Note sure if this is the right place to post something like this, but oh well. I am writing about a group of mercenaries in the nearish future. Their (real) names are (for now, at least): Axel Duke Rocco Maverick Gus Jett They have are to have some really killer code-names, but I can't really think of any. In case you don't know what I'm talking about, I'm thinking of titles such as: Warhammer Badger Hornet Lynx Reaper Raptor Ghost Rider ...and so on. Essentially nicknames that'd sound cool over a walkie-talkie. (i.e. "Come in, Ghost Rider. This is Overlord 12. I've got a visual on the target." "Copy that, Cobra. Do not engage, I repeat, do not engage. Area is too hot.") ^ something like that. Any suggestions? Thanks!
* Shit-Stain * Fart Weasel * Ginger Bread Man * Lunch Lady * Bootyfunk * Sloppy Seconds Ok. I got that out of my system. * Boomer * Black Magic * God * Savage * Sweet Death * Charon (Greek mythology character who transported souls to Hades, pronounced Kay-ron) * Pain Train * Ripper * Venom
These codenames sound like real fixed radio callsigns, in fact "Ghostrider" is I believe a navy attack squadron fixed callsign. Real military nicknames are often deprecatory, often assigned due to memorialize something the recipient would rather not have remembered. Think "Boomer, Goose, Iceman," the like. "Five-wire": there are only four wires (arresting cables) on a carrier, etc.
Agreed with @Lew. Real military nicks will have a meaning known to those who coined it and especially to the recipient. Even when they sound "awesome", trust that scathing sarcasm is in play.
Mine is "Zig-Zag" and I used to hate it, totally untrue legend behind it, but after forty years it has had staying power
Just go to a biker bar and listen to what they call each other. If you survive the experience, you'll have all the macho you need to pull this off and you won't need anyone's help with this.
Heck, those strike me as nicknames in of themselves. Maybe use those and give them different real names like John or Bill.
I think the best way for you to come up with some good code names, is to write out character sheets with some backstory, and then base some of their code names off of that.
Well that's pretty easy. My last name is Lewis and when I was working at the prison I was called several names like Sweet Lew, Big Lew, and Lewdog. I just used Lewdog as my name on all the forums. My REAL nickname that my old friends and family call me is Chico. I got that one when I was in third grade because I was so dark complected and chubby. I looked like the little Latino kid on the Bad News Bears (the original one) and the sponsor of their team was Chico's Bail Bonds. So my peewee football coach just started calling me Chico and it stuck.
Well to be honest, when I feel comfortable around people I would compare myself to being a male version of Amy Schumer, or maybe a Seth Rogan. I just have one of those semi-crude senses of humor.
Why wait till you're comfortable? Just talk like Schumer would to moms with their children at the grocery store you're doing part-time at.
I wanted some more unorthodox names. Also, the idea of my hardened sci-fi mercenaries with names such as "Bill" doesn't sit well with me I guess. But I can see where you're coming from.
There are so many nicknames out there, but as I said you need to tie it into the features of the characters. You could have a guy with a big scar on his face, and his buddies could give him a mean nickname like "Adonis." That's just an example, but if you just want a list of nicknames it could take forever.
From West Wing: C.J. Cregg: What's your secret service code name? Sam Seaborn: They just changed it. C.J. Cregg: I know. What's yours? Sam Seaborn: Princeton. C.J. Cregg: Mine's "Flamingo". Sam Seaborn: That's nice. C.J. Cregg: No, it's not nice. Sam Seaborn: Flamingo's a nice-looking bird. C.J. Cregg: A flamingo is a ridiculous-looking bird. Sam Seaborn: You're not ridiculous-looking. C.J. Cregg: I know I'm not ridiculous-looking. Sam Seaborn: Any way for me to get out of this conversation? C.J. Cregg: I'm going to talk to someone. Sam Seaborn: Excellent.
I'm voting for funny/sarcastic/mocking, rather than "awesome", names. Just to express how sarcastic I want the names to be, the first one I thought of is "Pixie Sticks". Edited to edit your example: "Come in, Growler. This is Snoopy. Pixie Sticks has a visual on the target."
Axel- Battleaxe Duke- Grand Duke Rocco- Rockhard Maverick- (I'm lost on this one) Gus- Windy Man Jett- Jet Plane
Well I had a nickname when I wasn in the Airforce. I was called squirrel. Why...that's not important. I will tell you that you cannot just assign nicknames to people. It's like the Big Bang Theory you can't pick your own. Its something that develops. So look at the story and assign them names based on who they are as people.
I'd stick to one name for each guy, then assign an obvious codename - Maverick/Mav1Rick kind of thing, or none, no code-name at all. Otherways you'll spend a 1000 words explaining, re-inforcing these 'pointless' tags. Exhausting for you and the audience, reckon. Yeah, I've been Woolfy a long time in different places, or Mat, Hugh, Prick, currently Worm.
