nickname

/ˈnɪkneɪm/

//ˈnɪkneɪm// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"nickname" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“nickname” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #8,176 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#8,176
frequency rank, English
8
letters
12
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A familiar, invented name for a person or thing used instead of the actual name of the person or thing, often based on some noteworthy characteristic.

Key facts for nickname
PropertyValue
Headwordnickname
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈnɪkneɪm/
Letters8
Frequency rank#8,176
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “nickname” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). nickname lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for nickname is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈnɪkneɪm/. Corpus data places it at rank #8,176 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for nickname, with forms such as "inckname", "ncikname", and "nicckname". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English neke name, alteration (due to a rebracketing of an ekename as a nekename) of earlier ekename (“nickname”), from eke (“additional”) + name. Compare Old Norse aukanafn, auknafn, auknefni, Faroese eyknevni, Danish øgenavn, Norwegian Nynorsk… The correct English form is nickname, spelled N-I-C-K-N-A-M-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A familiar, invented name for a person or thing used instead of the actual name of the person or thing, often based on some noteworthy characteristic.
  2. 2
    A familiar, shortened or diminutive name for a person or thing.

Etymology

From Middle English neke name, alteration (due to a rebracketing of an ekename as a nekename) of earlier ekename (“nickname”), from eke (“additional”) + name. Compare Old Norse aukanafn, auknafn, auknefni, Faroese eyknevni, Danish øgenavn, Norwegian Nynorsk aukenamn, Swedish öknamn, and German Low German Ökelname. For other similar cases of incorrect division, see also apron, daffodil, newt, orange, umpire.

Synonyms

bynamehandlemonikernicksobriquetcognomensurnameeponym

This word in other languages

apodo(Español)surnom(Français)Spitzname(Deutsch)apelido(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: inckname,ncikname,nicckname,nickanme,nickkname,nicknaem,nicknamme,nicknmae,nicknname,nicnkame,nikcname,nnickname

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of nickname - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

inckname2ncikname2nicckname1nickanme2nickkname1nicknaem2nicknamme1nicknmae2
Edit distance from "nickname"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "nickname"?
"nickname" is spelled N-I-C-K-N-A-M-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈnɪkneɪm/.
What does "nickname" mean?
As a noun, "nickname" means: A familiar, invented name for a person or thing used instead of the actual name of the person or thing, often based on some noteworthy characteristic.
What are common misspellings of "nickname"?
Common misspellings include "inckname", "ncikname", "nicckname", "nickanme", "nickkname". The correct spelling is "nickname".
How do you pronounce "nickname"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "nickname" is /ˈnɪkneɪm/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "nickname"?
From Middle English neke name, alteration (due to a rebracketing of an ekename as a nekename) of earlier ekename (“nickname”), from eke (“additional”) + name. Compare Old Norse aukanafn, auknafn, auknefni, Faroese eyknevni, Danish øgenavn, Norwegi... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “nickname”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is N-I-C-K-N-A-M-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈnɪkneɪm/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list