How do Jamaicans get nicknames or pet names?

[Tropicana]

Clearly it's a part of our culture. In fact, some children used to show up for school and they had rarely heard their real name....not sure if that is still the case.

Anyway, just like I am probably the only female child born in Jamaica who didn't get her ears pierced, I didn't live their long enough to get a pet name.



So, how do Jamaicans get their nicknames? Some are extremely odd...like dawg paw Just love to read the police reports....John Clark known as biggah, Richard smith known as small head....

[j-kid]

Depends pan how dem feel pan ah particular day, or wha ah happen at di time. Yuh can ongle hope dat pan di day dat dem stick yuh wid yours, dat dem hav som mercy.

[Wahalla]

it is mre than that.....it is partly an african tradition where a number of ethnicities has a tradtion to give children anoter name and a act anti master resistance......... ever notice that when Jamaicans become born again they hate their nicknames _?

But wahalla is unconsious dont beleive him...

[Tropicana]

Depends pan how dem feel pan ah particular day, or wha ah happen at di time. Yuh can ongle hope dat pan di day dat dem stick yuh wid yours, dat dem hav som mercy.

[Leddih]

for example, at the school where I teach, "Quackles" looks, talks and runs like a duck - he's all he's quackled up to be.