We all have a friend with an incredible nickname, but it's the story behind that name which is usually the best part.
Last night on Twitter, Duchas.ie (the people who digitise National Folklore in Ireland) put out the following tweet:
How to get a nickname in Ireland:
'Tapioca was the name given to a girl because she asked for tapioca in a shop and they didn't know what she wanted and they began laughing at her and until she died she was called Tapioca.'
It started to trend with some hilarious replies, including:
'Killian Fee - Lad in Cavan called Chilli because his father is Con Kearney'
'Danny Keenan - Worked with a bloke called Pat Phelan. They called him Howya. Howya Phelan'
So The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show wanted to see if its listeners had any better ones. And as always, they'd never let us down...
Hi folks, my nickname is Baggy. This is because I have 4 older brothers and all the old hand down clothes I used to get from them were always too big and baggy. Darragh from Offaly
When I was younger I used to be going out with a girl whos family sold Perry winkles from Kilkee, Even to this day I'm still called 'Winkles'. Mark Mcquaid, Clare
Hey Iano, my nickname is Buzz, that's because when Home Alone came out my younger brother was around the same age as Macaulay Culkin, I was the older troublesome, prankster playing nasty brother and we used to have a few scuffles, that I usually started!!!! Hence the nickname Buzz. But me and my brother are best mates now so it's all good!! Barry in limerick.
Lad in work is called mossy, his name is bartek which rhymes with spartek, spartek Moscow- mossy
Hi Ian my nickname is nipper. It's passed from my grandfather, he had a dog called nip and it was passed down through the years. Anthony
Hi Ian, I knew someone whose surname was Jacobs and he was called Biccies. Paula, Donaghmede
Morning Ian, I was in school with a lad called Richard Lambe and his nickname was Chops
A sheep farmer we know in West Cork nickname is Bo Peep! Such a brilliant Nick name. My great friend Michael Riordan from Coachford Nickname is Dock (Hickory Dickory Dock) as he has a collection of clocks . He has about 4 clocks in each room! Conor McCarthy
Best nicknames.... my friend is called froggy, we called his younger brother tadpole, then a baby brother came along named spawn.
Morning Ian. There was a lad where I grew up called the Olympic, as short for Olympic flame because he never went out.
My 9 year old daughter Sadhbh is called Spike by me and her dad. Shortly after she was born I went to visit my Nanny in hospital, when I was leaving she told me to "give my love to Ssssssspike? We laughed so hard when I told my husband...it stuck.
