sobriquet

Sobriquet is a descriptive nickname or byname given to a person, often reflecting a notable trait, achievement, or reputation. In English, a sobriquet may accompany a real name as an identifying label or serve as an informal description by which the person is known. Sobriquets can be affectionate, ironic, honorific, or practical, and they appear in biographies, literature, journalism, and folklore.

The term comes from French sobriquet, with English usage dating from the early modern period. In scholarly contexts, sobriquet is distinguished from "nickname" by its emphasis on a descriptive or evaluative label that survives as a form of designation, whereas "nickname" is a broader term for any informal name. Epithet is related but often carries a stronger evaluative load, positive or negative, and may be used more polemically. A sobriquet tends to be descriptive without necessarily implying judgment.

Examples include Ivan the Terrible, Louis IX, the Saint, and Alexander the Great. In contemporary use, stage names or professional names can function as sobriquets when they convey a descriptive identity. The sobriquet remains a useful device in historical and literary writing to convey character and reputation succinctly without repeating a full description.