Verbal

[caddyman]

I first came upon the word 'moniker' as in 'name' or 'title' when I was a kid reading Fantastic Four comics (it was a word used mainly by The Thing). Over the years it would pop up from time to time, but always in the context of American (usually New York) speech. I don't recall ever seeing it in written UK English, even in quoting American usage. So, if I thought about it at all, I rather assumed it was a uniquely American term.

But in the past week, I have seen it used three times in different contexts, twice by The Times and once - today - by the BBC.

Has it just sprung meme-like into UK consciousness, or has it been there all the time and I just never noticed?