In the Philippines, is it important to have a nickname?

I've read that many Filipinos are quite informal, using first names right off the bat. Also, that they use funny nicknames for each other and that if you're visiting you may well be asked to call a Filipino acquaintance by their nickname. Should you then have a nickname ready for them to call you? And can anybody give me good examples of the kind of nicknames Filipinos use.|||a lot of filipinos do have nicknames. either they get it from their family, friends, school or work.





take for example in school we always add ski to a name. my first name being allan, i am sometimes called lanski.**|||i think its important if your real name is too long.


like these some common nicknames;


michael- mike


antonio/anthony- toni


joshua- josh


josephine- jojo


but some common nickname that filipino use are the ff.


- balong


- inday


- boyet


-dodong


- toto


- nene


- tata


and so on.......... kkpagod n magisip!|||inday, nene, lita, lala,...(girls)





dodong, toto, bong, boy, lito, ...(boys)





are nicknames and used as terms of endearment.|||..I'm much relax to a person calling me in my nickname rather them my formal name %26amp; vice-versa..It is not because were informal..%26amp; we only do that to people we like..%26amp; no it's okey if you don't have a nickname readied..just leave it to us..lol|||Most of the my friends prefer to be called by their nicknames because they hate their name. If you called them by their birth name, they will not heed your call. Having a nickname is very much part of the Filipino culture...at least here, a man who is named Joy is not being laughed at..|||Not exactly important. We Filipinos love to put nicknames on people based on their appearance or state of mind or anything that can aptly describe a person, some for fun and some to distinguish them from the rest. Here are a classic example of "nicknames": 1) a bald man - kalbo 2) a toothless man - pangag (Visayan) 3) a handsome man - gwapo (Visayan) or pogi (Tagalog) 4) a lame man - pungkol (Visayan) 5) chinese looking - intsik or kirat





Some nicknames do not actually describe the person but still are used to call him that. Example: Hapon which in English means Japanese, Kano in English means American, Intsik which means Chinese. Sometimes, too, one may be called Saddam or Osama if he looks like an Arab. Well, the list goes on and on, it never ends. Trust Filipinos to be creative.|||its filipino's nature.... our grandma was raised by many nicknames, so as my mom, so my mom raised me with so much nickname, like, dayang, dianne, lorenn, flor. and a lot more|||I wouldn't say that it's important, but it's certainly comfortable. We usually use nicknames on people who are really close to us, like boyfriends or close friends and the like. Usually it could also be attributed to the fact that most Filipinos have second and even third names (ie Mark Anthony, Maria Elena) and it would be kinda awkward having to call them with their full names. Imagine shouting out a name as long as "Sarah Johanna Monica!" in a mall. So we pick out nick names. :D


As for using the first name over the last name, it's part of Philippine culture to opt for the first name, since calling someone by the last name could be considered too formal, or even sarcastic.|||I'm a Filipino and I am lucky to have a nickname!





My Chinese counterparts (at work) call me by my nickname because they can't pronounce my Spanish name!|||It is important to have a nickname in the Philippines because calling you by your first name (as opposed to that of a nickname) generally connotes formal relations (and not friendly).





Examples: Apple, Baby, Junior, Girly.


Sometimes, Filipinos use the first name and add an extra letter "h to make it a nickname example: Bhabes, Jhoy Bhen, Mhatts|||Yeah, especially if you've fun going to places like night bars.|||Actually nicknames are used to address someone especially when you have a very close relationship, cause you wouldn't actually know his/her nickname when you do not know he person. You are not obliged to have a nickname. but everyone has a nickname i think.... haaa





i can't explain this....