't see *me* using any of those names in a story unless I was writing parody or I meant to make the speaker look like an idiot.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

May I say how HAPPY I am that you chose that answer. I had already planned a post about "Good for the people who think theirs are okay but other people's suck; there is such a thing as having confidence in your own ability to handle a tricky subject, and I love you for that." Seriously. And, yes, I love you for that.

And part of using nicknames is knowing how the other character would react. 'Don't call me Sevvie,' snarled Snape, turning his back on Potter as he rose from the bed," is as fine a piece of writing as that of an author who avoids using it at all, knowing Snape wouldn't put up with it.

[ellid.livejournal.com]

One thing I've noticed from watching British TV and reading British novels: nicknames, at least among public school kids (which the Hogwarts gang most certainly are), make zero sense to outsiders. There are abbreviations like Bertie and Freddie, yes, but you also get things like Pongo, Bunny, Bulldog, Whizzer, etc. You also get nicknames (often less than affectionate ones) based on names and physical attributes; there was a British admiral whose men nicknamed him Arky-Barky because he was a martinet who screamed constantly.
Also, certain nicknames go with certain surnames, at least in the British armed forced. Anyone named Miller is likely to be called "Dusty," for instance.

Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs (and even Snivellus) fit perfectly with this tradition. 'Mione, Siri, Remy, and Sevvie (*wince*) simply don't. Hermione would be far more likely to be called something like "Bookie" (for bookworm) or "Miss Parchment," while I have this nagging sense that "Snivellus" came from Severus being teased till he cried....

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

The fact that I don't get "Dusty" for Miller makes me want to point at you and yell, "See, she's RIGHT!" because you clearly have a good handle on this. And tells me my exposure to things British isn't as complete as it should be.

I remember reading that interview where David Thewlis called Gary Oldman "Gaz" and immediately flashed on the Adrian Mole book where he had a short-lived friendship with some disreputable blokes referred to as Baz, Gaz, Maz, etc. And that's an abbreviation no one in the U.S. would use or create. (Of course, Adrian gets called both "Ade" and "Moley," so, who's to say.)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_riz/]

I would like to add an additional degree of loathing for the use of Remus-->Remy because Remy is Gambit's name, and this stupid HP thing has made it look lame instead of cool (unless you're talking to strictly X-Men fans who have no knowledge of HP fandom idiosyncracies). And Gambit is fucking cool. ;)

To be clear, anyway, I think people tend to shorten things for offhand use, such as how no one I know calls me "Jessica" because "Jess" is one syllable and will therefore do to get my attention, even though I would never EVER introduce myself as "Jess" because I kinda hate it. So if it's in dialogue, and rarely, someone who is on a first-name basis with Snape says "Sev" instead, it can work. But every time? or in narration? Hell no.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

There's the difficulty--we're speaking of narration. Ever see a script of a TV show, where they have to spell out all those "Jess"'s and "Mare"'s? The script for a Murphy Brown show--I've seen one--has the title character being called "Murr" everywhere, and it looked just awful written out that way, but it was written to be spoken. Which is indeed how people talk. But a script differs from a story. How much? The math is left for the student.

[sinick.livejournal.com]

I hate nicknames. Especially the Americanised abbreviative ones. Hate them with the fury of a thousand viragi and the uprightness of a thousand viagri.

In RL, my first name has a whopping THREE syllables, just like Sev-er-us. Supposedly a prime candidate for a bit of shortening, right?

What's worse, I survived primary school and high school in the Australian public school system which combines the proneness to abbeviative nicknames of the US system with the fondness for alternative-name or 'kenning' nicknames of the UK system (Bluey or Blue for a redhead springs instantly to mind).

Want to guess how many times in my entire LIFE my first name has been shortened or abbreviated or otherwise made the source of a nickname?

NEVER. Not once. Zip.

I've had an insulting nickname made out of words that sound similar to my surname (just like Remus has: remember Peeves' "Loony Loopy Lupin"?) but that's about it.

So yeah, Siri and Remmie et alterem ad nauseam make me want to icepick the offender right through their tin ear for dialect and dialogue.

[nights-mistress.livejournal.com]

I got called Dictionary and Encyclopaedia, until people realised that not only was I not going to answer to it, but my actual name was shorter. I suppose state school brats (hey, I can say it, I was one too!) just aren't into nicknames.

[cirakaite.livejournal.com]

Honestly, with nicknames, I think it depends more on the character using the nickname than anything else. MWPP is canon- for the Marauders to use. Someone like Lily could well have called James something else, and it could just as easily have been a holdover "Jamie" or something from when he was younger as it could be something derived from their history together. Sev/Sevvie same thing- Sev might be just a way of shortening the name, but Sevvie sounds like someone deliberately trying to wind him up.

And when you think about it, people are likely to have a whole stack of nicknames, half of which are stupid and that they hate. I grit my teeth when people call me Katie- which has become practically my name, it's used so often. Same with Kitten, Kit, Katrin . . . all of my nicknames are derived in some way, and most of them are bad. It just strikes me as normal that chars would be the same way. The difference is that you wouldn't necessarily see it- a character isn't going to think of Remus as "remy"- but if they're joking around affectionately, they might shorten it, and he might wrinkle his nose at the awful name.

[ellid.livejournal.com]

I'm outlining a story where Remus's mother appears and calls him "Remy," which is what she called him when he was four or thereabouts. Since he's past forty in the story, he's mortified and tells her to cut it out....

[biichan.livejournal.com]

I like Reg for Regulus and Cissy for Narcissa and I'm surprised no one ever tried calling Tonks Dora when she was younger. And when I write Sirius he sometimes calls James 'Jamesie' (when he's in a silly mood) and Peter 'Pete.'

But Siri, Remy, Drake, and Mione? Ugh.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Okay, chalk up one in the "some are good and some aren't" category.

Call me Sevvie and I'll stun you.

[gwendolyngrace.livejournal.com]

In BtL, we have a whole running joke based on the fact that Sirius absolutely detests being called any sort of "food" name: muffin, cupcake, sugar, etc. I think he and Remus might occasionally do the "I'm shortening your name to one syllable" thing - because I think it's human nature to do so occasionally - but I don't believe we've ever actually *DONE* that in anything we've got in BtL so far.

Conversely, I don't mind "Sev", but only, as riz says above, when used by someone who knows him really well (like, in my fics, his *brother* and because I've written a JP/SS fic, James), and never, never in a situation when he's trying to maintain his dignity. In public situations, James or someone else calling him that would be more likely to twit him than as an endearment.

So I do think it's okay to shorten someone's name under certain circumstances - when it would be natural to do so - but no, on the whole, the nicknames we've seen so far have been more of the 'British and obscure' variety than simply monosyllabification. (Note, too, that the other "loony" besides Lupin is Luna Lovegood, and that's obviously a takeoff on her name, just as Peeves's "Loony" is probably an oblique reference to the moon.)

Re: Call me Sevvie and I'll stun you.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

it's human nature to do so occasionally
when used by someone who knows him really well
under certain circumstances

I think that distills the essence of why nicknames DO get used, and why those of us who use them try to find appropriate ones and appropriate reason to do so.

[lillian78.livejournal.com]

I have mixed feelings about this subject. While I personally dislike the use of "Sevvie" or "Remy" popping up in fanfiction, I could see a lover shortening a character's name or even giving them an entirely different pet name. I look at it this way, a lot of us will say that, in canon, we *never* see this done. That's true, but currently (as far as we know) no one is deeply romantically involved with Remus, Severus, Harry (no I don't count the awful Cho)so as the situation hasn't yet arisen so, therefore, it's impossible to deny the possibility of it ever happening. We are, after all, in our writing creating (het or slash) romantic partners for them where there are none at the moment. I hope that makes some kind of sense.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

It makes a huge amount of sense--we're going to places, with fanfic, that JKR will never go with the characters (say, to bed), and I'm definitely going to use your point in my wrap-up summary.

[lazy-neutrino.livejournal.com]

I'm very wary of nicknames in fics because they usually are simply abbreviations of character names. Some nicknames are abbreviations in real life, certainly - but nicknames are a status symbol, used to show that you're part of an exclusive group. Because of this, they very often refer to shared past experiences, and it's not possible to decode them unless you're also part of the group (e.g. MWPP). The other type of nickname - e.g. Snivellus - is also a mark of status; the character conferring the name has much more power within the social group than the character who is unwillingly receiving it.

For some reason, though, I don't mind Pads (from James alone) and 'Mione (from Ron). Which goes to show that, like most people, I'm completely illogical in my approach, I suppose. Oh, well!

[lady_songsmith]

That doesn't sound illogical. It fits right in with your 'exclusive group' theory. The relationship between Ron and Hermione is such that he can tag her with a nickname and get away with it. Harry, though close to them both, doesn't have that extra and so can't use it. Same with James and Sirius -- they're closer than the other Marauders.

I'd say it's not just a status symbol, in the sense that a group all uses nicknames for one another to show their 'group-ness.' It's also that the user of the name is showing that they're close enough to the name-recipient to get away with things that would otherwise get the death glare. Which is why parents, best friends, and lovers get to tag you with exclusive nicknames no one else can use on pain of... well, pain. ;-)

[sookail.livejournal.com]

Nicknames are just plain old stupid sometimes and this is mildly annoying.
"Ship names", OTOH, make me want to pull my hair out, scream and cry.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Yup, sometimes the gut speaks and all we can do is react.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_hannelore/]

I'm wildly curious on the whole Brit vs American take on nicknames (like what was mentioned with "Gaz" for "Gary,"), especially since I can tolerate the Brit-sounding nicknames (Arky-Barky. Ha!) much more than I can tolerate Sevvie or Siri. I like Lottie for Charlotte, that sort of thing.

_{I confess I also wrote something where Harry calls Hermione "Hera," but more as a play on the goddess than anything else}

I also sometimes have a weakness for pet names, but usually only in circumstances where it sounds right in the context of the story. I find "Ginger" and "Red" sort of overused when referring to Weasleys.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Yup, chalk up another one for "Some feel right and others are just awful"!

[ladysorka]

My main problem with "Remy" is that, coming from Remus, it doesn't make sense. Remus has a long 'e'. Remy contains a short 'e'. And Remy with a long 'e' sounds like, well... a bad case of anal sex. "Ream me, baby! Ream me!"

Some nicknames, I don't particularly mind - 'Mione and Nev, for two. Or Sev, really, in small doses from people he either a) hates or b) lives with. I mean, I'm fairly sure I'm the only person that calls my sister Kelly 'Kel'.

But the ones that sound like something you'd call a four year-old (Remy, Siri, Drakie, Sevvie, Luci, etc.), with the only exception being "Voldie"... just say no. Unless someone is purposely mocking them and implying that they're four... just say no. And since 'Voldie' is always used for mocking purposes anyway (or should be), that one's fine.

And 'Drake' needs to die. This is a person who calls his father "father". Somehow, I don't think he'd take to a nickname. ...though, I can see people calling him "Mary" or something behind his back.

I now want to write a fic where Draco is universally known around the school as Mary.

[kaysha.livejournal.com]

And Remy with a long 'e' sounds like, well... a bad case of anal sex. "Ream me, baby! Ream me!"

Ahahahaaaa!!!

I agree with you on the occasional 'Mione and Sev (have never seen Neville called "Nev" in a fic, so I don't know if it'd bother me), though I think that 'Mione makes more sense from a.. uhh.. linguistics (?!) point of view? Just because it rolls more easily off the tongue (and isn't that one of the reasons why one uses nicknames? To make things "easier"?).

Agreeage also on all the other nicknames: they just sound totally silly..

About Sirius nickname?

[(Anonymous)]

I know a three year old GIRL named Siri.

~Sigrid~

Re: About Sirius nickname?

[bradamant.livejournal.com]

I have a very close friend named Siri. Also a girl, well, a lady now! I can't STAND it as a nickname for Padfoot. He's already got a nickname, people!

[florahart]

Because most of the ones for most of the names used, the shortening that's natural to the ear isn't natural tothe keyboard. Seamus->Shay or Shaym: more'n likely some of them use that now and again, as in, hey Shay(m) toss me that pair of socks, but neither of those is an easy connection visually to the name in question (Seamus) and Seam or Sea does work because our eyeballs sy those are not pronounced that way. Ditto Ream/Reme (ew) with less easy visual connection issue, and Sir/Sere/Seer/whatever. I think "Sev" works but would get a person hexed outside of fairly particular circumstances. I don't think there's anything wrong with Nev. Mione (without the apostrophe, for heaven's sake; no one goes around writing 'Beth or 'Lissa) is the only one that is common, visually obvious, and likely to the ear, and again, it's merely a matter of whether you think the character being addressed would tear new holes in the addresser.

All that aside, Brits nickname differently than Americans. Ned for Edward is uncommon in the US but I'm given to understand perfectly normal there. Or Sally for Sarah. So... I imagine besides the issue of visual sense, my ear is probably sometimes wrong.

[japonicastar.livejournal.com]

What that people in the UK are sometimes called Sally, when their name is actually Sarah?

Right well I agree with the Ned bit, but Sally for Sarah! They don't sound anything alike!

My name is Sarah, two syllables and yet it has been shortened to 'Ser (as in hair but with an S) or 'Rah' but never Sally. *Looks confused* I'd rather have been called Sally and berated them for it, than be called 'Serry' and going into a fit of horror.

I agree that because it is typed you can't hear how the author hears the nickname, but in my opinion that should mean keeping away from nicknames altogether!

[ms-mindfunk.livejournal.com]

What really bugs me about nicknames and wasn't offered as a ticky box choice is the blatant overuse of them in fic. First of all, people don't say the name of the person they're speaking to over and over, so don't start or end every other sentence with the nickname. Secondly, don't give every character one! Not every name lends itself well to a nickname, and some people don't like being called anything but their name. Thirdly, don't have people of different stations using made up nicknames for each other. Does Harry ever call Sirius Siri in canon? Probably not. He's a polite kid, and he never had the chance to spend more than a few months face to face with his dogfather. There wasn't time for them to get informal enough for silly names, except for maybe Snuffles. On the other hand, Remus would probably have a nickname for his best friend that he used fairly often. Oh, um, yeah, that would be Padfoot, eh?

One last request: In the name of all that is holy, do not have the kids or even the middle agers calling McGonagal "Minnie". She's supposed to be stern and prim, and anyone who is or has been her student would have a hard time ever calling her anything else unless she's totally OOC. She's more about a ruler across the knuckles than a butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks, y'know?

[magistera.livejournal.com]

A-frigging-men on the overuse of names period. I just ranted about this to someone the other day. IRL, the only time you're likely to use someone's name in conversation (especially in a 2-person conversation) is to get their attention, when you're yelling at them, or if you're being condescending.

And I cannot imagine *anyone* calling McGonagall "Minnie". Except maybe Dumbledore in moments of rare intimacy. Or possibly Shoebox!Sirius, I suppose. People write *students* calling her that? The mind boggles.

[meredyth-13.livejournal.com]

For my two cents worth (which actually isn't worth anything cause we dont have 2 cent pieces anymore) - I've never been that impressed with canon nicknames *ducks scorn*. So, I think in pictures, and I have a dirty mind, but everytime someone uses Moony I just see some kid who used to pull his pants down a lot and moon people, and as for Prongs... dont get me started. Even Wormtail has issues - ok, that kid's got such a small wiggly dick, let's call him wormtail!

Snivellus is great from enemies, but if the kid ever had some friends, they'd be more likely to call him Brains, or Greaser, and Brains works for Hermione (although I keep wanting to call her Minnie - I always liked Kitty for Minerva... so sue me!). Or Worm (as in bookworm). I can hear Harry call Draco - Drac (pronounced Drake)... ouch, but I hate seeing it written *shudders just typing it*. But often nicknames come from experiential things, or hobbies or personal traits, so really, give it a justification in a story that works, and I'm happy for the nickname to work too, as long as it doesn't squick me.

And as for how far out they can be? I dated a guy who's nickname was Dogs - why? because for years as a youngster he was stuck on the joke about Two Dogs Fucking, and told it everytime he got drunk. From that he became Two Dogs, and then Dogs... makes no sense unless you know the story, but Dogs he was, and Dogs he'll remain until he dies to those who were there. Let's not be too precious about it - friends get away with murder!

[thefreshchuff.livejournal.com]

What's the Two Dogs Fucking joke? And if this guy was a youngster, why was he getting drunk?

[snapetoy.livejournal.com]

I have nothing clever to say.

But... ticky boxes!

Yay!

*whimpers*

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Ticky boxes for alllllll!

[shannon-sue.livejournal.com]

I think the part of this poll that scares me the most is that only half of the people liked ticky boxes. Where's the love?

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Whimper! *wipes tear*

(And, fab icon!)

[unlovablehands.livejournal.com]

I think it really depends on the character doing the nicknaming, and how the nickname is used in the fic. If it's offhandedly used in dialogue by someone who is characterized believably in the story as someone who uses nicknames, it's fine.

My family (A bunch of Brits who moved over to the US during WWII) is big on weird nicknames. Everybody has two or three. I never undrstood people who hate nicknames. However, I totally understand people hating certain nicknames (ie. I'm an Angela. I like being called "Ang," and I hate being called "Angie." My aunt's a Sandra who goes by her middle name, and can't stand being "Sandy" etc. etc.)

I do think it's best to go with what people call each other in canon. However, in a longer fic, new nicknames can easily develop, and that's where I feel they're most believable.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Points at the end well taken--stick with what's in canon and you'll make no waves. (Granted, I write porny rapefic, and so avoiding waves may not be my priority. ^_~) And don't let nicknames substitute for intimacy--make us believe the intimacy.

[magistera.livejournal.com]

(here from the Snitch)

Some nicknames get to me, others don't. 'Sev' doesn't bother me much, although I hate fics where whoever's using it just jumps into it with no warning (ie, Harry and Snape kiss and then suddenly Harry's calling him 'Sev'. Makes no sense.). I basically expect 'Jamie' from James, but that's probably because there's a James in my family and that's what we call him.

'Remy' and 'Siri', on the other hand, just make me want to puke, because a) they're stupid nicknames (and really girly-sounding), and b) dude, they already have nicknames for each other. Why would they need new ones?

[magistera.livejournal.com]

Although now that I've posted this, I remember that I do actually have a male cousin nicknamed Remy. But then again, the last time I saw him he was about ten, so it's entirely possible that no one calls him that anymore.

[loupgarou1750.livejournal.com]

what I'm waiting for is a fic where Harry calls Snape "Punkinhead" or some other gag-me pet name (and Snape thinks in private it's stupid but tolerable, because that's what lovers do, but hexes him into next week for using it in public.)

otherwise, what florahart said.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I want this fic, too! I want to see the Harry-shaped hole in the wall that's left!

[xylodemon.livejournal.com]

Ok, the pet names suck. And even if Mione is canon (I think it might be, but I can't be arsed to go look) I still don't like it, unless the person calling her that is drunk, or half asleep, or you know, under Cruico and can't manage four syllables.

And Remy and Siri? No thanks. JKR already gave the Marauders nicknames. Four incredibly cool nicknames, at that. Nicknames that are, IMO, better than anything the fandom is going to dream up.

[japonicastar.livejournal.com]

Amen to that!

You go sister! *Grins*