It is a southern custom, especially in Maury County, that when somebody does somethiing unusual they get a nickname. It has been the custom since the 1800s, that I know of for a fact, and probably worldwide since time began. Nicknames are not name-calling. Name-calling is when people get mad at each other. Nicknames are made up to have something to laugh about. One of my nieces once said, "Sometimes we have to laugh so we don't cry." Unfortunately, sometimes the old records show nicknames instead of real names. I remember a lot of people that I knew and grew up with by their nicknames and never knew their real names. On my site are 2 differing recollections of The Hanging of Gilbert Dowell. Many people are listed by nicknames. If you have not read it, it is worth reading. It is a lesson in how people forget exactly when something happened, over time; how people felt about the war; and why there was a lynching and its consequences, the dark side of Maury County. Link below. Gary Hood Marissa, IL http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~genieresources/