nickname

(noun) a familiar name for a person (often a shortened version of a person's given name). Synonyms: moniker, cognomen, sobriquet, soubriquet, byname. Examples: "Joe's mother would not use his nickname and always called him joseph." "Henry's nickname was slim."

(noun) a descriptive name for a place or thing. Example: "The nickname for the u.s. constitution is `old ironsides'."

(verb) give a nickname to. Synonyms: dub.