I need a name

Howard

Howard

I'm struggling for a nickname for a large, bald policeman currently called 'Scalp'. I'm sure there's something better that's simple, cheeky but not OTT. Any ideas?

Island Girl

What's OTT mean?

Nude Nut
Rabbit (not a hair/hare)
Warren (the hares are underground)
Cricket (ball)
Lightbulb

Island Girl

I've got it - over the top.

Betsie

Does he have a character trait his colleagues would pick up on that would inidcate a suitable nickname?

Howard

It has to be very unsophisticated such as baldtop, melonhead ....? He's a bit obsessive about catching people...

M. Welshman

The partner in the vet practice in 'Pet in Prospect' is a small rotund chap with a bald head.  I originally pictured his head as a light bulb because of his shiny pate and his eyes were always flashing and he was very much a live wire.
Your guy is much bigger. But may still have that shiny scalp that reflects the light.  So what about 'Beacon Bill'  or 'Watts-on'?

Radames

Depending how tall he is, how about "Lighthouse"?

Im Trying

I used to call them 'Bone Dome'

Im Trying

I used to be a polieman and am now almost a Bone Dome - by choice - most of it any way :-)

dorothyd

a postman who is bald is generally known as Bald Eagle in the Sorting Office.

Carol

Howard, my hubby said used reverse psychology and call him 'Curly' because he hasn't got any hair.

Carol

(It reminds him he once had hair but doesn't now.)Can be cruel or affectionate.

Im Trying

'Ouch' Carol. Heard of people with dead straight hair being called Curly, but not often bald ones LOL though

Jan

I know a "Curly" who is actually bald as a coot.

Perhaps the character's nickname could be "Bob" as in bobbing up and down or "Blue Cap" a take on black cap fungi which is pretty lethal.

Jenny

What about Osram? (They still make lightbulbs, don't they?)

Katy

How about Slap (as in 'slaphead')?

SilentTony

How about "Hard Boiled". Often a reference to policemen who are obsessive about catching criminals as you say yours is, but also has the imagery of a hard boiled egg which resembles a bald man. Even boiled sounds like bald to to add resonance.

Did I look into that too much LOL?

Katy

Or Chrome (as in 'chrome dome')?

Radames

Thought of another - "Golfball"

doodle

Shiny - this was a bald headed colleagues name - simple, descriptive and could be considered an affectionate term - certainly more so than Baldy!

Howard

I'm really grateful for all the suggestions. I've got plenty to go on. Thanks!!

Betsie

Howard, my policeman son has just visited - I asked him for a suitable nickname for your character.  I was astonished to hear (and he found it ridiculous too) new initiatives forbid policemen addressing each other by a nickname in the workplace - it is considered non-PC, we can't have non-PC PCs can we - isn't it daft.  So hope your story is set in the past.

Howard

Thanks Betsie. The support on TB is amazing! It's set in Spain. I think I'm there now.

Im Trying

Holy funny names Betsie. I'm sure scratch will agree. If the Chief Constables and lower ranks of senior officers tried that in the '70s and earlier they would have been laughed of the force. What an utterly, ridiculous piece of initiative

Aegean

Shiner or curly

Tessa Tangent

There was quite a well-known local Englishman expatriot in Singapore called Curly Lee (I worked with his brother, Cecil Lee, in London and had been told to get in touch with Curly).  He was as bald as a coot; a lovely man who even at a vast old age had a certain way with the ladies.  He lived out his old age in Johore, just on the Malaccan Straits.  The gardens looked as though they were straight out of Godalming, even though they were in reality just yards from rubber plantations and jungle.

sal

How about Shiner?

neil

Coot? Or perhaps among his mates down the station. Cooty.

sal

Sorry, see Shiner already there.  I meant to write Skull-cap.

josiehenley

Neil, people used to say my Granddad was bald as a coot, but I never knew what a coot was! I thought it was some racist term, is that not right?

We used to call bald people ‘slaphead’ but that might be considered too offensive, if you want an affectionate nickname.

dorothyd

my father in law used to say he was a bald as a badger, like coot, which I think is an animal, it doesn't make sense! Badgers are covered in thick thick hair!

Tessa Tangent

Yes but a coot has a bald spot on its head, hence the term 'bald as a...'

Howard

After so much effort on my behalf, I feel  should explain what I've done. I tried several of your suggestions in the text but I called him Blackeye in the end. I needed a name that an African might give a Spanish policeman. I've made the man's head resemble a black-eyed bean. It also has the double meaning of someone who keeps an eye open for blacks.

This was for an important edit of my book that is still hanging on in there in the top ten on YouWriteOn. Two weeks of nerves to go to see if I can get a professional critique for being in the top 5 at the end of the month.

If anyone wants to read it, this is the link:
http://www.youwriteon.com/books/samplechapters.aspx?bookguid=423c9d1e-52d1-4d36-8d19-87d29409e722

Thanks once again.

Tessa Tangent

Honestly, Howard, if you'd told us that the name would be coming from the pov of an African towards a Spanish policeman with a head like a black-eyed bean and who keeps a keen eye on the local black people, of course we'd have ALL come up with 'Blackeye'.  Duh!

Go on, ask us another :0/

Howard

TT! You really make me laugh!The black-eye bit came as a consequence of you all prompting my thoughts......

Tessa Tangent

Good!  And may we continue to be that kind of inspiration for each other.  The Lord above only knows what other names you've dreamed up but I've got some, too, and I feel, in the end, that they are just the thing for my characters. 

Even in real life I deal with such characters as Mick the Fish, Mick the Stick, Porky, Big Ron, Captain Clumsy, Ralph the Bobbin (don't ask), Odd Hair, Big T*ts, Allotment Jo and so on...

Clarissa

Howard, Can't help with a name for a bald Spaniard but I am now sure it is your story I read on YWO, 'The Slave's Notebook'.
Congratulations on being in the top ten. I tried to leave a review saying how good I found the chapters but something didn't work with the star system. May I now say how moving, effective, and all the other words you can think of, I found your story.
Clarissa

Howard

Thanks Clarissa. You've just made me feel a whole lot better. I hope the assigned reviewers feel the same.