Sobriquet

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Sobriquet" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (February 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

A sobriquet (/ˈsoʊbrɪˌkeɪ, ˌsoʊbrɪˈkeɪ/ SOH-brih-kay, -⁠KAY) is a descriptive nickname, sometimes assumed, but often given by another. A sobriquet is distinct from a pseudonym in that it is typically a familiar name used in place of a real name without the need for explanation; it may become more familiar than the original name.

Examples are Genghis Khan, who is rarely recognized by his name Temüjin ("Genghis Khan" means "universal ruler" in Mongolian); and Mohandas Gandhi, who is better known as Mahatma Gandhi ("mahatma" means "great soul" in Sanskrit).

The term sobriquet is equally applicable as a name for a person, group of people, historical event, or place. Well-known places often have sobriquets, such as New York City, often called the "Big Apple", or Rome, the "Eternal City" , or Vienna, the "Golden Apple".