Midcentury Nickname Names: Buster and Buddy are back

I’d NEVER put a nickname on the birth certificate but heck, I’d use Ace as a generic nn. We use Buddy for Josie’s friend Brian, it started as “he’s my buddy”. as she’d say when they were 2. Now they’re 6.5 and he’s *still* Buddy! I keep telliing his dad “Buddy’s a nickname you get when people love you” and it seems to be true as far as that nickname goes.

As for Junior, there’s one I’ll never use. If I won’t name a girl after me, I won’t name a boy after Dad. Just a rule for me. Everyone deserves their own name, I think. Juniors have to deal with unfair competition or at least that’s how it strikes me. And I’m not alone in that thinking amongst my friends. None of us has a junior!

I wonder if geography has something to do with the Junior issue? I’m in MA, just outside Boston. But maybe someone from someone else, somewhere else might feel different? I wonder.

I am related to a hipster couple who have named their son Buster. This was a trend the rest of the family didn’t know about, and their choice caused some consternation. Mostly because the name, to some, felt too flimsy and not serious enough–sort of a male version of Bambi or Brandy. I like the name, but still would have chosen a more solid name and used Buster as a family nickname. That way you have the best of both worlds.

No, I would never consider any of these names for my son.

They’re dog names.

Ace sounds like a name used to mock someone. “Alright, Ace…simmer down.”

Using Buddy or Buster doesn’t seem that weird to me, but usually you hear it as a nickname for a junior or the II. I’m from The South, and this is a fairly common practice. My cousin is a III and goes by Tripp, and my brother is a Jr and goes by Buddy. My little sister is pregnant and has told me more than once that if she has a boy she wants to name him Buddy after our brother, plus she really likes it after hearing it in Fried Green Tomatoes. She’s going to go with Buddy Alexander I think, or Buddy George.

My husband loves Duke for a boy! It’s growing on me. I also like Sonny.

My husband and I each have a grandfather who was nicknamed Bud (one named James, the other Harold) but I don’t think we’d ever consider putting Bud on the birth certificate. It just isn’t a real name in my book.

No, I would not use any of these as a given name. I don’t have a junior–but I married a Jr, and I have a III. We have yet to work out his nickname… usually he’s Peter (also dad and grandpa’s name), Pete (also dad’s nickname), or Boy. If I had an Asa (on my short list), I’d probably call him Ace.

There’s a young baseball player by the name of Buster Posey who made me think of the name in a completely different way. I still would never use it, but it doesn’t seem as bad. Maybe that’s because Posey is his last name.

BTW, Buster Posey’s real name is Gerald Dempsey Posey III

A friend of a friend has (British) twins named Charlie and Sonny.

I personally wouldn’t put Buddy / Buster / Sonny on the birth certificate. I’m more a fan of the full name on the birth certificate, even if you plan to call the child Charlie or Buddy.

Personally, I’m not a fan of any of these names. They sound overly fake and I think they sound best as pet names.

These sound like dog names. I do know a little boy named Ace.

If the San Francisco Giants win the World Series, I think there might be a spate of little Busters born in the Bay Area over the next year or so…

i am a HUGE fan of these types of nicknames (not resume worthy, so not on the birth certificate) and must say i was a little sad to see this becoming a trend since I like my ideas not to get popular! especially sad Buddy was mentioned as I just added it to my list the other night after watching the movie elf. (yes, i watch Elf in october. i LOVE christmas!!)

also, i’m a huge giants fan and must say that Buster Posey really made me go from detesting to being-able-to-handle the name Buster. although really only think it works if your son ends up being famous (and has a last name as cool as Posey)

My grandfather’s real first name was Junior. My grandma used to tell me that when they met, she asked what his middle name was, thinking that it had to be better than Junior. Then he said “Elmo” Her response? “Well alright then Junior.” Yeah, don’t think Junior Elmo is a family name I’ll be choosing to pass down…

I would like to use Ace as a nn for Andreas. I never really considered it a midcentury nn, it was just the only nn I could think of for Andreas that I liked. If we have a second boy he would likely be Julian or Sebastian, neither of which have very obvious nns that I like. Buddy and Sonny could be a cute solution to that problem. Ace, Sonny, and Buddy all in one family might be cute. They would only be used within our family though.

I would NEVER use any of these as given names. These are not real names and should not be treated as such. That said, I have NO problem with them as a nickname. I’ve even considered Douglas with the nn Duke for a future boy.

I love the baseball talk – I think Buster Posey is one of the best “baseball” names I’ve ever heard… And LOL if my name was Gerald Dempsey Posey III, I’d go by Buster also!! I assumed it was his given.

And no, I’d never use any of these names for a son.

Don’t forget Buzz

I want to use John NN Johnny and I think Johnny fits this category.

I just think it’s going to be weird when they grow up and become Grandad Buddy, Grandad Ace, Grandad Sonny and worst of all, Grandad Junior

I’m not a fan of these as “real” names and would never use them on a birth certificate either. I’ve also met a couple of dogs named Buddy at the park so it’s automatically a dogs name for me as is Buster. I also can’t imagine using Junior as a proper first name. It’s something you’re called if your just that, so and so Jr.
I agree with Lola as well that I’d never have a Jr. as I also believe everyone should have there own name. I know at least 1 of my friends agrees with this as we’ve talked about it. In her father’s family the first born son was 1 of 2 names depending on what the father was so it alternates each generation. My friend’s mother got rid of that tradition when they named their son something completely different.

I love Buster Posey! MLB’s Rookie of the Year hopeful! Played in the minors here in my hometown. Look for this name to explode over the next year in the Bay area. Especially if the SF Giants win the World Series! This is, of course, a nickname for Gerald Dempsey Posey III. His father goes by “Demp”. Both names are on my short list. I love Buster for a boy, but it must be a nickname. You must give him the option, just in case he feels like you named him after the dog. And I adore Posey for a girl, but this name doesn’t seem to age well and knowing they must endure a youthful name for 80% of their lives seems cruel as well. But they sure are cute names and I am keeping them on my list!!

There’s also Chip and Skip!