Nicknames and skateboarding go hand in hand, probably because it’s hard to remember everyone’s actual name when you’re high all the time. Some nicknames are shared in passing or occasionally stuck in the middle of a skater’s real name, but never really resonate. Other nicknames take over skaters’ careers, and for the rest of their days they’re remembered by a name they got from some older stoner at the skatepark.

The skaters in this list have nicknames that embody their personalities and their skating. Even if you already know their origin stories, you didn’t know them in this detail, or whether they use them in the bedroom. We even got their real signatures for that extra flavor (or so you can make more convincing fake skate memorabilia on eBay).

When did you get the name “Wee Man?”
I was probably about 11 or 12. As young kids skating around Torrance we always wanted to hang out at the World Industries warehouse to try to get stickers, shirts, or any free product from the guys. When we’d go there me and my buddy would go through the back and Sal Rocco [Steve Rocco’s brother] would yell, “Hey, everyone! Wee Man is here!” That thing stuck. Then Big Brother came around and that’s where Wee Man first got printed.

Do you introduce yourself as Wee Man?
Most people say Wee Man when they introduce me but I never say it. It would sound so arrogant to call myself Wee Man. It’s like people giving themselves nicknames, I think that’s horrible. Imagine someone showing up and being like, “Just call me Night.” I’d be like, “Call you Night? No way, now we’re calling you Nice.” You can’t give yourself a nickname.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been called Wee Man during sex.”

Do girlfriends call you Wee Man?
All the chicks I’ve ever dated, the first thing they say is, “I’m not calling you Wee Man. I’m calling you Jason.” Every single one of them. No chick has ever called Wee Man that I’ve dated. I’ve also never dated a chick that I noticed would call me Wee Man because it didn’t feel like she was trying to date me. It felt like she would be trying to date the character Wee Man. I don’t think I’ve ever been called Wee Man during sex.

Since you’re known outside skateboarding, do people call you Wee Man on the street?
Daily. My friends hate it. We’ll try to find a street spot and we won’t even be able to skate it because my buddies will go, “No, you’re going to get bombarded and we’re not going to have fun.” People drive by and yell my name at me. I had a group of people in a car all yelling out the window and they crashed into the car in front of them. That’s happened twice. Two different occasions, two drivers have crashed because they were yelling my name.

Would your career have been possible without your nickname?
No, I don’t think I would have the career without the name or my stature. I think I would’ve totally gone in a different direction. What gets taken away from you is also a gift to you. I’m not an average person and because of the name and my size, I’ve only had a couple of jobs in my life that I actually had to clock in [laughs]. The world is going to tell you that you can’t do things and you just have to tell them you can.

How old were you when you got the nickname Ducky?
I think I was 11. I got it from a group of older dudes at the skatepark. I had braces for four years and because I didn’t wear the rubber bands I had some weird gear in my mouth that pushed my lips out. I had these big ass lips and I would talk a lot, so I was basically quacking all the time.

What made your nickname stick?
Every time I met someone I would introduce myself as Zach and someone would come over and be like, “Nah that’s not Zach, he’s Ducky.” After a while I just stuck with it. It was almost like a way to get chicks. They won’t remember fucking Chad’s name, but they’ll remember Ducky. When I first met my girlfriend I introduced myself as Ducky. Even her parents call me Ducky.

Does your girlfriend call you Ducky during sex?
She calls me Ducky all the time, even when she’s mad or upset with me. One time we were having sex and she moaned “Ducky,” and I kind of had a moment of realization like, “Oh my god. That’s so weird.”

Do you ever hand in papers with Ducky on it, or do your professors call you Ducky?
No, never. I recently started signing autographs for people and it’s the weirdest thing ever, I don’t know what to write. So I’ll do like “(Ducky).” It’s weird writing it out. I’m worried if I write one name then people will go home and be like “Who the fuck it this?”

Is there a common misconception about your name, Sinner?
You know I got the best nickname. Ah!! Nah, I’m just kidding. But mine is pretty lit. People always think I did some hectic shit to get that name and I always tell them it’s one of those ironic names. Yes, I am a sinner, but it’s not like I did unforgivable things to get that name.

What did you do to get your nickname?
Erik Ellington gave me that name when I was 18. That’s what makes it even more legendary. It was my lingo, I guess. I’ll hear someone say something and I’ll think it’s brilliant, and I don’t stop saying it. Sinner is the product of that mentality. It actually comes from Andre Nickatina, he’d call things sin and then I guess that evolved into calling people sinners. I pretty much just called people sinners who I thought were, for lack of a better term, wack.

“Yes, I am a sinner, but it’s not like I did unforgivable things to get that name.”

Erik had this game with me where he would call out pros that he thought were sinful, like, “How about so and so?” and I would be like, “He’s a sinner” or “Nah, he’s good.” More often than not I was saying “sinner, sinner, sinner.” It would always be dudes that people were hyped on and I would call them sinners. Eventually, Erik was like, “Dude, you’re the sinner”

Did you fuck with your nickname or were you bummed?
I was iffy about it at first but then I fucking embraced it! People have way worse nicknames than Sinner. To this day people love my nickname and I love it too.

Do you introduce yourself as Sinner?
I want to, but it feels super corny. But it’s easier to remember, bro. How many Pats are you gonna meet? Probably not a lot, but you’re going to meet some Pats in your lifetime. Sinner, you’re probably not going to meet so many Sinners. If I introduce myself as Sinner they’re gonna fucking remember me. Chances are they’re remembering you if you have a sick nickname.

Do you feel like you are where you are because of your nickname?
When I see Erik these days, I thank him for this nickname. I sell boards because of it. Like, Pat Pasquale, it’s a great name, but Sinner is just catchy. I’ve seen random people at the skatepark that had a Sinner board but had no idea who I was. They just got the board because they were like “Oh shit, Sinner. I’m a sinner. That’s badass!” That’s my type of crowd, some raver kid or some fucking Juggalo riding my board because it says Sinner.

Where did Sluggo come from?
I was 15 when I got it and had only been skating a few months. I was this little dude with a bowl cut, wearing boat shoes, cruising around and getting in everybody’s way. I had no park etiquette. A local kid, O’rian Anthony, pointed me out one day and told everyone I looked like Sluggo from Sluggo and Nancy in the Sunday papers. Then Sluggo was my name.

Is the name Sluggo your marketing tool?
Dude, it was built in marketing. I’m a stunt double and a snowboarder and it’s like, “Who do you want to hire for this job?” It just pops up, like, “Let’s hire Sluggo.” Sluggo carried through every aspect of my life.

So Sluggo has nothing to do with you beating people up?
People think I’m Sluggo because I beat people up, which is assumed because I look kind of gnarly. People ask if I beat people up but I don’t get down that way. Older people know who Sluggo is from the newspapers, but who looks at that anymore?

Do people on movie sets clown on you for your nickname?
On the call sheet it will either be Rob Boyce or Sluggo, so people get so confused when it says Sluggo. But I get it. It’s weird calling a grown man Sluggo. It’d be weird if I was putting my hand out and saying, “Hi, I’m Sluggo.” I usually say that I’m Rob. But it works well for me because being a stuntman is good money and Sluggo sounds like a stuntman name.

How old were you when people starting calling you Ragdoll?
I think it was late 16 or 17. I’m gonna go with 17, that’s a good number.

Who gave you the nickname?
I just met Bill Weiss and was starting to film with him because a lot of people had been coming to Vegas to film. Muska came to town and we ended up skating this handrail at UNLV. Muska rolls up and I got so amped. I was young and I was skating with one of my idols so I tried to noseblunt, which I had never done on anything in my life. I remember hucking it and then ending up on the ground. Weiss said, “You just fucking ragdolled that.” I guess Muska heard it and was going, “You alright, Ragdoll? You got this next try, Ragdoll.” He kept calling me Ragdoll and I looked at Weiss and he was just like, “I guess you’re Ragdoll now.” I’ll take it. Muska gave me a name, I’m with it.

In your first video part, were you credited as Anthony Scalamere or Ragdoll?
It said Ragdoll. It was “Digital 6”. I still remember it to this day. Fucking Oakley Theatre. Weiss’ entourage. I remember being at the premiere and Ragdoll came up and it was real, dude. I got goosebumps just now thinking about it.

Have you ever thought of doing a board graphic with your real name on it?
People have told me to do an Anthony Scalamere board as a designer name, and that almost seems more gimmicky than Ragdoll. Ragdoll for marketing is more fun. It’s skateboarding, it needs some light, fun shit. It’s so stupid but it works.

Has anyone ever tried to give you a really bad nickname?
Greco is super into his Italian pride and I’m also Italian so he was like, “Anthony Scalamere, what are you doing? You should be Tony Scags.” I didn’t think I could change my name at this point. Black Label had already come out, I was filming for the “Slaughterhouse” videos, and this dude is telling me I should be Tony Scags. But that’s a pretty dope name so sometimes we go out to the bar and I would be Tony Scags just for comedic relief. It’s my alter ego, my Clark Kent to my Superman.

“Muska gave me a name, I’m with it.”

What do you think makes a nickname stick?
It sticks to people who are unaware that it’s a nickname. It’s not something they have to remind themselves of, it’s just natural. Like Lizard [King], he goes out and he doesn’t hiccup. “What’s up, I’m Lizard.” For a lot of people it’s weird but then they realize it’s his nickname and then they’re down to call him Lizard. I think it’s not having a filter or not being self-conscious about it. Like, I don’t say Ragdoll all the time. I usually just say Rags and people know it’s a nickname. The comfortability of saying your nickname out loud is important. Unless it’s Scrambled Eggs or some shit like that [laughs].

Interviews: Larry Lanza
Illustration: Jeff Wheeler
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