nickname
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nickname
An additional, often informal, personal, or funny name that a person receives from friends, family, or colleagues. It replaces or supplements the actual first name.
Sein richtiger Name ist Alexander, aber alle nennen ihn bei seinem Spitznamen Sascha.
His real name is Alexander, but everyone calls him by his nickname Sascha.
The word is made up of 'spitz' (pointed/sharp) and 'Name' (name). A 'Spitzname' (nickname) is not a literally pointed name, but rather a fitting, sometimes cheeky or affectionate name.
Wegen seiner roten Haare war sein Spitzname in der Schule „Feuerkopf“.
Because of his red hair, his nickname at school was 'Firehead'.
Common verbs used with 'Spitzname' (nickname) are 'jemandem einen Spitznamen geben' (to give someone a nickname), 'einen Spitznamen haben' (to have a nickname), or 'jemanden beim Spitznamen nennen' (to call someone by their nickname).
Seine Freunde haben ihm den Spitznamen „Professor“ gegeben, weil er so viel liest.
His friends gave him the nickname 'Professor' because he reads so much.
When you give someone a nickname, the person who receives the name is in the dative. The construction is: subject + gibt + dative person + accusative nickname.
Meine Schwester hat ihrer Katze den Spitznamen „Tiger“ gegeben.
My sister gave her cat the nickname 'Tiger'.
epithet
Both words refer to an additional name for a person. A „Spitzname“ usually arises informally in a personal setting and can be funny or familiar. A „Beiname“ is more likely to point to a quality, origin, or achievement and is often publicly or historically known.
Seine Freunde gaben ihm wegen seiner roten Haare den Spitznamen „Feuerkopf“.
Because of his red hair, his friends gave him the nickname “Firehead.”
Der mittelalterliche König war in den Chroniken unter dem Beinamen „der Weise“ bekannt.
The medieval king was known in the chronicles by the epithet “the Wise.”
