Normally, I am not very competitive, but when I’m around my family, their drive becomes contagious. One contest I am rather confident that I have won is having the most nicknames. I have so many nicknames that my nicknames have nicknames. 

I know having the most nicknames is not a thing most people brag about, but each nickname shows a little insight into me and how my family sees me or used to see me. 

To my dad I am Dizzle. To my grandma I am Diz. To my aunts, I am Ferndiz or Adfern. To my mom, I am Fern. To everyone in my family, I am Ferny. My grandma likes to use Fernalicious. I use Addy instead of Addyson. To school friends, I am Ads, and I am sure there are more I am forgetting. 

I love every nickname I have been given. Fern is based on my middle name, Redfern, which I share with my mom and is my great grandma’s last name. Fern and Ferny are the first nicknames I was given and are definitely my favorite. Almost all of my nicknames are reserved for my family. I am not just Addy to my family; I am the first grandchild, daughter, and niece on both sides of my family, so as Fern, I am again the little girl with so much adoration and attention spoiled on her. 

I also like to think I win at giving out nicknames. Everyone I am friends with has a variation of their name permanently stuck in my vocabulary: Mahta shortened to M, Natalie to Natty. The nickname does not need to be creative; I believe the act of giving someone one at all shows a bond. 

This is evident in my family as I am not the only person with an abundance of other names. My youngest cousin is in second place for the most nicknames given. The large number of people and names to remember in my family does not stop us from adding at least four extra names to everyone.

Nicknames don’t only show a connection; they show how a person perceives you. I am called Ads by my aunt when I feel she sees me in a more mature way, for example, when I am babysitting for her; my dad constantly calls me Dizzle because I will always be his little girl—the context doesn’t really matter. I call Natalie “Natty” because I see her as a bubbly person and Natty sounds less stoic and more lively. To be honest, Mahta to M has no real reason, and it was so long ago that I started to call her one letter that I would not remember the reason had there been one. 

My name is not who I am; if you look at my nicknames, then you will see plenty of variations of myself that add up to make the whole person I am. I will always adore giving and getting nicknames, no matter how ridiculous they sound.