What’s in a Nickname?

Like many parenting bloggers, I use nicknames when I write about my kids.

I employ these nicknames in a half-hearted attempt to protect the privacy of children that I already wholeheartedly exploit every single day. (And it would be even more wholehearted if someone would actually pay me to exploit them! My door is always open.

As you probably already know, when writing about them online, I refer to my five-year-old (he’ll be six in two weeks!) as Detective Munch and I refer to my baby as The Hammer. I get asked about the origins of those names fairly frequently, but I don’t think I’ve ever explained them (on my blog). So if you’re curious, today’s your lucky day.

But there’s a catch. I need your help!

nickname, detective Munch, TV, richard belzer, dad and buried, funny, humor, parenting, kids, children, lifestyle, family, bloggingLet’s start with Detective Munch.

No, I don’t watch “Law and Order SVU” because I think it’s gross and I’m not just talking about Ice-T. So despite appearances, my son’s nickname has nothing to do with that show. (My favorite “Law and Order” is “Criminal Intent”. Deal with it!)

Detective Munch’s name is a result of a few things. Lots of people call their young kids “munchkins” but I’ve never been big on that. And I’ve been aware of Richard Belzer’s cop character for a long time, back when he was on “Homicide”, but the nickname doesn’t really have anything to do with Belzer, or even the shows he’s been on. I’ve just always thought his last name was funny, and it was a handy alternative to “munchkin”. But, most importantly, it came with a title.

Everyone knows giving kids titles is funny, and for the same reason that giving animals human names is funny: IT JUST IS. It’s like putting a monkey in a tuxedo. PURE HILARITY.

When I first started my blog, I am pretty sure I referred to my kid as Lieutenant Munch, because I remember seeing an episode of one of the 300 shows Belzer’s character appeared on (it’s a record, check out the third paragraph!) in which he got a promotion or something. Then I realized I was wrong about that – or else I realized that Detective is a funnier (and also more bad-ass) title than Lieutenant – and so I made the switch. Hence, Detective Munch.

As for The Hammer? Well, that origin story is a little more straightforward.

parenting, parenthood, dad and buried, funny, humor, nicknames, babies, blogging, family, TV, belzer, munch, pop culture, mike julianelleWhen we told the Detective he was having a brother, he wasn’t thrilled. Then, at Christmas, when we told him The Hammer’s (real) name, he wasn’t thrilled. To console him, we told him that his little brother was going to have nicknames, and that he could come up with his own, to which Detective Munch IMMEDIATELY replied, “Can I call him Hammer?” to which I immediately replied, “YES!” (I was thrilled.)

After all, “Hammer” is much better than “Toilet,” which was another name that he’d put on the table (but that we quickly flushed).

Unfortunately, we’ve reached a crossroads, and I need your help.

Mom and Buried has never been a huge fan of the Hammer’s nickname, and, as luck would have it, Detective Munch has recently come up with a few new ones. (Thankfully, he’s a big fan of his baby bro so none of them are toilet-related.) One of them is the delightful “Mister Baby” which, while hilarious and lots of fun to use around the house, obviously has a short shelf-life.

Should I change The Hammer’s nickname?


Print page

114 thoughts on “What’s in a Nickname?

  1. I feel like King Handsome is like saying he is the King of handsome, but you have an equally handsome older boy, so there’s that. And also, I like “The Hammer” because I think of him as this iron fist, laying down law, breaking the mold, breaking hearts, breaking expectations, just steamrollin his way onto the scene and stealing the show.

  2. Leave it! When I was pregnant with my second, our first wanted to name the baby Deadpool. Since we clearly couldn’t do that (thanks a lot, polite society!), we named the baby Wade. Number one still calls him baby deadpool. It’s cute and will be badass once he can know more about the actual (uhhh, fictional) deadpool… You know, minus the murder and insanity.

  3. Our younger daughter’s name is Lillian, which we have shortened to Lilly, which we have elongated to Lillyhammer, which we have shortened to Hammer. And she answers to it. And she IS the Hammer. Embrace the Hammer for who he is.

  4. Much as Detective Munch was promoted from lieutenant maybe the hammer can be promoted to King Hammer? Mister Baby really is delightful though.

  5. It’s a shame you don’t have a donate button! I’d most certainly donate to this fantastic blog!
    I guess for now i’ll settle for book-marking and adding your RSS feed to my
    Google account. I look forward to new updates
    and will talk about this website with my Facebook group. Chat
    soon!

  6. First of all I want to say awesome blog! I had a quick question that I’d
    like to ask if you do not mind. I was curious to find out
    how you center yourself and clear your thoughts before writing.
    I have had difficulty clearing my mind in getting my ideas out there.
    I truly do take pleasure in writing but it just seems like the first 10 to 15
    minutes are usually lost just trying to figure out how to begin. Any ideas or hints?
    Appreciate it!

    1. Haha um… usually i force myself to write. A lot of times I end up deleting the first stuff that comes out – I can’t tell you how many times I’ve written blog posts and then before I finished them totally deleted the original opening paragraphs. Sometimes you just have to kick the rust off! Not sure if this helps but good luck!

  7. Pingback: Is it Wrong To Call Your Kids 'Buddy'? Of Course Not! - Dad and Buried

  8. Pingback: Going Father Than You've Ever Been Before - Citybase Apartments

  9. **vitrafoxin**

    vitrafoxin is a premium brain enhancement formula crafted with natural ingredients to promote clear thinking, memory retention, and long-lasting mental energy.

  10. **hepatoburn**

    hepatoburn is a high-quality, plant-forward dietary blend created to nourish liver function, encourage a healthy metabolic rhythm, and support the bodys natural fat-processing pathways.

  11. **femipro**

    femipro is a dietary supplement developed as a natural remedy for women facing bladder control issues and seeking to improve their urinary health.

  12. **sugarmute**

    sugarmute is a science-guided nutritional supplement created to help maintain balanced blood sugar while supporting steady energy and mental clarity

  13. **primebiome**

    The natural cycle of skin cell renewal plays a vital role in maintaining a healthy and youthful appearance by shedding old cells and generating new ones.

  14. **tonic greens**

    tonic greens is a cutting-edge health blend made with a rich fusion of natural botanicals and superfoods, formulated to boost immune resilience and promote daily vitality.

  15. **oradentum**

    oradentum is a comprehensive 21-in-1 oral care formula designed to reinforce enamel, support gum vitality, and neutralize bad breath using a fusion of nature-derived, scientifically validated compounds.

  16. **mounjaboost**

    MounjaBoost is a next-generation, plant-based supplement created to support metabolic activity, encourage natural fat utilization, and elevate daily energywithout extreme dieting or exhausting workout routines.

  17. **prostafense**

    ProstAfense is a premium, doctor-crafted supplement formulated to maintain optimal prostate function, enhance urinary performance, and support overall male wellness.

  18. **insuleaf**

    InsuLeaf is a high-quality, naturally formulated supplement created to help maintain balanced blood glucose, support metabolic health, and boost overall vitality.

  19. I’m really enjoying the design and layout of your website. It’s a very easy on the eyes which makes it much more enjoyable for me to come here and visit more often. Did you hire out a developer to create your theme? Great work!

  20. First of all I would like to say wonderful blog! I had a quick question which I’d like to ask if you do not mind. I was interested to know how you center yourself and clear your mind prior to writing. I’ve had a tough time clearing my thoughts in getting my thoughts out. I do take pleasure in writing however it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes tend to be wasted just trying to figure out how to begin. Any recommendations or hints? Thanks!

  21. Backbiome is an advanced daily wellness supplement formulated to help support spinal comfort, reduce feelings of built-up tension, and promote freer, smoother movement throughout backbiome everyday life.

  22. Currently it seems like Movable Type is the top blogging platform out there right now. (from what I’ve read) Is that what you are using on your blog?

  23. Just desire to say your article is as astonishing. The clearness in your post is simply great and i can assume you are an expert on this subject. Well with your permission allow me to grab your feed to keep up to date with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please keep up the enjoyable work.

  24. Just want to say your article is as astonishing. The clearness in your post is just cool and i could assume you are an expert on this subject. Fine with your permission let me to grab your RSS feed to keep updated with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please carry on the enjoyable work.

  25. Simply desire to say your article is as surprising. The clarity in your post is simply spectacular and i could assume you’re an expert on this subject. Well with your permission allow me to grab your RSS feed to keep updated with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please keep up the rewarding work.

  26. The other day, while I was at work, my sister stole my iPad and tested to see if it can survive a 40 foot drop, just so she can be a youtube sensation. My apple ipad is now destroyed and she has 83 views. I know this is totally off topic but I had to share it with someone!

  27. Can I simply say what a comfort to find somebody who truly understands what they are discussing online. You certainly know how to bring a problem to light and make it important. More people need to read this and understand this side of your story. I can’t believe you aren’t more popular because you certainly possess the gift.

  28. Hey I know this is off topic but I was wondering if you knew of any widgets I could add to my blog that automatically tweet my newest twitter updates. I’ve been looking for a plug-in like this for quite some time and was hoping maybe you would have some experience with something like this. Please let me know if you run into anything. I truly enjoy reading your blog and I look forward to your new updates.

  29. A motivating discussion is worth comment. There’s no doubt that that you should write more on this subject
    matter, it might not be a taboo matter but usually people don’t speak about such topics.
    To the next! Kind regards!!

  30. Wow that was strange. I just wrote an incredibly long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t appear. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Anyways, just wanted to say great blog!

  31. Wow that was unusual. I just wrote an extremely long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t appear. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Anyhow, just wanted to say wonderful blog!

  32. Wow that was unusual. I just wrote an very long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t show up. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Anyways, just wanted to say fantastic blog!

  33. Wow that was odd. I just wrote an extremely long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t show up. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Regardless, just wanted to say excellent blog!

  34. Right now it seems like Movable Type is the preferred blogging platform available right now. (from what I’ve read) Is that what you are using on your blog?

  35. Wow that was strange. I just wrote an very long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t show up. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Regardless, just wanted to say excellent blog!

  36. Can I simply say what a relief to uncover someone who truly understands what they’re discussing online. You actually realize how to bring a problem to light and make it important. More and more people ought to check this out and understand this side of your story. It’s surprising you are not more popular since you definitely possess the gift.

  37. you are in reality a good webmaster. The website loading velocity is amazing. It sort of feels that you’re doing any unique trick. Also, The contents are masterwork. you have performed a wonderful task in this matter!

  38. Aw, this was an extremely nice post. Taking the time and actual effort to generate a top notch article… but what can I say… I put things off a lot and don’t manage to get nearly anything done.

  39. Hey I know this is off topic but I was wondering if you knew of any widgets I could add to my blog that automatically tweet my newest twitter updates. I’ve been looking for a plug-in like this for quite some time and was hoping maybe you would have some experience with something like this. Please let me know if you run into anything. I truly enjoy reading your blog and I look forward to your new updates.

  40. Can I just say what a relief to find a person that genuinely knows what they are talking about on the web. You certainly understand how to bring an issue to light and make it important. More and more people ought to look at this and understand this side of the story. I was surprised you are not more popular since you surely possess the gift.

  41. It’s a shame you don’t have a donate button! I’d certainly donate to this outstanding blog! I guess for now i’ll settle for book-marking and adding your RSS feed to my Google account. I look forward to brand new updates and will share this blog with my Facebook group. Talk soon!

  42. Hi! I just wanted to ask if you ever have any issues with hackers? My last blog (wordpress) was hacked and I ended up losing several weeks of hard work due to no backup. Do you have any solutions to prevent hackers?

  43. Hello, Neat post. There’s an issue along with your web site in web explorer, would test this? IE still is the market leader and a big component of people will pass over your excellent writing due to this problem.

  44. Hey I know this is off topic but I was wondering if you knew of any widgets I could add to my blog that automatically tweet my newest twitter updates. I’ve been looking for a plug-in like this for quite some time and was hoping maybe you would have some experience with something like this. Please let me know if you run into anything. I truly enjoy reading your blog and I look forward to your new updates.

  45. Aw, this was an extremely good post. Taking a few minutes and actual effort to generate a great article… but what can I say… I put things off a whole lot and don’t seem to get nearly anything done.

  46. Wow that was strange. I just wrote an incredibly long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t show up. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Anyways, just wanted to say wonderful blog!

  47. Aw, this was an incredibly good post. Taking the time and actual effort to create a top notch article… but what can I say… I put things off a lot and never seem to get nearly anything done.

  48. hello!,I like your writing very a lot! proportion we communicate more about your article on AOL? I require an expert on this area to resolve my problem. May be that’s you! Taking a look forward to see you.

  49. Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it. Look advanced to more added agreeable from you! By the way, how can we communicate?

  50. Hi there, You’ve done a fantastic job. I’ll certainly digg it and in my opinion recommend to my friends. I’m confident they’ll be benefited from this website.

  51. I’m not that much of a internet reader to be honest but your blogs really nice, keep it up! I’ll go ahead and bookmark your site to come back later on. Many thanks

  52. Currently it sounds like WordPress is the preferred blogging platform out there right now. (from what I’ve read) Is that what you are using on your blog?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.