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?

Comments

[geekette8.livejournal.com]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moniker suggests it is Irish originally.

[keith-london.livejournal.com]

I hardly ever see it and have never used it myself on LJ - only repeated it from other sources. I've checked - there are only 8 occurrences (to be compiled later) of the character string "moniker" in all my years of LJ (and none of them cropped up alongside "Lewinsky"). :-)

[caddyman.livejournal.com]

(and none of them cropped up alongside "Lewinsky"). :-)

Har!

[november-girl.livejournal.com]

I've seen it used in English* for years.

*as opposed to American

[ladkyis.livejournal.com]

As someone who is .... more mature than you I have to say it is a word from my childhood. I distinctly remember someone saying "put your moniker on there" when asking for a signature. It is not a word I have used, just one that I am aware of.