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It can be alot of fun uncovering the nicknames used in your family. Read those that we were able to put together.
The Pacheco Family and Their Nicknames
Babe Souza--He and his father shared the same first name. Rather than using Junior, he was known as Babe.
Dean--Anton's godson had a slight speech impediment and could not pronounce "padrinho" (meaning godparent). All he could pronounce was "Dean".
Nanny--Dean's wife. She was very motherly and was known as Nanny to many in the Pacheco clan.
Chachy--I came across several Chachy's in the 1940s and 1950s. It seems to have been a popular nickname of the time.
Knob of the Door--This man drank too much and his nose was a bright red beacon.
Hot Shot Sha Wa--He grew up during a time when this phrase was common and was always saying it.
Troubles--A young girl who got into constant trouble on the sugar beet plantation in Spreckels.
Bohne--He was nicknamed after his favorite baseball player from the 1920s.
Kid Cyclone--Mentioned above, he was a boy who was constantly in trouble.
Johnny Sailor--He always wore a sailor hat, but was never a sailor.
Johnny Cowboy--He worked as a cowboy on a sugar plantation of Kauai.
The Reds--A family whose children all had red hair. The children were known as Tony Red, Bella Red, Mary Red, and Helen Red.
The Jesus Kids--A family whose father was a stowaway. The other passengers on the ship to Hawaii nicknamed him Jesus because of his long hair. He adopted Jesus as his surname upon arrival in Hawaii. Later one of his son changed the surname to Santos, but that son's children were always known as the Jesus Kids.
Joe Fat--He was a large man.
Johnny Secondhand--Being married several times was how he earned his nickname!
Jimmy the Painter--He was a man named Jaime who worked as a painter.
Johnny Yellowfish--This one is unknown, but I'd sure like to figure out who he was and why he got this nickname!
Frenchy--He was a man of French descent who married into a Portuguese family.
Ace of Spades--He had a dark complexion.
Pee in the Pants--Poor boy! Whenenever he played he just couldn't remember to get to the bathroom in time.
A Collection of Portuguese Nicknames
Vien ca' rapaz'--meaning "come here boy"--A grandfather was always calling his sons this when he needed them. The name stuck.
Malassado--meaning "poorly baked". One man was a home baker and he would never brown his bread.
Cabecinha--meaning "little head". A lady with a small head was nicknamed "Cabecinha".
Por minlha salvacacao--meaning "by my salvation". This was the nickname for a man who would end every sentence with this expression so that you would believe him.
Filhoca--meaning "maker of many children". This was used as a surname for a family whose father was known to have many children.
Coo da Avo--meaning "Grandmother's behind". There was a young boy in Camacha Madeira who was visiting his grandmother. It was a cold night. They did not have heaters or fireplaces. Time came for him to go to bed and he slept with his grandmother. In the morning the men asked him, "how did you sleep, were you cold?". He said, "No! Grandmothers "Co" (rearend) was warm." He cuddled up to her back all night. Well, that boy grew up and came to California--and the folks here all referred to him as "Coo da Avo"--Grandmothers behind!!!!! They would chuckle when they said that, but they were careful that he didn't hear.
More Nickname Fun from the Portuguese Hawaiian Quarter
Pinnicky Souza-- Pinnicky was an off-shoot of that 'lil ol' bed pan that was kept under the bed to ward off the urge to trapeeze out to the outhouse in the cool of the evening!
Ploddy Gouveia-- He was "pilado" (bald).
Old Man Batata--We called one of the camp policeman in Lihue by the name "Old Man Batata" as he was so rotund that his poor mount would sag at its middle.
Ti Content--One uncle was called "'Ti Content" as he was always happy.
Ol' Man Barruga--He had a huge dark mole on his nose.
Foguete--meaning "a rocket". He always had the knack of disappearing in a hurry.
Old Man Spaulding--He was a fellow who was a great baseball player, so they named him after the maker of baseballs.
Espada--This family of fishermen were actually a Silva clan. But, with the number of Silvas in and about Kauai, why not go by the name "Espada"?
Did your family use nicknames? Why not share them on the IslandRoutes.com forum! Post your nicknames by clicking here---->Share Your Family Nicknames
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© 2002 Melody Lassalle
Special thanks to M. Campos and R. Silva for their help in compiling this list!
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upd 8/30/02