Lots of people have nicknames, but not enough people get to know the fascinating stories behind them. Nicknames can be special, practical, funny, mean, random, obvious and everything in between.

For freshman Kiki Sullivan, whose real name is Andrew, his nickname came to be partially by chance: “When I was really young, I was already going [by] the nickname ‘Ki’ for Kieran, my middle name. And then my little brother thought that was like the funniest thing in the world. He would always laugh and scream ‘Ki, Ki, Ki’ and then it just turned into Kiki,” Sullivan said.

However, the nickname also holds some deeper importance for Sullivan and his family. “My middle name, Kieran, was named after one of my dad’s best friends, so that was important to him—he was an important person in my dad’s life,” he said.

Still, he didn’t like the nickname initially. “I used to think it was kind of a dumb nickname, especially when Drake came out with the song ‘In My Feelings.’ I hate that song,” Sullivan said.

The chorus of “In My Feelings” goes “Kiki, do you love me? Are you riding? Say you’ll never ever leave from beside me.”

Sullivan added, “I used to think it was kind of dumb, kind of girly, so I didn’t really like it, but it’s kind of just grown on me now.”

On multiple occasions, Sullivan tried to change the name, but nothing stuck. Now though, the nickname is especially important to him and he’s glad he kept it. He appreciates the role it plays in his life and the memories he associates with it.

“Names are a great way to […] show who you are and pay tribute to your culture,” he said.

However, he also recognizes that names, and especially nicknames, can have a dark side. Oftentimes in schools, students will use nicknames with their friends and peers teasingly without recognizing the true effect it has on victims of such behavior.

In regards to these harmful nicknames, Sullivan said, “If they don’t like it, then it’s your job to respect [that]. Hopefully, people have enough respect for each other to listen.”

Another student experienced in the world of nicknames is sophomore Patrick Wall. “My OG nickname was actually PJ which is Patrick James because my first middle name is James, my grandpa’s name,” Wall said.

Wall went by PJ at his old school but now goes by Pat, Patrick, Patty, or Patty Ice. “The intended purpose of having my second name be James was so I could go by PJ because my mom didn’t want me to be called Pat. I like [Pat], but my mom doesn’t,” he said.

When he first came to SPA, people started calling him “Patricia” which he did not like: “I had to shut that down immediately,” Wall said.

But, from there, a player on his club soccer team called him “Ice”, and Wall combined this with Patty to make it Patty Ice: “It’s because I am ice cold; I got that mamba mentality,” he said.

Wall appreciates the informality and comedic nature that having nicknames can provide in everyday interactions. “It’s less formal and more like you know me,” he explained.

Both of these students epitomize the importance of nicknames. From the lighthearted and humorous to the deeply personal, all nicknames have a story, and it’s important to get to know the details behind this important facet of one’s identity.