Nicknames are common among jazz musicians. Nicknames and sobriquets can also sometimes become stage names, and there are several cases of performers being known almost exclusively by their nicknames as opposed to their given names. Some of the most notable nicknames and stage names are listed here.

Although the term Jazz royalty exists for "Kings" and similar royal or aristocratic nicknames, there is a wide range of other terms, many of them obscure. Where the origin of the nickname is known, this is explained at each artist's corresponding article.

List of jazz nicknames A Abbey: Abbey Lincoln Abbie: Albert Brunies Ace: Ace Harris Angry Man of Jazz (The): Charles Mingus Ananias Garibaldi: A.G. Godley

B

Babs: Babs Gonzales Baby: Warren Dodds Baby Sweets: Walter Perkins Bags: Milt Jackson Barney: Barney Bigard Barney: Barney Wilen Baron: Charles Mingus Bass: Ernest Hill Bean: Coleman Hawkins a.k.a. "Hawk" Bear (The): Eddie Costa Beaver: Beaver Harris Betty Bebop: Betty Carter Benny: Benny Bailey Big Babe: Andrew WebbOwlsey, Dennis (2006), City of Gabriels: The History of Jazz in St. Louis, 1895-1973, Reedy Press, p. 9. Retrieved 19 May 2013. Big Bill: Big Bill Bissonnette Big Chief: Big Chief Russell Moore Big Daddy: Eric DixonLambert, Eddie; Barry Kernfeld "Dixon, Eric". Grove Music Online. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 10 December 2022. Big-Eye: Louis Nelson Delisle Big Jim: Jim Robinson Big Joe: Big Joe Turner Big John: John Patton Big Mama: Big Mama Thornton Big Nick: Big Nick Nicholas Big Sid: Sid Catlett Billie: Billie Holiday a.k.a. "Lady Day" Bing: Bing Crosby Bird: Charlie Parker a.k.a. "Yardbird" Bix: Leon Bismarck Beiderbecke, though it appears his given names were Leon Bix. Blood: James "Blood" Ulmer Blue: Richard Allen "Blue" Mitchell Blue Lou: Lou Marini Blow It: J. T. Brown aka Nature Boy Brown Bobo: Bobo Stenson Bogey: Wilton Gaynair Bones: Tom Malone Boogaloo Joe: Ivan "Boogaloo Joe" Jones Boogaloo: James "Boogaloo" Bolden Book: Booker Ervin Boots: Clifford DouglasSchuller, Gunther (1989), The Swing Era: The Development of Jazz, 1930-1945, Oxford University Press, p. 799. Boots: Boots Mussulli Bootsie: Bootsie Barnes Booty: Booty Wood Bops Junior: Oliver Jackson Bounce: George Mraz Brick: Brick Fleagle Brother: Brother Jack McDuff Brother Ray: Ray Charles, aka "The High Priest" Brownie: Clifford Brown Brute (The), Frog: Ben Webster Bruz: Bruz Freeman Bu: Art Blakey took the name "Abdullah Ibn Buhaina" after a reported trip to Africa. Friends shortened it to "Bu" Bubba: Bubba Brooks Bubber: James "Bubber" Miley Buck: Leroy BerryDriggs, Frank (2005), Kansas City Jazz: From Ragtime to Bebop - A History: From Ragtime to Bebop, Oxford University Press, p. 59. Retrieved 19 May 2013. Buck: Wilbur Clayton Buck: Buck Hill Bucky: Bucky Pizzarelli Bud: Bud Brisbois Bud: Bud Freeman Bud: Bud Powell Bud: Bud Shank Budd: Budd Johnson (not to be confused with Buddy Johnson) Buddie: Buddie Petit Buddy: Bernard AndersonEncyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture , Oklahoma Historical Society at Oklahoma State University. a.k.a. "Step-Buddy" Buddy: Buddy Banks (bassist) Buddy: Buddy Banks (saxophonist) Buddy: Buddy Bolden a.k.a. "King" Buddy: Buddy Catlett Buddy: Buddy Childers Buddy: Buddy Clark Buddy: Buddy Collette Buddy: Buddy DeFranco Buddy: Buddy Featherstonhaugh Buddy: Buddy Johnson (not to be confused with Budd Johnson) Buddy: Buddy Montgomery Buddy: Buddy Morrow Buddy: Buddy Rich Buddy: Buddy Tate Buddy: Buddy Williams Bumps: Robert Blackwell Bunk: Bunk Johnson Bunky: Bunky Green Bunny: Rowland Berigan Buster: Buster Bailey Buster: Buster Bennett a.k.a. "Leap Frog" Bennett Buster: Buster Cooper Buster: Buster Harding Buster: Buster Smith a.k.a. "Professor" Buster: Buster Williams Buster: Buster Wilson Butter: Quentin JacksonMorton, John Fass. Backstory in Blue: Ellington at Newport '56, pp. 30, 35, 37, 39. Rutgers University Press, 2008. At Google Books. Retrieved 5 August. Butch: Butch Ballard Butch: Butch Miles Butch: Butch Morris Buzzy: Buzzy Drootin

C

Cab: Cab Kaye Cag: Cag Cagnolatti Cake: Al "Cake" Wichard Candy: Otis Finch Candy: Floyd "Candy" Johnson Cannonball: Julian Adderley Captain: Captain John Handy Cat: William Alonzo Anderson Cat (The): Jimmy Smith Chairman of the Board: Frank Sinatra a.k.a. "Ol' Blue Eyes", "The Voice" Chick: Chick Corea Chick: Chick Webb Chico: Alfred "Chico" Alvarez Chico: Chico Freeman Chico: Chico O'Farrill Chink: Chink Martin Chippie: Bertha Hill Chu: Leon "Chu" Berry Chubby: Chubby Jackson Chummy: Chummy MacGregor Cie: Cie Frazier Cleanhead: Eddie Vinson Clyde: Clyde Lombardi Conte: Conte Candoli Coop: Bob Cooper Cootie: Charles Williams Corky: Corky Corcoran Corky: Corky Cornelius Cornbread: Hal Singer Count: Count Basie Count (The): Conte Candoli Count (The): Steve Marcus Cow Cow: Charles Edward Davenport Cozy: Cozy Cole Crane: Dave Burns Crazy: Chris ColumbusRye, Howard (2002). "Chris Columbus." Grove Music Online. Retrieved 3 December 2022. Cutty: Cutty Cutshall

D

Dee: Dee Barton Dee Dee: Dee Dee Bridgewater Deedles: Diane Schuur Dewey: Dewey Redman Dicky: Dicky Wells Dink: Dink Johnson Dink: Harold TaylorSchuller (1989) The Swing Era, p. 798. Dippermouth: Louis Armstrong a.k.a. "Satchmo", "Pops", "Satchel Mouth", "Dipper Mouth" Divine One (The): Sarah Vaughan a.k.a. "Sassy" Diz: Diz Disley Dizzy, or Diz: John Birks Gillespie Dizzy: Dizzy Reece Django: Jean Baptiste Reinhardt Doc: Doc Cheatham Doc: Doc Cook Doc: Doc Evans Doc: Doc Goldberg Doc: Doc Souchon Doc: Doc West Doctor Miller: Glenn Miller Dodo: Michael Marmarosa Dollar: Dollar Brand Dolo: Dolo Coker Duck: Donald Bailey Dud: Dud Bascomb Duke: Duke Ellington Duke: Duke Groner Duke: Duke Jordan Duke (The): Bennie Green Duke: Duke Pearson

E Eddie Lang: Salvatore Massaro Eubie: Eubie Blake Ella: Ella Fitzgerald

F

Fat Boy: Fats Navarro Fat Girl: Fats Navarro Fatha: Earl Hines Fathead: David Newman Fats: Jimmy Ponder Fats: Fats Sadi Fats Waller: Thomas Waller Fatty: Fatty George Fess: Fess Williams Fess: Henry Roeland Byrd a.k.a "Professor Longhair" Fiddler: Claude "Fiddler" Williams First Lady (The): Ella Fitzgerald a.k.a. "the First Lady of Song" Flip: Flip Phillips, Foots: Walter "Foots" Thomas Fox (The): Maynard Ferguson Frog: Waldren Joseph Frog: Ben Webster Fud: Fud Livingston

G

Gatemouth: Clarence Brown Gato: Gato Barbieri Gator: Willis Jackson Geechie: Geechie Fields Geechy: James Robinson (musician) Gigi: Gigi Gryce Ginger: Ginger Smock God: Art Tatum Goz: Conrad Gozzo Great Dane (The): Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen Great Dane with the Never-Ending Name (The): Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen Groaner (The): Bing Crosby Groove: Richard Holmes Guvnor (The): Ken Colyer

H

Habao: Joe Texidor Half-Pint: Frankie Jaxon Ham: Leonard Davis Hammond: Johnny "Hammond" Smith Hamp or Mad Lionel: Lionel Hampton Hank: Hank Crawford Hannibal: Hannibal Lokumbe Happy: Happy Caldwell Happy: David "Happy" Williams Hawk: Coleman Hawkins a.k.a. "Bean" Hazy: Hazy Osterwald Hi De Ho: Cab Calloway High Priest, The: Ray Charles, a.k.a. "Brother Ray" High Priest of Bop Thelonious Monk High Priestess of Soul Nina Simone Hipster (The): Harry Gibson Hod: Hod O'Brien Hog: Leroy Cooper Honeybear: Gene Sedric Hootie: Jay McShann Horacee: Horace Arnold Hoss: Walter Page Hot Lips: Henry Busse Hot Lips or Lips: Oran Page Howdy: Howard "Howdy" Quicksell

I Iggy: Iggy Shevak Illinois: Illinois Jacquet Ivory: Herman Chittison Ivory: Harold Ivory Williams

J

Jabali: Billy HartPanken, Ted. "Billy Hart: A Drummer for All Seasons." 2 June 2012. Jazz Times. Retrieved 26 July 2019. Jabbo: Jabbo Smith Jaco: Jaco Pastorius Jack: Jack Jenney Jack: Jack Teagarden Jackie: Jackie McLean Jaki: Jaki Byard Jap: Jap Allen Jaws: Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis Jay: Jay Clayton Jay: Jay McShann a.k.a. "Hootie" Jef: Jef Gilson Jeep: Johnny Hodges a.k.a. "Rab" (short for "Rabbit") Jeepy: Branford Marsalis a.k.a. "Steepee"/"Steepy"Wild, David; Barry Kernfeld. "Marsalis [Jeepy, Steepee [Steepy]], Branford ". Grove Music Online. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 26 November 2022. Jelly Roll: Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe Jeru: Gerry Mulligan Jiggs: Jiggs Whigham Jiunie: Jiunie Booth Jiver: Jiver Hutchinson Joe Blade: Nick LaRocca Johnny Mac: John McLaughlin Josh: Josh Billings Judge: Milt Hinton Jug or Jughead: Gene Ammons Junior: Junior Cook Junior: Junior Mance Junior: Junior Raglin J. R.: J. R. Monterose

K

Kaiser: Kaiser Marshall Kansas: Kansas Fields Kat: Herbert Cowans Keg: Keg Johnson Kermit: Kermit Driscoll Keter: Keter Betts Kid: Kid Howard Kid: Kid Ory Kid: Kid Rena Kid Sheik: Kid Sheik Kidd: Kidd Jordan King: Buddy Bolden King: Nat King Cole a.k.a. "Shorty Nadine" King: King Curtis King: King Fleming King: Freddie Keppard King: Joe Oliver a.k.a. "Papa Joe" King: King Pleasure King: King Watzke King Kolax: King Kolax King of the Clarinet: Artie Shaw King of Cool: Dean Martin King of Jazz: Paul Whiteman King of the Jazz Guitar: Django Reinhardt King of the Jukebox: Louis Jordan King of Swing: Benny Goodman a.k.a. "the Patriarch of the Clarinet", "the Professor", "Swing's Senior Statesman" Klook-Mop or Klook: Kenny Clarke Knife (The): Pepper Adams

L

Lady Day: Billie Holiday Leap Frog: Buster Bennett Lion (The): Willie Smith Lips or Hot Lips: Oran Page Little: Benny Harris Little Bear: Chester Zardis Little Bird: Albert Ayler Little Bird: Jimmy Heath Little Brother: Little Brother Montgomery Little Giant: Johnny Griffin Little Jazz: Roy Eldridge Little Johnny C: Johnny Coles Little Man: Walter Buchanan Little Mitch: George Mitchell Lockjaw: Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis Long Tall Dexter: Dexter Gordon Lord: Chauncey "Lord" Westbrook Lovie: Lovie Austin Luckey: Luckey Roberts Lucky: Lucky Millinder Lucky: Eli Thompson

M

Ma: Ma Rainey Mad Lionel: Lionel Hampton a.k.a. "Hamp" Maffy: Muvaffak "Maffy" Falay Maggie: Howard McGhee Maharaja: Oscar Peterson Major: Glenn Miller Man (The): Sam Taylor Manzie: Manzie Johnson Mash: Art Blakey Mex: Paul Gonsalves Mezz: Mezz Mezzrow Mick: Mick Mulligan Mickey: Mickey McMahan Midge: Midge Williams Miff: Miff Mole Mighty Flea (The): Gene Conners Miles: Miles Davis Min: Min Leibrook Minor: Minor Hall Mohawk: Ted Sturgis Money: Money Johnson Monk: Monk Hazel Monk: Monk McFay Monk: William Montgomery Montudie: Ed Garland Monty: Monty Waters Moonface, Wurmpth: Claude Thornhill Mouse: Irving Randolph Mousie or Mousey: Elmer Alexander Mr. Bongo: Jack Costanzo Mr. Clock: Freddie Green Mr. Five by Five: Jimmy Rushing Mr. Lead: Derek WatkinsVacher, Peter. "Derek Watkins obituary." The Guardian. Retrieved 12 December 2022. Mr. T: Stanley Turrentine aka "The Sugar Man"NPR's 'Jazz Profiles': "Stanley Turrentine: Saxophone 'Sugar Man'." NPR. Retrieved 7 December 2022. Muffin, The Lamb: Donald Lambert Muggsy: Muggsy Spanier Mule: Major Holley Munn: Munn Ware Mutt: Tom Carey a.k.a. "Papa Mutt"

N Nappy: Earle Howard Nappy: Hilton Lamare Nature Boy: J. T. Brown aka "Blow It" BrownBüttner, Armin; Robert Campbell, and Robert Pruter (2020). "The Parrot and Blue Lake Labels". Red Saunders Research Foundation. Retrieved 12 December 2022. Newark Flash: Wayne Shorter Newk: Sonny Rollins NHØP: Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen Nick: Nick LaRocca

O O Bruxo (The Sorcerer): Hermeto Pascoal Ol' Blue Eyes: Frank Sinatra a.k.a. "The Voice" Ool-Ya-Koo: Willie Cook Osie: Osie Johnson

P

Panama: Panama Francis Pancho: Kenny Hagood Papa: Papa Celestin Papa: Louis "Papa" Tio Papa Jack: Papa Jack Laine Papa Jo: Jonathan David Samuel Jones Papa Joe: Joe "King" Oliver Papa Mutt: Thomas Carey a.k.a. Mutt Carey Pat: Pat Patrick