Nicola Coughlan's Viral Twitter Thread On Male Nickname

Photo: Getty Images

By now, you probably know that Derry Girls is brilliant. What you might know is that Nicola Coughlan, the actress who plays Clare Devlin, so often the voice of reason on the show, is brilliant on Twitter. On occasion she's used the platform to call out toxic BS; other times she's just plain funny.

A case in point: this tweet she's posted about the seemingly inexplicable nicknames that some straight men give to their friends.

Why do all straight men always have a group of friends called like : Baggsy, Trousers, Stupid Phil, and Egg
— Nicola Coughlan (@nicolacoughlan) August 16, 2019

In a follow-up tweet, Coughlan added equally hilariously: "And the reasons for the nicknames are always terrible.

"'Why is he called Egg?' 'Oh he once had an egg sandwich for his lunch in a school trip in 1996'. That is pretty much always the reason."

AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT

Coughlan's original tweet is so spot-on that it's been liked more than 37,000 (!) times. It's also attracted some memorable responses from people wanting to share the random male nicknames they've heard over the years.

Check out some of the funniest below.

Best nickname I’ve ever heard was a guy my brother worked with who was called Hugh Rae and his nickname was Hip Hip ?
— Dr. Erin Williams (@DrErinWill) August 17, 2019

Back in the 90s a young lad turned up to school wearing something with purple on it
Unfortunately for him prince was a big star and the lads name was Wayne
Qed Purple Wayne
— tan97 (@twiceasnice97) August 16, 2019

My brother has a friend named Towbar. Because he once bought a Towbar. Men are weird
— Shelley Smith (@WhatShelleyDid) August 16, 2019

My brother was known as 'Moley' to his mates during secondary school after having a haircut that made him vaguely resemble a mole. ?‍♀️
I therefore became 'Moley's sister' when I rolled up ?‍♀️
— Hayley Moore (@HaylzMoore92) August 17, 2019

Others pointed out that it's not just men who give themselves – or sometimes choose – random nicknames that prove difficult to shift.

While teaching a group of Catering student they decided that I looked like a Barbara! One of them still shouts “Hello Barbara” to me in the street nearly 10 years later!
— Amanda Kelly (@Functionalise) August 17, 2019

My husband does not have these friends. I do though....

One of them is called Oscar, because in 2004 she changed into a different dress halfway through a formal event.
— Flossie McGhee (@flossiebella) August 17, 2019

I knew a girl whose real name is Laura, but there were 2 Lauras in her form so one day on a total whim she chose herself a new name. No rhyme or reason behind her choice, she just said the first name that popped into her head, but 2 decades later she still goes by "Hetti"
— Red Jam Spear (@jamesdraper) August 17, 2019

By now, you're probably recalling a load of weird nicknames given to people you went to school with. And if you know (or even are) an "Egg", just remember there are many, many worse names to be called. My surname is Levine, which not so helpfully rhymes with... this. Thankfully it didn't stick!