You can call me _____.

During a recent conversation with a co-worker, I was called Mike. Twice. Granted he has been out of the office for a couple of weeks dealing with a stressful event, but c’mon! Mike? Twice during one conversation? AND to top it off, he sits three offices down from me - we have seen each other almost daily for over two and a half years now. Mike!?

Yes, I am fairly average looking guy – a bit below average height, about average weight, fair complexion. Apparently my average looks, combined with the fact that I don’t have a strong and/or extremely outgoing personality, make me forgettable.

I’m used to people messing up my name, though. Either the person on the phone taking my take-out order calls me “Mitch” instead of Rich, or someone refuses to believe my last name is spelled the way it is pronounced. (I always wondered why my father would spell our last name when he was giving it to someone on the phone – now I know!)

Anyway...back to being called different names.

My wife calls me Rich.

My siblings call me Rick.

My mother calls me Richard.

Back in high school, my girlfriend at the time (and her friends) called me Richie. So, at one point during high school, depending on who you were talking to, I was referred to as Rich Richie Rick or Richard.

Other nicknames have included:

Rico Suave

Gitchie Ray (a play on my name)

The Dicker

Rex Ma-helm-a-hay (don’t ask)

Ricardo

Dick (not a fan of it)

Richie Rich

The best names given to me so far, however, have been Daddy by my three daughters and Hon by my wife.