I was recently reminiscing about some of the nicknames I’ve acquired over the years. I love the idea of nicknames, and some of these really make me laugh.

Mickey - Not sure how it started, but it’s the first name I remember using, through maybe 3rd grade. My grandma continued to call me this until she died.

Mackey - My uncle Patrick’s version, starting perhaps as a parody of how I said my name as a child.

Biggy - What my mom began calling me after I informed her that I was too big to be called “my little guy” any longer, a variation on “my big guy.”

Cavity - What my brother started calling me after we visited the dentist.

Walter - A nickname I obtained at Bible camp, after performing a parody of a song called “Water and Blood” by A.V.B., which we had heard at a church youth rally (A friend started calling himself Blood, followed by another who decided he should be called And).

Mike - This creation was used unfailingly by various high school gym teachers, for whatever reason.

Micolas - One of my favorite nicknames, as used by a good friend.

Mr. Response - Another friend’s name for me, after I helped form a post-college email circle named “Semi-Automated Response.”

Fishkite - After my old website, named for an obnoxious poem I wrote.

Dear - The only pet name that Alison and I could agree upon, after rejecting more sappy nicknames such as Baby, Honey, Sweety, etc. Our mutual name has evolved into “Deary-poo.”

Michael - My nickname at work, which conveniently also appears on my driver’s license. Around the time I started there, I was experimenting with using it because of its religious meaning. But it took me several weeks until I remembered that I was supposed to respond when my boss called it out.

Your turn to spill; what are some of your nicknames?