Abraham Lincoln, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Beyoncé, Dwayne Johnson. What do all these figures have in common? While they may dominate in history, music, sports, and entertainment, their nicknames are just as legendary: Honest Abe, The Greek Freak, Queen Bey, and The Rock. A great nickname is not just a label—it is a high honor. These nicknames are not just limited to famous figures. The halls of Nobles are also filled with countless nicknames. Consequently, The Nobleman decided to search for the most prominent ones across campus.
At the top of this list is Jasmyn “Coop” Cooper (Class I). While Coop may have a strong reputation on the basketball court and in the classroom, it is her nickname that stands above all else. It is exactly what a prime nickname should look like: it’s short and snappy, yet also able to encapsulate a story. “People began giving me this nickname when I was in middle school because I played with another Jasmine on my AAU basketball team. So people started calling me Coop because it was getting confusing when someone said Jasmine and no one would know who they were trying to talk to,” Coop said. Teachers say it. Teammates chant it. Even people who don’t know her real name know her as Coop. This is why Coop tops the charts.
Second is Ethan Train (Class I). Trainer, as he is known, is one of those nicknames that feels inevitable. With a last name like Train, it was just a matter of time before someone added the “-er.” Trainer is a staple on the assembly stage. Whether it be a Dawg Pound announcement or serving as prefect, whenever Trainer is on stage, you are almost guaranteed to hear a senior bellow “Ayy Trainer!” It is moments like these that determine the strength of a nickname. Shouting someone’s nickname in assembly is like blowing dandelion seeds across a field. You spread it around and ensure it takes root long after the individual is gone.
“Shouting someone’s nickname in assembly is like blowing dandelion seeds across a field. You spread
it around and ensure it takes root long
after the individual is gone.”
Tied with Trainer is Jack “Hearts” Hartwell (Class II). Hearts is the perfect mix of creativity and last name accuracy. When someone says “Hearts” out loud, it’s hard not to connect it back to Hartwell. With the way it is written, however, Hearts carries an entirely new meaning. It encapsulates Hartwell’s romantic potential and adds a nuance to nicknames that many others do not have. It’s the kind of nickname that would make for the perfect prom poster or Valentine’s Day letter. Thus, for its simplicity and versatility, Hearts ties with Trainer.
Following Trainer is Isabel “Tooch” DeTuccio (Class II). Her nickname is one that seems to be perfect for yelling across Shattuck halls or on the Beach. It follows a rhythm, a type of beat that rhymes with many words, such as scootch and pooch. “I got the nickname my first year at Nobles in 8th grade. I think Mac Bianchi (Class II) started it. I liked the nickname, but I thought it would be something that only a few people call me. But then everyone started calling me it, and now it’s what I go by at Nobles,” Tooch said. Where this nickname falls short, however, is its lack of popularity. If one were to go up to a random Sixie or freshman, it is likely that they would know Coop or Trainer better than Tooch. Perhaps this is because DeTuccio is not as strong of a stage presence compared to Jasmyn or Ethan, but regardless, if Tooch wants to cement her legacy in the Nickname Hall of Fame, she must begin disseminating her nickname across campus.
Last place is Nate “Maddawg” Madden (Class I). Maddawg is a unique nickname, for better or for worse. “It (Maddawg) was given to me by the football team in my freshman year. I would get absolutely destroyed on scout team defense and then stand up and flex my muscles, small as they were. I loved it. It was my way of saying I wasn’t gonna stay down,” Madden said. This inspirational backstory is a facet of the nickname that is not as apparent in many other nicknames on the list. While most names here were born from convenience or clever wordplay, Maddawg comes from pure grit and a willingness not to give up. Unfortunately, though, Maddawg entails a violent component. It sounds like the type of name you would give someone who would “throw hands” on the Beach. As an SLC Co-President and a senior graduating in less than a month, this type of nickname connotation may not be something you want to be associated with your legacy. Perhaps Madden can create a new nickname before he graduates. In the end, a great nickname is one that is easily able to be popularized and encapsulates a student’s personality. Something that transcends your regular name and cements your legacy. Ultimately, while Nobles students strive to attain academic success, artistic expertise, and athletic caliber, receiving a nickname may be the most important of these achievements.
