Why, it reminds me of...
Illustration
"Why, it reminds me of my Uncle Oscar," said Margaret Herrick as she looked at the little gold statue created in 1927 to honor those who worked in the motion picture industry. Margaret started working as a librarian at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1931. Her remark about the gold statuette was reported by a newspaperman to his readers. The nickname caught on and those statuettes have been called "Oscars" ever since. Mrs. Herrick's uncle, Oscar Pierce, soon moved to California to enjoy the prominence that came to him because of his first name.
The practice of using nicknames started a long time ago. Surnames were not common in England before the 13th century. Babies who had been given long names often had those names abbreviated for daily use. Since these shortened names were usually given in childhood, they were called a "nurse name." When an adult retained his "nurse name" or was given a special name because of some dominant trait or quality, this name was his, over and above his baptismal name. Such added names helped identification.
It was, therefore, called his "ekename," from the Saxon word "eke" meaning "also." Slurred in speech over the years, "ekename" became "nekename." From that word came our modern term "nickname." Joseph of Cyprus was nicknamed by the apostles "Barnabas" which means, "Son of Encouragement" or Encourager.
- Chinn
The practice of using nicknames started a long time ago. Surnames were not common in England before the 13th century. Babies who had been given long names often had those names abbreviated for daily use. Since these shortened names were usually given in childhood, they were called a "nurse name." When an adult retained his "nurse name" or was given a special name because of some dominant trait or quality, this name was his, over and above his baptismal name. Such added names helped identification.
It was, therefore, called his "ekename," from the Saxon word "eke" meaning "also." Slurred in speech over the years, "ekename" became "nekename." From that word came our modern term "nickname." Joseph of Cyprus was nicknamed by the apostles "Barnabas" which means, "Son of Encouragement" or Encourager.
- Chinn
