Nicknames

[simon43]

Over in Myanmar, some of my class kids have interesting nicknames, often chosen because foreign teachers have problems to pronounce the Myanmar names.

So in my class there is a Sweetie, Pretty, Baby (all girls), Sergeant, Teddy (boys) and a Google !

[Star Dust]

Over in Myanmar, some of my class kids have interesting nicknames, often chosen because foreign teachers have problems to pronounce the Myanmar names.

So in my class there is a Sweetie, Pretty, Baby (all girls), Sergeant, Teddy (boys) and a Google !

Google is awesome....LOL

[Bluenose BKK]

I like the way in a family full of girls the last one is usually Ying,as the Father is so fed up with having all girls,ha ha!
Someone told me Jim and Tim are both bad words in Thai,can anyone tell me if this is true and what they might mean?

[Bluenose BKK]

When I lived in Chanthaburi which has a large Catholic community, I was nicknamed 'Jesus' due to my long hair and (then) beard....

'Jesus loves you' is always great to hear...unless you're in a Mexican prison!

[tamesisfwp]

I was living in a village called Bandongchok near Nakhon Phanom while teaching the little darling kids how to say "how now blown cow". Because I insisted on encouraging them with smiles I found I was being referred to as Farangchok.

I was given my nickname in England by a founder member of Private Eye, Noel Picarda-Kemp, who branded me Knacker as I was a young serving SIB officer. I attended a board meeting / piss up above the Coach & Horses in Soho when they were discussing how to attribute information received from police and intelligence sources on current stories running in the Eye. Noel looked at me and burst out with Inspector Knacker. My TGF has received very funny looks when describing herself as Mrs Knacker.

[FunFon]

Just thinking, my kids are Thai citizens and do not have nicknames. I gave them Thai middle names.

-

If they're of school age attending with other Thai's I'd be willing to bet they do have nicknames among the Thais, you just haven't been informed that's all.

Only exception's I've seen are when the full first name is already only one syllable, and the kids are culturally farang, coming into the Thai community as outsiders, and even then they usually get assigned a handle within six months or so.

[taninthai]

My nephews nick name is nut ,which is fine while he is young Nongnut but yes when he is older he will obviously be called p nut ,don't think the sister in law thought about that one

[cms989]

I knew a guy who introduced himself to farang as "Fluke.. like <Snip!>." Spoke good English

Edited March 19, 2013 by metisdead
: 3) Not to post in a manner that is vulgar, obscene or profane.

[rct99q]

A couple of the bar girls who live near me have a nickname for a well known westerner here in Nong Khai. Although he does not know it but they refer to him as Hum Noi.

My father in law calls me "dtot hom" (an aromatic fart)

[FunFon]

I think the former is quite old, while the later is a more recent phenomenon, as is perhaps changing one's legal name here, which seems to happen more frequently than in the west?

-

Changing your name changes your luck, usually subject to advice of a respected monk/fortune teller.

Changing the surname is of course the most radical move, the legal first name a bit less so, while nicknames can be changed as frequently as some farang change their underwear.

[Litlos]

Something I read a long time ago attributed the assigning of a nickname to babies is so as not to anger the gods, the story went on that if the persons proper beautiful Thai name was used all the time the gods would be jealous and do some mischief.

My first name is Colin and for years went by Col as a nickname. All good until I came to Thailand and the problem with the L being pronounced R and vice versa. So it sounded like Crorin or Corin when spoken by locals. The TGF has got around this by calling me Lin spelt as it is spoken, we also have a friend Rin also spelt as it is spoken, no idea what happened to the L vs R business there

When I was working offshore in Thailand one of the Thai guys came offshore 2 days after his son was born. Ok congrats etc, what is his name, Chopper for helicopter with a big cheesy smile from the new dad, obviously dad in charge of the nickname for this one. I then asked what is his proper name, look of confusion and bashful I do not know, obviously mum in charge of the formalities.

Cheers

[MZurf]

My nephews nick name is nut ,which is fine while he is young Nongnut but yes when he is older he will obviously be called p nut ,don't think the sister in law thought about that one

Try convincing them that numbnut is a better nickname

My wife's nephew is called Lotus (Lotat) due to the fact that his father lost his wallet in a Lotus store around the time of his son's birth!

[enyaw]

I think the former is quite old, while the later is a more recent phenomenon, as is perhaps changing one's legal name here, which seems to happen more frequently than in the west?

-

Changing your name changes your luck, usually subject to advice of a respected monk/fortune teller.

Changing the surname is of course the most radical move, the legal first name a bit less so, while nicknames can be changed as frequently as some farang change their underwear.

Psst.. Khi Nok is an insult Thai's use to describe western backpackers

[enyaw]

Ok, thanks for the contribution, Tommo. Care to explain why?

Baht

[Mosha]

Sometimes the nickname is just the last syllable of their true name.

[Scully]

Most nicknames are fairly sensible like Nong etc but i have heard Benz, pancake, fanta and coke. I couldn't understand why my ex was on the the phone to Ben for 30 minutes and I said who the &lt;deleted&gt; is ben so she handed me the phone and the girl said "oh hi you must be Scully pleased to meet you I am Benz"

[Scottythai]

I knew a guy who introduced himself to farang as "Fluke.. like <Snip!>." Spoke good English

Pronounced &lt;deleted&gt; I know a guy with the same name. Always say What the &lt;deleted&gt; when i see him

[FunFon]

I think the former is quite old, while the later is a more recent phenomenon, as is perhaps changing one's legal name here, which seems to happen more frequently than in the west?

-

Changing your name changes your luck, usually subject to advice of a respected monk/fortune teller.

Changing the surname is of course the most radical move, the legal first name a bit less so, while nicknames can be changed as frequently as some farang change their underwear.

Psst.. Khi Nok is an insult Thai's use to describe western backpackers

Believe me I'm quite familiar with the term, but have no idea why you thought that particular piece of information relevant here?

And by the way nothing to do with backpackers specifically, just means generally worthless, even a rollaboard-weilding retiree can be called this when he runs out of money.

And hearing this is a very clear sign you've been making some very poor choices of who to associate with in Thailand, usually the root of most people's problems here. . .

[FunFon]

Something I read a long time ago attributed the assigning of a nickname to babies is so as not to anger the gods, the story went on that if the persons proper beautiful Thai name was used all the time the gods would be jealous and do some mischief.

-

Not quite. First of all, "the gods" isn't really accurate, more like "ghosts" "spirits" "demons".

Calling a kid "bird" or "frog" or "little" or "fatso" apparently just helps the kid avoid unwanted attention. Same exact logic behind the fact that it's considered rude (actually dangerous) to tell a newborn's parents how beautiful the baby is. The proper way is to say "it's disgusting" (kee ray) - everyone knows this is code for "how cute" but it avoids bringing the kid to the attention of those monsters that might want to gorge on its entrails etc.

[enyaw]

I think the former is quite old, while the later is a more recent phenomenon, as is perhaps changing one's legal name here, which seems to happen more frequently than in the west?

-

Changing your name changes your luck, usually subject to advice of a respected monk/fortune teller.

Changing the surname is of course the most radical move, the legal first name a bit less so, while nicknames can be changed as frequently as some farang change their underwear.

Psst.. Khi Nok is an insult Thai's use to describe western backpackers

Believe me I'm quite familiar with the term, but have no idea why you thought that particular piece of information relevant here?

And by the way nothing to do with backpackers specifically, just means generally worthless, even a rollaboard-weilding retiree can be called this when he runs out of money.

And hearing this is a very clear sign you've been making some very poor choices of who to associate with in Thailand, usually the root of most people's problems here. . .

Ah ok, just you spelled it phonetically keeknock you came across as someone who may not know the meaning, so it was just a heads up?

And yes lots of poor choices and good one aswell though.

Edited March 20, 2013 by enyaw

[Somtamnication]

Mine is farang kee nok. Given to me by the greedy money loving relatives of my wife.

[enyaw]

got it

Mine is farang kee nok. Given to me by the greedy money loving relatives of my wife.

[Thaddeus]

Farang Noi.

(I'm not as tall or as well upholstered as the other westerners around here)

[kwonitoy]

When our son was born they asked at the hospital what his nickname was to be, I think they would put it on the birth cert.

He doesn't have a nickname, he does get the falang noi because he's very light complextioned, his cousin of the same age is a fat little bugger so they call him Sumo, which fits.

The family call me Pa, which is more of a title than nickname

[bermondburi]

My nickname is Puak - it's a very white kind of potato .