Have you ever had a memory pop into your head out of nowhere? Maybe you are sitting on the bus, or making a cup of tea, and suddenly you remember a funny moment from school. You remember the laughter. You remember the faces. But when you try to search for that person online, you hit a wall.
You can picture them perfectly. You remember they sat next to you in English class. You remember the funny nickname everyone called them. But you cannot remember their actual full name.
This is a common problem. School nicknames stick with us for life. Sometimes, we forget the real name because we only ever used the nickname. It can feel frustrating when you want to reconnect but you do not know where to start.
Do not give up hope. Finding someone with only a nickname is hard, but it is not impossible. You just need to use a different approach. You need to think like a detective.
Here is your step-by-step guide to tracking down that specific person from your past, even if you only remember their nickname.
Table of Contents
- Start with the Nickname Itself
- Dig Out the Old Yearbooks
- Ask the People Who Were There
- Search Closed and Private Groups
- Use the Power of the Irish Parish
- Think About Their Siblings
- Use Advanced Search Tricks
- What to Do When You Find Them
1. Start with the Nickname Itself
The first step is pretty clear. Have a look online for the nickname. You might be surprised by what you find.
Lots of people use their old nicknames as their usernames on social media. Have you ever thought about how people go about creating their profiles? If someone was called “Red” because of their hair, their Instagram handle might be @RedMurphy or @Red_Murphy_Dublin. If someone was called “Doc” because they were good at science, they might use that name on Twitter or LinkedIn.
Have a go at different variations of the nickname. Just add the name of your school, town or county. For example, search for “Bones from Blackrock College” or “Bones Dublin”. Just add the year you left school. You might find an old comment on a school page, a photo tag, or a forum post that uses the nickname and links to the real person.
Also, have you thought about how the nickname was spelled? Was it a short version of their real name, like “Mikey” instead of Michael? Or was it a completely made-up word? Have a go at different spellings. Have a go with numbers. You could try it with underscores. People are pretty creative with their usernames.
2. Dig Out the Old Yearbooks
If you’ve got an old yearbook from school, you’ve got a treasure map right there. Yearbooks are full of names, faces and sometimes even the nicknames themselves.
Get your yearbook out and have a look at the photos. Do you know who the person is you’re looking for? Have a look at the name printed under the photo. Is that the real name? Sometimes, yearbooks include funny quotes or inside jokes that mention the nickname. Have a look at the group photos. Take a look at the sports teams. Take a look at the photos of school plays or music concerts.
If you don’t have your own yearbook, have a word with your parents or old friends. A lot of people keep their yearbooks in a box in the attic. There’s a chance someone in your class might’ve scanned the pages and shared them online. Have a look for your school’s alumni page on Facebook. Sometimes, old yearbooks are uploaded there as PDF files. You can search the PDF for the nickname.
If you can’t find what you’re looking for, get in touch with your old school. A lot of schools keep hold of their yearbooks in the library or archives. They might let you come in and take a look.
3. Ask the People Who Were There
You do not have to do this alone. Your old classmates are your best resource. They were there. They remember the nickname. They might even remember the real name.
Reach out to a few people from your old class. Send them a friendly message. Be honest. Tell them you are trying to remember someone from school but you only remember their nickname. Give them as many details as you can. What did the person look like? What sports did they play? What subjects were they good at? What year did they leave?
For example, you could say: “Hi Sarah, I hope you are well. I am trying to remember the name of the guy we used to call ‘Spike’ in fourth year. He was really good at hurling and always wore that green jacket. Do you remember his real name?”
People love to help with these kinds of puzzles. It is fun to remember old times. Someone might say, “Oh yes, that was John O’Sullivan! I think he lives in Galway now.” Just like that, you have a real name to search for.
4. Search Closed and Private Groups
Don’t just stick to the public pages on Facebook. The best info is often in private groups.
Have a look on Facebook for groups related to your school, town or county. Keep an eye out for groups called things like “People from [Town Name]” or “[School Name] Past Pupils”. These groups are often closed, so you have to request to join.
So, don’t be shy – join us! These groups have a reason for being. They’re for people who want to get back in touch and relive the good old days. Once you’re in, just use the search bar inside the group. Just type in the nickname. You might find an old post where someone mentioned the person, or a photo where they’re tagged.
You can also post a message in the group. Say hello and tell us what you’re after. For example: Hi everyone, I’m trying to find someone I went to school with. We always called him ‘Buddy’ because he was so friendly. Does anyone remember his real name? I’d love to get back in touch.” The group members will be happy to help.
5. Use the Power of the Irish Parish
In Ireland, the local parish is a really strong community. People know each other. Families tend to stay in the same area, even if they move house. This can be a huge help when you’re searching for someone.
Have you thought about where the person lived? Did they live in the town or on a farm outside it? What was their family name? Even if you don’t remember the person’s first name, you might remember the family.
Have a look at your local parish newsletters or community notice boards. If they still live in the area, their name might pop up in these local updates. You can also check the local library. Librarians are the experts when it comes to local history and families. They might be able to point you in the right direction.
You can also visit the local pub or the local shop. Have a chat with the people who work there. They might know the family. Just be polite and explain what you’re doing. Irish people are usually very helpful when it comes to getting back in touch with old friends.
6. Think About Their Siblings
If you can’t find the person, try finding their family. You might remember their older brother or their younger sister. You might remember the family name.
Have a look for the family name in the area where they lived. Just take a look on social media. If you find a sibling, you can send them a polite message. Just say you went to school with their brother or sister and you’re trying to get in touch.
Just be careful here. Always be respectful. Don’t ask for personal details like a phone number or address. Just ask if they can pass on a message for you or give you the person’s social media handle. Let the sibling decide what to do. Most people will be happy to help.
7. Use Advanced Search Tricks
If you have a rough idea of the person’s name, you can use search engines like Google to help you. It takes a bit of know-how, but it’s a great tool.
Just put quotation marks around the name to search for the exact phrase. So, when you’re searching, try putting in “John O’Sullivan” instead of just “John O’Sullivan”. This will filter out pages that only have the word ‘John’ or the word ‘Sullivan’.
Just add the word “Ireland” or the name of your county. This narrows the search down to the right location.
If you remember, the person played a sport, add the name of the sport. For example, “John O’Sullivan hurling Dublin”. If they were in a band, have a look for the band’s name. You might find old newspaper articles or photos that include both the person’s real name and their nickname.
You can also use the advanced search features on Facebook. You can search for people who went to your school and lived in a certain city. You can filter by age, school and location. This can help you whittle down a long list of names to a more manageable size.
8. What to Do When You Find Them
At last, you’ve found them. You’ve got the real name. You’ve got the social media profile. Now you just need to send a message.
Just remember that they might not remember you right away. It’s been ages. Just be patient. Be friendly. Just mention the nickname to start the conversation. It’s the best way to jog their memory.
You could say: “Hi [Real Name], I hope you’re doing well. I’m [Your Name]. We went to school together. Hey, I don’t know if you remember me, but everyone used to call you [Nickname]! I was thinking about the old days recently and wanted to say hello.”
Saying the nickname shows you really do know them. It shows you have a genuine history. It’s a great icebreaker. They’ll probably laugh and reply, “Wow, I haven’t heard that nickname in years!”
Don’t worry if you can’t find them straight away. It takes time to search for someone with only a nickname. It takes a bit of patience. Ask for help. Make the most of the resources you’ve got to hand. It’ll be worth the effort when you finally get back in touch with your old mate.
Best of luck with your search!