Nick Names (Aka’s) are Quite Common

and

They’re Not Limited to the American West

We all know about ‘nick names’ from the American west; Billy the Kid (aka William Bonnie), The Sundance Kid (aka Harry Alonzo Longabaugh), The Boys (aka The Jessie Evans Gang), The Wild Bunch (aka Butch Cassidy’s outlaw gang), etc. But we all often use such nick names and it’s not only done  in the American West.

As a youth I was sometimes called ‘Toe’, ‘Toe Nail’, and even ‘Boney Tail’. As a young adult, I was known as Castro (because it was easier for me not to shave in those days) or sometimes just ‘Blue’ because my last name is Fugate, so, therefore I must be one of the Blue Fugates according to some friends and neighbors at least.   Of recent date I am typically called ‘TG’ (aka Tony Gayle Fugate).  My youngest brother is often called ‘Willibe’, which is suppose to be an adaptation from an old TV Series called "Marcus Welby MD" that ran on ABC from 1969 to 1976, he is also sometimes called ‘Father of Our Country’ in reference to his alleged affairs of the heart with the fairer sex.

My first cousin (Fitz) tried unsuccessfully (I might add) to hang the nick name ‘duh’ on my second youngest brother during his youth and my other brother was routinely called ‘Stump-jumper’ in the recent past but these days he is referred to as ‘the Kentucky Man’ after living in the Philippine’s for a while.

Dad’s nick name was ‘Green-lady’ (only at work) of all things and grandfather’s real name was Elhanan Buck Fugate; he married a young lady by the name of America Fitzpatrick.  Everyone thought his name was simply ‘E B’ and her name was ‘Merck’; a short version of the two names I expect.   

I had several great uncles, but the only two I can recall visiting while growing up were called ‘Fish’ and ‘Pix’. Carl was Fish’s first name and Anderson was Pix’s first name.  In addition, as  youths we all heard a few colorful stories about my great-great-grand father, ‘Bloomer’ who was actually John Fugate.

Someone once told me that the Fugate clan used nick names because of the lack of imagination; and justified this point by reminding me that during my childhood, there were several male adults within the small community where I was raised with the name Jim.  You see there was ‘Foxy Jim’, ‘Store Jim’, ‘Boss Jim’ and ‘Mann’s Jim … and that’s just the ones I can remember. There were other Jim’s in the area I’m sure but I think you get the point.

In regard to this allegation I must disagree.  After all, if the Fugates have historically been short on imagination, how do you suppose all those colorful nick names came into play? The “my name’s Jim” bit sort of reminds me of the tired old joke: “Meet my brothers, Jim, and my other brother Jim.”  Don’t you think?

I would perhaps be more inclined to suggest pure old laziness as the real culprit here in regard a reason for the many Jims, as opposed to a lack of imagination.  What do you think?   It’s also free, to list other colorful Aka’s or nick names that you may be aware of in the comments section below.

 

Sources …

americanhistory.about.com/od/americanwest/a/sundance_kid.htm

E B Fugate family ancestry as prepared by Linda Fugate Baker