What is nickname?

A nickname is an informal or familiar name for a person, place or thing. Nicknames are often created by friends, family or colleagues and are usually based on a person's or thing's personality, appearance or other characteristic. Nicknames can be derived from a person's full name, a shortened form of a person's name or a completely different word or phrase that is associated with the person or thing. Nicknames are often used in a casual or informal setting and are a way of showing affection or familiarity towards the person or thing they refer to.