Political nicknames are a tradition that stretches all the way back to the first leaders in human society. Even American presidents get nicknames. But in the last few centuries, nicknames have become almost standard issue, with almost every president, prime minister, and elected leader of any kind given some kind of nickname. Some are affectionate, some are insulting, and some are just variations on the person's name or initials.
Many of the nicknames given to presidents and prime ministers haven't stuck, and are all but forgotten. After all, how many people can say who "The Last Cocked Hat" or "Soapy George Underhen" were (President James Monroe and British Prime Minister George Canning, respectively). But many politician nicknames have become permanent fixtures, and inseparable from the person they were bestowed on. We all know "Honest Abe," "The Iron Lady," and "Slick Willie," and it's likely we always will.
Here are some of the greatest political nicknames in history, from prime ministers to congressmen.1
22452Winston Churchill - "British Bulldog"
Dec. at 91 (1874-1965)2
25769Margaret Thatcher - "The Iron Lady"
Dec. at 88 (1925-2013)3
24060Abraham Lincoln - "Honest Abe"
4
231635
20566Richard Nixon - "Tricky Dick"
Dec. at 81 (1913-1994)6
20071John F. Kennedy - "JFK"
Dec. at 46 (1917-1963)7
16357George Washington - "The Father of Our Country"
Dec. at 67 (1732-1799)8
15554Dwight D. Eisenhower - "Ike"
Dec. at 79 (1890-1969)9
14356Abraham Lincoln - "The Great Emancipator"
Dec. at 56 (1809-1865)10
14054Harry S. Truman - "Give 'Em Hell Harry"
Dec. at 88 (1884-1972)11
15063George W. Bush - "Dubya"
Age: 7412
11342Zachary Taylor - "Old Rough and Ready"
Dec. at 66 (1784-1850)13
13461Franklin D. Roosevelt - "FDR"
Dec. at 63 (1882-1945)14
11750Andrew Jackson - "Old Hickory"
Dec. at 78 (1767-1845)15
13766Ronald Reagan - "The Gipper"
Dec. at 93 (1911-2004)16
13066Ronald Reagan - "The Great Communicator"
17
8835William Howard Taft - "Big Chief"
Dec. at 73 (1857-1930)18
9240Tony Blair - "Teflon Tony"
Age: 6619
1146120
10054Lyndon B. Johnson - "LBJ"
Dec. at 65 (1908-1973)21
8440Rutherford B. Hayes - "His Fraudulency"
Dec. at 71 (1822-1893)22
10560John McCain - "McNasty"
Age: 8423
9049Calvin Coolidge - "Silent Cal"
Dec. at 61 (1872-1933)24
864725
7942John Tyler - "His Accidency"
Dec. at 72 (1790-1862)