Onomastic Uniqueness
President Andrew Jackson (1767-1845),
president of the USA, known as Old Hickory, whose strongwilled administration gave him his nicknames (a tree known for its tough wood).From time to time someone is given a nickname, in this way, which remains unique to that person. There is only one Merry Monarch(Charlesll), one Capability Brown (Lancelot Brown,18thcentury landscape-gardener),one Iron Duke (the Duke of Wellington),and one Old Hickory.
Personal names abound in idiosyncrasy. The telescoping of certain British surnames is a well-known feature which defies predictability: there is no way in which anyone could guess the pronunciation of Marjoribanks as 'Marshbanks', of Featherstonehaugh as "Fanshaw", or of Cholmondley as "Chumley". Social, not linguistic, tuition is what is required in such cases.