Nicknames in Adolescence: A Psychoanalytic Discussion

Abstract

Adolescence is a developmental stage marked by intense physical and emotional changes, during which identity formation is largely shaped by relationships with peers. In this context, nicknames may either facilitate or hinder adolescents’ psychosocial dynamics. From a psychoanalytic perspective, adolescence is understood as a period in which fundamental processes of subjective constitution are revisited within peer relationships, particularly the Oedipus complex and the mirror stage. This article originated from a study aimed at understanding the processes of giving and receiving nicknames during adolescence. It was a qualitative, descriptive, exploratory study conducted at a reference public high school in the Metropolitan Region of Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. The sample consisted of nine students aged 15-19 years, selected intentionally and defined by theoretical saturation. Data collection was performed through individual, face-to-face interviews using a semi-structured script, along with a sociodemographic questionnaire. Data were analyzed using discourse analysis. The results indicated that most nicknames emerged and/or circulated between 8 and 12 years of age, with nicknames from this period occupying a prominent place in the participants’ narratives. In addition, several cases were identified in which nicknames led to significant changes in peers’ perceptions of the adolescent and in the adolescent’s self-perception. Overall, the study revealed that nicknames can mediate processes underlying the reactivation of the Oedipus complex and the mirror stage, transforming the meanings embedded in adolescents’ relationships with peers and with themselves, and thereby shaping the overall experience of adolescence.