15 Secret Celebrity Nicknames Only Their Friends Use
Andrew Mckinney
Updated on February 22, 2026
Sure, you're confident that if you ever met Jennifer Aniston, you two would be great friends. But unless you know her intimate nickname—and no, we don't mean "Jen"—then you're not in the inner circle. Just like us, stars have friends and family members who know them better than anyone. And just like us, that can result in cute, funny, and even embarrassing nicknames that never seem to die. To feel closer to your favorite stars, read on for 15 secret celebrity nicknames and how they came about. And for stars who are already spoiling the next generation, check out 36 Celebrities You Didn't Know Were Grandparents.
1 Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aniston's producing partner Kristin Hahn told the Los Angeles Times, "If you give this woman a problem to solve, she will spend whatever time it takes to come up with a plan and tell you how to deal with it. And I mean, any kind of problem. We call her Dr. Aniston."
For famous pairs you thought would last forever, check out 15 Celebrity Couple Breakups You're Probably Still Mourning.
2 Keanu Reeves
Keanu Reeves was apparently such an outstanding hockey goalie that his college teammates called him "The Wall."
3 Meghan Markle
Makeup artist Daniel Martin, Meghan Markle's longtime friend, told People that he at first wasn't sure how to behave when he arrived to do her makeup for her wedding to Prince Harry. "I asked her that. 'Do I bow to you? I don't want to disrespect you, but I've known [you] for almost 10 years. What's up?' She started laughing and she said, 'I'm always going to be Meg. Meg.'"
To get your name game down pat, check out 33 Celebrity Names You Always Misspell.
4 Bella Thorne
Bella Thorne's Blended costar Drew Barrymore dubbed her "Pickle," as this cozy Instagram video shows.
5 Jennifer Lawrence
During a 60 Minutes interview, Jennifer Lawrence revealed that her brothers came up with the nickname "Nitro" when they were kids, because she was so high-energy, and still occasionally call her that today.
For stars who you didn't realize were using stage names, here are 50 Celebrities Whose Real Names You Never Knew.
6 Blake Shelton
Blake Shelton's mom used to (and sometimes still does) call him "Toad," because the future country star was always bringing critters into the house.
7 Mila Kunis
Due to her short attention span, Mila Kunis's best friend gave her the nickname Goldfish.
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8 Matthew Perry
When Matthew Perry finally joined Instagram, the proof was in the comments: his pals and Friends costars know him as "Matty."
9 Olivia Colman
Oscar winner Olivia Colman's real name is actually Sarah Sinclair, but that's not what her friends call her. Those in the inner circle of The Crown's current queen refer to her as "Colly."
10 Hugh Jackman
Hugh Jackman may be one of the fittest stars on the planet today, but back in school, his pals called him "Sticks," because of his skinny legs.
11 Rihanna
You may know her as Rihanna or Riri, but the people closest to the singer and mogul call her something else. Rihanna is actually her middle name—back home in Barbados, she goes by her first name: Robyn.
12 Timothée Chalamet
Timothée Chalamet reached the A-list when he was nominated for an Academy Award for Call Me by Your Name, but he's still just "Timmy" to his friends.
13 Lewis Hamilton
Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton earned the name of Hawkeye because of his "perfectionist ways," per ESPN.
14 Lea Michele
Lea Michele's friends have been known to call her "Grandma," she revealed in V Magazine (via HuffPo). "But like, Grandma's killing it right now," she added.
15 Prince George
There are no royal titles necessary at Thomas's Battersea, where William and Kate's oldest attends primary school. "George is really happy at school, [and] his nickname is P.G.," an anonymous parent told Vanity Fair. "He's very popular and has lots of friends, and there's very little fuss made about who he is."
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