Source
r/TheWire•
ptam

Let Us Theorize Nickname Origins

So we know how Snot Boogie and Johnny Fifty got their nicknames. The Greek, not being Greek, obviously uses it to obfuscate his identity. D for D'angelo is pretty straight forward. We know Dukie did not have the opportunity to use much soap. Bubbles blew a snot or saliva bubble early in the show as he nodded off, so we can probably assume that one. Slim Charles is kind of lanky and Prop Joe has a proposition for you. Bodie probably comes from Broadus and Herc comes from Hauc.

What about the completely unknown nicknames?

  • Wee Bay
  • Stinkum
  • Bird
  • Shamrock
  • Stringer
  • The Bunk
  • Bunny
  • Donut
  • Poot
  • Snoop
  • Cutty

And any others you can think of. Get creative.

Posted Jan 27, 2023, 6:25 PM UTC

2245
AcadianTraverse•

Shamrock's is because his real name is Shaun McGuinty

Poot is due to his predilection for female companionship, and success to that end.

Wee bay sounds like it was probably a family name for a youngest cousin

I've always put Stringer to be the fact that he's always working at something (pulling at a string or stringing things together).

30
ptamOP•

Ooohhhhh like Pootie Tang

12
adavadas•

Sa da tay

11
RonnieShylock•

Agree on Wee-Bey being the youngest something. I had a cousin named Bay-Ray for that reason; youngest child, I think.

4
big_sugi•

Snoop got her nickname because she looked like Snoopy the dog.

21
Yogurtdestroyer•

I always thought Stinkum got his nickname cause he was muscle and left bodies, which in turn smell.

20
Real-Understanding14•

I think this was explicitly stated but Lil Kevin having the Lil precedent because he was huge lmfao

14
eatajerk-pal•

Shit if them mothafuckas knew how to flip that shit I’d been in cuffs

9
ptamOP•

Kinda like The Greek being all obfuscatory and shit

5
fartbrah•

Do I look little to you?

1
507t04•
  • Wee Bay (I think it's Wee Bey) - "wee" = small, "bey" - bro in some areas
  • Stinkum - from his constant stank face
  • Bird, Bunk, Bunny - no idea
  • Shamrock - has an Irish name
  • Stringer - I don't know but it's funny how "Stringer Bell" sounds like "Tinkerbell" making him sound like a heroin fairy
  • Donut - because he rides around in cars all the time
  • Poot - this one I have no idea lol. Poot sounds like a fart sound
  • Snoop - she looks like Snoopy
  • Cutty - from the cut
12
ptamOP•

damn you pulled some real ass etymology with Wee Bey. Good stuff.

6
tomtomclubthumb•

bey also is a respectful way of addressing someone in Turkish cultures and arabic too I think. Old name for clan chiefs or Ottoman governors. Could fit with the Black Nationalism or NOI currents.

There was a real killer called Bey Brother in Baltimore if I remember correctly.

​

I think reading Homicide David Simon mentions bunk as an obvious nickname, but doesn't say where it comes from. If I remember rightly it was a way to refer to your partner more than any individual. Maybe from bunk-mate?

4
eatajerk-pal•

Yeah I always thought it was a black Muslim thing. A lot of black Muslims use the title of Bey or El at the end of their names.

5
CraseyCasey•

Stringer was almost Stringy, the name of an old Baltimore dealer

3
alton_underbough•

Donut could be because he does "donuts" when he drives around stolen cars.

2
Persificus•

idk but if you go looking into Bunny’s name origin, Ms. Donnelly’s gonna have your sack in a jar.

10
firemage555•

How about Bushy Top?

10
AcadianTraverse•

McNutty trumps all potential nicknames on that front.

13
TrainOfThought6•

That one's gonna be a mystery forever.

6
CraseyCasey•

Bug - term of endearment from older brother Old face Dre - no explanation needed Fat face Rick - see above Maui- big dude must be part Samoan Ziggy- probably just hates his real first name Frog- duh I guess these ones are easy

7
eatajerk-pal•

Maui has always intrigued me. I imagine it involves him fucking up a can or something that was supposed to go to Hawaii but never got there. I don’t think it’s a Samoan thing, if it was they got the wrong white guy to play him.

3
CraseyCasey•

I felt like they shouted something when Ziggy attempted to fight him…. I think you’re right but I’ll have to watch the scene again, Maui is not in many scenes or episodes really

1
TrainOfThought6•

I'm betting Bunk comes from crashing on McNulty's bunk bed.

7
ptamOP•

But he was The Bunk prior to that night.

6
TrainOfThought6•

Not like that night was the first.

3
ptamOP•

On the real, McNulty just bought that bunk bed from Ikea sone episodes prior.

2
poopapat320•

Don't tell me you don't know No Heart Anthony.

5
RyD09•

Bird just Bird.

5
porkadachopGot to. This America, man.•

Bunk can sometimes mean full of shit, or telling lies for the sake of a story.

4
FloopyNoopers2000•

No heart Anthony. Omar’s big brother About to get locked up, tried to shoot him self in the heart. Failed. Double meaning. No heart for jail, and shot in the chest

3
NukeDog•

Cutty from the cut…felt like that was an easy one. I always wanted to know where Stringer and Bunk got theirs.

2
Rude_Warning_5341•

I always assumed Stringer came from him being the ambitious top dog, behind the scenes, pulling strings. Puppet master so to speak

4
Sea_Possible_6298•

Yeah I think this was stated explicitly? Maybe I’m wrong

3
deglazethefond•

Well, he’s nicknamed cutty because he got chest surgery after a stabbing. And before that he was shot -per that bitch nurse

6
TrainOfThought6•

Hey now, at least she had the ovaries to admit she was wrong about him. Cutty forgave her, so you can too.

5
ptamOP•

I think she did a bit more than just forgave him, if you know what I mean...

3
CraseyCasey•

Or he drinks Cutty Sark…

3
MaynardSchism•

He is with her at the end of the show...they look like they are a couple

1
penciltrash•

You’re right

3
kufismack•

Puddin - I'm guessing he really loved pudding cups as a little kid.

Spider - Black with long arms? Like a black widow? 🤷🏿‍♂️

Dink, Dink-Dink, Inky Dink, Fat Dink (nevermind, that Dink dead) - absolutely no clue lol

2
ptamOP•

Wow you got all the dinks

2
kufismack•

And I'm Audi 5000

2
Dr_DickNipple•

Spider - Long, lanky body/fingers, always wearing black, and and keeps the count. Shuffles money like a spider to a web.

Monk - Bald and has a face that resembles a monkfish.

Fruit - ???

Frog - looks like a frog and hops around a lot of corners i.e “hoppers”?

2
ptamOP•

Excellent theories, Dr DickNipple.

1
gaterose•

Surprised I don’t see this here but when he’s in the hospital you hear from the nurse that Dennis was in there many years ago for a cutting. That has to be where Cutty came from right?

2
ptamOP•

Actually I think you're right. I just rewatched the episode last night and she mentions he was cut on like his second or third visit.

1
gaterose•

I don't hear about a lot of people being 'cut' in fights to the point of ending up in a hospital. Stabbed sure, but a 'cutting' sounds a little unusual. Definitely makes sense to me.

2
_DreadpiratesrobertsBeadie simp❤️•

Cheese - Melvin love cheese

1