sobriquet n : a familiar name for a person (often a shortened version of a person's given name); "Joe's mother would not use his nickname and always called him Joseph"; "Henry's nickname was Slim" [syn: nickname, moniker, cognomen, soubriquet]

Sobriquet \So`bri`quet"\ (s[-o]`br[-e]`k[asl]"), n.[F. sobriquet, OF. soubzbriquet, soubriquet, a chuck under the chin, hence, an affront, a nickname; of uncertain origin; cf. It. sottobecco a chuck under the chin.] An assumed name; a fanciful epithet or appellation; a nickname. [Sometimes less correctly written soubriquet.]

A sobriquet (pronounced /ˈsoʊbrɨkeɪ/ SOH-bri-kay) is a nickname, sometimes assumed, but often given by another. It is usually a familiar name, distinct from a pseudonym assumed as a disguise, but a nickname which is familiar enough such that it can be used in place of a real name without the need of explanation. This salient characteristic is of sufficient familiarity that the sobriquet can become more familiar than the original name. For example, Genghis Khan, who is rarely recognized now by his original name, Temüjin; or Mohandas Gandhi who is better known as Mahatma Gandhi. Well known places often have sobriquets, such as New York City, often referred to as the Big Apple. The term can therefore apply to the nickname for a specific person, group of people or even a place.

Two early variants of the term are found, sotbriquet and soubriquet; the latter form is still often used. The modern French spelling is sobriquet. The first form suggests derivation from sot, foolish, and briquet, a French adaptation of Ital. brichetto, diminutive of bricco, ass, knave, possibly connected with briccone, rogue, which is supposed to be a derivative of Ger. brechen, to break; but Skeat considers this spelling to be an example of popular etymology, and the real origin is to be sought in the form soubriquet.

• Riff Raff's Word Of The Day: Sobriquet (SO-bri-ket)
  With a Skrillex collabo and studio debut said to feature hip-hop heavyweights such as Drake, Wiz Khalifa and Mac Miller both in the works, as well as scene-stealing guests stints on "Ridiculousness" and "One Life to Live" now under his belt, Mad Decent music artist and former "From G's to Gents" contestant Riff Raff is [...] Read more on this news related to 'Sobriquet'
• Greens are blue about Brown raiding their gold to keep California in the black
  “Governor Moonbeam” has definitely left the building. Jerry Brown’s spacey-techno New Age musings during his first stint as California governor in the 1970s earned him that enduring sobriquet. Brown, who ... Read more on this news related to 'Sobriquet'
• Opinion: Eight dwarves but no Snow White in Iran
  In Tehran, they call them the eight dwarves. The sobriquet may be unfair. Though unknown to many Iranians, the eight men standing for election as president of the Islamic Republic are prominent figures in the narrow elite that have dominated Iran’s politics for three decades. Who are these men? And would it make any difference which one enters the presidential p Read more on this news related to 'Sobriquet'