Topher

Although I born midst the heyday of Christophers (anecdotal evidence: there were three in my high school graduating class of 62 students), I didn't hear of the nickname Topher until 1998, when That '70s Show premiered. The entrance of Topher Grace into my consciousness (if not necessarily my heart, which, for a brief, embarrassing moment, was reserved for Ashton Kutcher) came only a year after the premiere of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which introduced me to the nickname Xander (but when I told my middle-school pal Alex Harris he had a TV doppelgänger, he was thoroughly unimpressed). These nicknames blew my fucking mind. I cannot think of many other analogous ones, at least that have prominence in the English-speaking world. Liam for William? Coby for Jacob? Nina for Antonina? Tina for Christina? Bert for Albert? Bella for Isabella? Rika for Frederika? Beth for Elizabeth? Diego for Santiago?

What if all those Bens I know went by Jamin instead (or Jammin', just to make the pronunciation clear)? What if every last Sam and Lem were a Muel and a David or two were Vid—or Id? I could be Nah; Jessica Simpson's daughter could be Well; together, we could express ambivalence.