The significance of nicknames in the making and performance of identity: The examples youth and gender identity

This article analyses the nickname’s significance for the construction of identity. The issues I specifically discuss are as follows: 1) How does the nickname contribute in the construction of identity? 2) How is youth and gender identity constructed through nicknames? My approach to identity is based on a constructivist perspective where the starting-point is that the identity is originally individual but also perceived as collective in a group constructing process where nicknames can be used to announce inclusion or exclusion of the group.

In the analysis, I am using 198 nicknames that are collected through interviews and questionnaires. Name-bearers usually get their nicknames when they are children or adolescents. A gender perspective on the issue shows that it is more common for women to get nicknames at the age of 0–5 years, while men get, to a greater extent, their nicknames at the age of 11–15 years. However, it is more common that men’s nicknames contain different features which reinforce traditional gender roles. The conclusion is that the nickname can be an important linguistic resource for constructing identity.