Nicknames Of Never-Ending Love

As a kid, I loved every nickname I was given, and to this day, nicknames remain the most endearing part of every relationship I have. 

Here are some of the most impactful and special ones I have. 

The Obvious One: Lexi

I have been Lexi to my extended family for as long as I can remember. I was only ever introduced as “my little cousin, Lexi” or “my niece, Lexi”. 

Lexi is probably the most obvious nickname to assign to me, and this spelling is the most traditional one I’ve been given. All this to say, my mom DESPISES this name. I am only “Alexis” to her. I will never be “Lexi” because that is simply not the name she gave me. 

Lexi continues to feel like a warm hug of coming home for Thanksgiving or the name on a birthday card reminding me of the love I am surrounded by. I will always be the little girl I was, being called Lexi and running around, chasing my cousins. 

Lexie

Few people spell my name this way. My aunt Mimi always stylized my name this way in every card she wrote me, and it will always be her special touch to my name. 

Recently, my boss in the Franciscan Center for Social Concern started using this name to refer to me in business emails. I am no longer “Alexis” to her, but the more endearing “Lexie”. 

Another person who assigned this name to me and sometimes used the name “Lexy” when she wrote me hall passes was my high school Spanish teacher, Mrs. Marvin. She always made me feel loved, and this nickname only deepened my appreciation for her.

Lex

I’ve gone by Lex since I was a kid. Again, it’s just a shortened version of my name and usually comes from the people who already call me Lexi. 

When I first came to SBU, I introduced myself as Alexis, but once I got more comfortable, I began to call myself “Lex,” and it really caught on. 

People introduce me as “Lex” now, and I’ve never been more grateful for such a simple name. 

“Lex” feels more like me than “Alexis” ever has. My given name has importance, but “Lex” is more me than I can explain. 

Alex

This is a more recent development over the last year and a half or so. When I started working for Mt. Irenaeus, I often had to visit the office of Michelle Marcellin. Seeing her is always a highlight of my day, and I know that she is guaranteed to make me smile when we run into one another. 

I know it’s a good day when I hear her call out and say, “Hey, Alex,” from her office. I will never correct her, and I honestly believe that she either believes I go by Alex or has called my friends to call me Lex and misheard them from the beginning. 

Alex is definitely not a name I would have given myself, but it has a special ring to it now that Michelle uses it for me. 

Little Lexi

A solid classic that I was given in middle school by my friend, Kendell. Nothing too extravagant about it; just a simple name for a girl who never outgrew being only a few inches over five feet tall. 

Girlfriend 

This one is by far the most meaningful. No one has ever called me “Girlfriend” except for my Mama. She was my grandma and my best friend in the world. I never loved anyone else quite like I loved her, and I know she loved me in a special way.

She and I called one another on a daily basis for about 15 years, and every call started with “Hey, Girlfriend!” and ended with an “I love you”. 

When this article is posted, it will mark two and a half years (plus one day) since her death date. My Girlfriend was the only person who knew me inside and out, and to know that she thought of me like a girlfriend, like one of her older friends, who she could spend time with and go to bingo with, always felt like a treat

My names make up who I am. I am Alexis, governmentally, but there are so many more names that show the character I possess and the gentleness I contain. There are obviously many more names, mostly pet names and things like “chicky-poo” and “buddy”, but those deserve their own articles on what they mean to me. 

I am who I am because of the names that define me.

• family
• gratitude
• love
• nicknames