List of military figures by nickname

This is a list of military figures by nickname.

0-9

 * "31-Knot Burke" — Arleigh Burke, U.S. Navy destroyer commander (for being unable to meet his habitual maximum speed)

A

 * "ABC" — Andrew Browne Cunningham, British admiral
 * "Acey" — Albert C. Burrows, World War II U.S. Navy submarine commander
 * "Achmed" — Erich Bey, German Kriegsmarine admiral
 * "Agent Spindle" — Odette Sansom, WWII spy and Maquis operative
 * "Allegheny Johnson" or "Alleghany Johnson" — Edward Johnson, Confederate Army general
 * "Assi" — Hans Hahn, German fighter pilot during World War II
 * "The Auk" — Claude Auchinleck, British Indian Army Field Marshal
 * "Autie" — George Custer, American Army officer

B

 * "Babe" —
 * John H. Brown, World War II U.S. Navy submarine commander
 * Edward Heffron, World War II paratrooper
 * Roderick Learoyd VC, WWII RAF bomber pilot
 * "Bad Hand" — Ranald S. Mackenzie, U.S. Army in U.S Civil War and Indian Wars
 * "Bad Old Man" — Jubal Early, Confederate Army general
 * "Balaclava Ned" — Edwin Hughes, last survivor of the Charge of the Light Brigade
 * "Baldy" — Charles A. Pownall, American Admiral in World War II
 * "Barbara" – David G. M. Campbell, British general
 * "Barney" —
 * Clifton W. Flenniken, Jr., U.S. Navy submarine commander
 * William B. Sieglaff, U.S. Navy submarine commander
 * "The Bart" — Philip Chetwode, British Field Marshal, Commander in Chief in India, and baronet (whence the nickname)
 * "Batty Mac" — A.C. Macdonnell, Canadian Army World War I general
 * "The Bear" — Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr., United States Army general (the nickname he preferred, over "Stormin' Norman")
 * "The Bearded Man" — Frank Messervy, British Army general (because he tended not to shave in battle)
 * "Beauty" — Harold M. Martin, U.S. Navy officer
 * "Benny" — Raymond H. Bass, World War II U.S. Navy submarine commander
 * "Beetle" — John P. Roach, U.S. Navy submarine commander
 * "Betty" — Harold Stark, U.S. Navy admiral (after a mistaken pledge)
 * "Big Al, (The Sailor's Pal)" - Al Konetzni, American Admiral
 * "The Big Fella" or "The Big Fellow" — Michael Collins, Irish general
 * "Big Minh" — Duong Van Minh, Vietnamese general (for his height and bulk)
 * "Bing"— K. B. B. Cross, British World War II RAF pilot
 * "Birdy" – William Birdwood, British Field Marshal
 * "Black Baron" – Michael Wittmann, German tank ace
 * "Black Beast" — Mario Roatta, Italian general
 * "Black Bob" — Robert Craufurd, British Army general
 * "The Black Eagle" — Hubert Julian, African-American Colonel in the Imperial Ethiopian Air Force.
 * "Black Jack" — John J. Pershing, U.S. Army World War I general
 * "Black Knight of the Confederacy" — Turner Ashby, Confederate Army general
 * "Black Knight" — Gerd von Rundstedt, German Army field marshal
 * "Black Swallow of Death" — Eugene Bullard, African-American World War I fighter pilot
 * "Blackie" — David John Williams, Canadian fighter ace
 * "Blinker"— W. R. Hall, British Admiral, head of Room 40 during World War One
 * "Blondie" —
 * Arnold Walker, RAF pilot
 * Herbert Hasler, World War II Royal Marines officer
 * "Blood" — J. A. L. Caunter, British general
 * "Blood-n-Guts" — George S. Patton, Jr., American general in World War II (a nickname he rejected)
 * "Bloody Bill" — William T. Anderson, Confederate guerrilla leader
 * "Bloody George" - George Alan Vasey, World War II Australian general
 * "Bluey" - Keith Truscott, World War II Australian fighter ace
 * "Bobbie" — George W. E. J. Erskine, British general during World War II
 * "Bobo" — Sigmund A. Bobczynski, World War II U.S. submarine commander
 * "Bobs" — Frederick S. Roberts, British field marshal
 * "Bohemian Private" (German: Böhmischer Gefreiter) - Adolf Hitler
 * "Bomber" — Arthur T. Harris, British Air Chief Marshal during World War II
 * "Boney" — Robert H. Close, World War II U.S. submarine commander
 * "Boo" — Elwyn King, World War I Australian fighter ace
 * "Boom" - Marshal of the Royal Air Force Hugh Trenchard, British officer responsible for the founding of the Royal Air Force.
 * "Boots" — Frederick C. Blesse, American fighter ace
 * "Boy" — Frederick A. M. Browning, World War II British airborne general
 * "Brad" — Omar Bradley, U.S. general
 * "Breaker" — Harry Harbord Morant, Australian Boer War soldier and convicted war criminal
 * "Brute" — Victor H. Krulak, U.S. Marine Corps general
 * "Bub" — Norvell G. Ward, U.S. ace submarine commander
 * "Bubi" (German, "young boy", "kid") —
 * Erich Hartmann, German fighter ace
 * Alfred Schreiber, first jet ace
 * "Buck"
 * Robert McNair, Canadian fighter ace
 * Lynn Compton, WWII Paratrooper Officer
 * "Bud" —
 * Harold W. Bowker, Canadian fighter ace
 * William P. Gruner, Jr., U.S. submarine commander
 * Walker Mahurin, USAAF fighter ace of WWII.
 * "Bull" —
 * Denver Randleman, WWII Paratrooper
 * William Halsey, U.S. Navy admiral (a nickname he never used or answered to)
 * William Nelson, U.S. Navy admiral and Army general
 * Joseph M. Reeves, U.S. Navy admiral
 * William L. Wright, U.S. ace submarine commander
 * "Bull of Scapa Flow" — Günther Prien, German World War II submarine ace (for his daring penetration of the British base)
 * "Bully" — Emil Lang, Luftwaffe fighter ace of WWII.
 * "Banjo" — Julian Byng, British World War I general
 * "Buster" — Lionel Crabb, British frogman (after the swimmer)
 * "Butch" —
 * Robert A. Barton, Canadian fighter ace
 * Orme C. Robbins, U.S. submarine commander
 * (from "butcher") Arthur T. Harris, British air force general (affectionately given by his men)
 * Edward O'Hare, U.S. WWII fighter ace and Medal of Honor recipient
 * "Butcher" — Arthur T. Harris, British Air Chief Marshal during World War II
 * "The Butcher of Bosnia" — Ratko Mladić, Bosnian Serb military leader during the Bosnian War
 * "The Butcher of Ethiopia" — Rodolfo Graziani, Italian Army General
 * "The Butcher of Fezzan" — Rodolfo Graziani, Italian Army General
 * "Butcher of the Somme" — Douglas Haig, British field-marshal
 * "Butcher of Ypres" — Berthold von Deimling, German general
 * "Buzz" — George Beurling, Canadian RAF fighter ace (a nickname he never acknowledged)

C

 * "Caddy" — James A. Adkins, World War II U.S. submarine commander
 * "Camel" - Marshall of the Royal Air Force Hugh Trenchard, British officer responsible for founding the Royal Air Force.
 * "Candy Bomber" — Gail S. Halvorsen, U.S. Air Force officer
 * "Cat's Eyes" - John Cunningham, WWII British night fighter ace (a nickname he didn't like).
 * "Chappie" — Daniel James, Jr., U.S. Air Force general
 * "Chargin' Charlie" — Charles Alvin Beckwith, U.S. Army colonel
 * "Chesty" — Lewis B. Puller, U.S. Marine general
 * "Chick" — Bernard A. Clarey, World War II U.S. submarine commander
 * "Chief" — Leon N. Blair, World War II U.S. submarine commander
 * "Ching" — Willis A. Lee, World War II U.S. admiral
 * "Chink" - Eric Dorman-Smith, WWII British general
 * "Chips" — Arthur S. Carpender, World War II U.S. submarine force commander
 * "Chummy" - James D. Prentice, World War II Canadian destroyer captain
 * "Cobber" — Edgar J. Kain, World War II RAF fighter ace
 * "Le Connétable" (The Constable) — Charles De Gaulle, French WWII general and later President of France.
 * "Crack" — Walter Hanna, U.S. Army general
 * "Crow" — Palmer H. Dunbar, Jr., U.S. submarine commander
 * "Cump" — William Tecumseh Sherman, U.S. general
 * "Curry" — August Thiele, German Kriegsmarine admiral
 * "Cy" — Marshall H. Austin, World War II U.S. submarine commander
 * "Cyclone" — Emmett S. Davis, World War II U.S. colonel
 * "Cyrano" — Charles De Gaulle, French WWII general and later President of France.

D

 * "Dan" — Lawrence R. Daspit, World War II U.S. submarine commander
 * "Debby" — Desmond Piers, Canadian admiral
 * "Deke" (or "Deak") — William Parsons, American naval officer (armed Little Boy aboard Enola Gay on first nuclear bombing mission)
 * "Desperate Frankie" — Louis Franchet d'Espèrey, French general during World War I
 * "Dennis" — Eugene Wilkinson, U.S. submarine officer
 * "The Desert Fox" (German: "Wüstenfuchs") — Erwin Rommel, World War II German field marshal (Afrika Korps)
 * "The Devil Commander"-'''Amedeo Guillet, Italian Cavalry Officer
 * "Dickie" —
 * Michael O'Moore Creagh, British general
 * Louis, Earl Mountbatten, British admiral and statesman
 * "Dinghy" - Henry Melvin Young, RAF bomber pilot from WWII.
 * "Dinty" — John R. Moore, U.S. submarine commander
 * "Dixie" — Richard M. Farrell, U.S. submarine commander
 * "Dizzy" —
 * H. R. Allen, British Air Force fighter ace
 * Gordon B. Rainer, U.S. submarine commander
 * "Donc" — Glynn R. Donaho, World War II U.S. submarine commander
 * "Dogsbody" — Douglas Bader, WWII British fighter ace and commander.
 * "Dolfo" — Adolf Galland, German fighter ace of WWII and General der Jagdflieger
 * "Drug Stari" (Serbian: Old Friend) - Josip Broz Tito, Yugoslav general, later president-for-life of Yugoslavia
 * "Dugout Doug" — Douglas MacArthur, U.S. general (for living in tunnels during the Japanese invasion of the Philippines)
 * "Dunkirk Joe" - William G. Tennant, British naval officer who oversaw the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940
 * "Dusty" — Robert E. Dornin, World War II U.S. submarine commander
 * "Dutch" — John M. Will, U.S. submarine officer

E

 * "Eagle" - Pyotr Bagration, Georgian general in the Russian army in the Napoleonic Wars
 * "Electric Brain" — Raymond A. Spruance, U.S. admiral
 * "Electric Whiskers" — Annibale Bergonzoli, Italian general
 * "Elphy Bey" — William G. K. Elphinstone, General, British commander in the First Anglo-Afghan War
 * "Ensign" — Roy S. Benson, World War II U.S. submarine commander
 * "Extra Billy" — William Smith, U.S. Congressman, Confederate general

F

 * "Schneller Heinz" — Heinz Guderian, World War II German general
 * "Fearless Freddy" — Frederick W. Warder, U.S. ace submarine commander (a nickname he detested)
 * "The Fighting Bishop" — Leonidas Polk, Episcopal bishop and Confederate general
 * "Fighting Bob" - Robley Dunglison Evans, US Navy admiral
 * "Fighting Dick" —
 * Richard H. Anderson, Confederate general
 * Israel B. Richardson, Union General
 * "Fighting Joe" —
 * Joseph Hooker, U.S. general
 * Joseph Wheeler, Confederate general
 * "The Fighting Quaker" — Smedley Butler, U.S. general
 * "Foul Weather Jack" – Vice-Admiral John Byron RN, British admiral of the 18th century
 * "Fritz" — Frederick J. Harlfinger II, U.S. submarine commander
 * "Frog" — Francis S. Low, U.S. Navy intelligence officer
 * "Fuel Oil" — Franklin O. Johnsonn, U.S. submarine commander
 * "Fuzzy" — Robert A. Theobald, U.S. admiral

G

 * "Gabby" — Francis Gabreski, U.S. Army Air Force fighter ace
 * "Gee" — Leonard Gerow, U.S. general
 * "Gentleman Johnny" — John Burgoyne, British general
 * "The G.I. General" — Omar Bradley, U.S. general
 * "Gin" —
 * Charles W. Styer, U.S. ace submarine commander
 * William Stovall, Jr., U.S. submarine commander
 * "Ginger" —
 * W. H. D. Boyle, British admiral
 * James Lacey, British fighter ace
 * "Gnu" — Andrew D. Mayer, U.S. Navy officer
 * "Granny" —
 * Robert E. Lee, Confederate general
 * Elwell Stephen Otis, U.S. general
 * "Gravedigger" — Sir Henry Havelock, British general, recaptured Cawnpore during The Indian Mutiny.
 * "Grey Fox" — George Crook US Army General
 * "Grumble" — William E. Jones, Confederate general
 * "Gulle" - Walter Oesau, WWII German fighter ace
 * "Guts and Gaiters" – Sir Arthur Currie, Canadian general in World War I

H

 * "Ham" — Wesley A. Wright, U.S. intelligence officer
 * The "Hammer" —
 * Judah the Hammer, Jewish Rebel commander in the Maccabean Revolt.
 * Charles Martel, Frankish commander at the Battle of Tours.
 * "Hammerhead" — John C. Martin, U.S. submarine commander
 * "Hap" —
 * Henry H. Arnold, USAAF/USAF General of the Air Force.
 * Hobart R. Gay, U.S. Army officer, Patton's Chief of Staff
 * Hyland B. Lyon, U.S. submarine commander
 * "le Hardi" (French, the bold) — William Douglas, Scottish freedom fighter
 * "Hard-Over-Harry" - Harry DeWolf, Canadian Admiral
 * "Harry Hotspur" — Sir Henry Percy, English soldier and rebel
 * "Hell Roaring Jake" — Jacob H. Smith, U.S. general
 * "Hell Roaring Mike" — Michael Healy, U.S. Revenue Cutter Service Captain
 * "The Hero of Gallipoli" — Wehib Pasha, Turkish General
 * "Hero of the Nile" — Horatio, Viscount Nelson, British admiral
 * "He-who-sees-in-the-dark" — Frederick Russell Burnham, U.S. scout; British major, Chief of Scouts; father of international scouting movement.
 * "Hobo" — Percy Hobart, British general and tank warfare proponent
 * "Honest John" — John Leitweiler, U.S. intelligence officer
 * "Horny" — Roza Shanina, Soviet sniper
 * "Howling Jake" — Jacob H. Smith, U.S. general
 * "Howling Mad" — Holland M. Smith, U.S. Marine Corps general
 * "Hunter-Bunter" — Aylmer Hunter-Weston, British General
 * "Hutch" — Damon W. Cooper, US Navy Vice Admiral, Aviator, and first Chief of Naval Reserve

I

 * "Ike" —
 * Dwight D. Eisenhower, U.S. general
 * Arnold H. Holz, U.S. submarine commander
 * William R. Wilson, U.S. submarine officer
 * "Irish" — Edward R. Hannon, U.S. submarine commander
 * "Ishkhan"— Nikoghayos Poghos Mikaelian, Armenian freedom fighter

J

 * "Jack" — Leif J. Sverdrup, U.S. general
 * "Jackie" — J. A. Fisher, British admiral
 * "Jadex" - Jacques Dextraze, Canadian general
 * "Jake" — John K. Fyfe, U.S. ace submarine commander
 * "Jasper" — Wilfrid J. Holmes, U.S. Navy intelligence officer
 * "Jimmy" — John S. Thach, U.S. Navy fighter ace
 * "Jock" — J. C. Campbell, British Army general
 * "Jock" — Sir John Cunningham Kirkwood Slater (J C K Slater), British admiral
 * "Joe" — Elton W. Grenfell, U.S. ace submarine commander
 * "Johnnie" — James E. Johnson, British Royal Air Force fighter ace
 * "Johnny" —
 * W. E. P. Johnson, British Royal Air Force flight instructor
 * Frederick J. Walker, World War II British ace ASW destroyer task force commander
 * "Judge" — Ernest M. Eller, U.S. Navy admiral
 * "Jumbo" — H. M. Wilson, World War II British Army general.
 * "Jumpin' Jim" – James M. Gavin, U.S. paratroop general
 * "The Jumping General" – James M. Gavin, U.S. paratroop general
 * "Junior" — John S. McCain, Jr., World War II U.S. submarine commander (son of Admiral John S. McCain, Sr.; father of Vietnam POW & U.S. Senator John S. McCain III; a nickname he disliked)

K

 * "Kalfie" — Henry J. Martin, South African Air Force officer
 * "Killer" — Clive Caldwell, Australian fighter ace
 * "Kipper" — Kodandera Madappa Cariappa, Field Marshal, Indian Army
 * "King Billy" - King William III of England
 * "King Kong" — Hara Chuichi, Japanese Navy admiral
 * "King of Scouts" — Frederick Russell Burnham, British major, Chief of Scouts & father of international scouting movement.

L

 * "Lakeitel (German, "lackey") - Wilhelm Keitel, German World War II general staff officer
 * "Lighthorse Harry" — Henry Lee III, U.S. general
 * "Lightning Joe" — J. Lawton Collins, American general
 * "The Lion" - Karl Dönitz, German admiral
 * "The Lionheart" - King Richard I of England, Christian commander in the Third Crusade
 * "The Lion of Panjshir" - Ahmad Shah Massoud, Afghan guerilla leader
 * "Lion of the West" - Koos de la Rey, Boer general
 * "Lion of West Transvaal" - Koos de la Rey, Boer general
 * "Little Billy" —
 * William Mahone, Confederate general
 * James, Earl Cardigan, British general
 * "The Little Corporal" — Napoleon Bonaparte, 19th-century French field marshal and emperor
 * "Little Texas" - Audie Murphy, World War II Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, used only by his close friends.
 * "Little Mac" - George B. McClellan, commander of the Union Army
 * "Lucky" - Eugene B. Fluckey, U.S. WWII submarine commander and Medal of Honor recipient

M

 * "Mad Anthony" — Anthony Wayne, U.S. general
 * "Mad Jack" - Jack Churchill, British Colonel in World War II
 * "Mad Mike" —
 * Mike Calvert, British brigadier
 * Mike Hoare, British officer and mercenary leader
 * "Majoren" (Norwegian, "The Major") - Hans Reidar Holtermann, Norwegian World War II military leader
 * "Manila John" - John Basilone, United States Marine, World War II Medal of Honor recipient
 * "The Marble Man" — Robert E. Lee, Confederate general (for his perfection at West Point)
 * "The Marble Model" — Robert E. Lee, Confederate general (for his perfection at West Point)
 * "Marshall Forwards" — Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, Prussian general
 * "Maryland Stuart" — George H. Stewart, Confederate general
 * Meagher of the Sword - Thomas Francis Meagher, Commander of the Union Irish Brigade during the American Civil War
 * "Mick" — Edward Mannock, World War I British fighter ace
 * "Mickey" — David Marcus, American Army colonel, helped train the nascent Israeli Army, became its first general (Aluf)
 * "Mike" — Frank W. Fenno, Jr., U.S. submarine commander
 * "Micky" — Harold Brownlow Martin, WWII Australian bomber pilot attached to the RAF.
 * "Mokka"—Mordechi Limon, Israeli Admiral
 * "Moke" — William J. Millican, U.S. submarine commander
 * "Monk" — Benjamin Dickson, U.S. intelligence officer
 * "The Monster" — Jacob H. Smith, U.S. general
 * "Monty" — Bernard Montgomery, World War II British field marshal
 * "Moon" — Wreford G. Chapple, World War II U.S. ace submarine commander
 * "Mush" (from "Mushmouth") — Dudley W. Morton, World War II U.S. ace submarine commander (for his Tennessee drawl)
 * "Mushmouth" — Dudley W. Morton, World War II U.S. ace submarine commander (for his Tennessee drawl)
 * "Mustapha" — Husband E. Kimmel, CINCPAC at Pearl Harbor 7 December 1941

N

 * "Ned" — Edward L. Beach, Jr., World War II U.S. submarine commander & writer
 * "Nick" — George D. Wallace, U.S. cavalry officer

O

 * "Oklahoma Pete" – Marc Mitscher, American World War Two Admiral
 * "Ol' Blood and Guts" — George S. Patton, World War II U.S. general (a nickname he rejected)
 * "Ol' Fuss and Feathers" - Winfield Scott, U.S. Army general
 * "Old Dutch" — Edward C. Kalbfus, American Admiral
 * "Old Flintlock" — Roger Hanson, Confederate general
 * "Old Gimlet Eye" — Smedley Butler, U.S. general
 * "Old Hickory" - Andrew Jackson, U.S. general and President
 * "Old Jube" — Jubal Early, Confederate general
 * "Old Jubilee" — Jubal Early, Confederate general
 * "Old Mac" - James McCudden, British World War I fighter ace
 * "Old Pap" — Sterling Price, Confederate general
 * "Old Reliable" — George H. Thomas, Union general
 * "Old Rock" — Henry L. Benning, Confederate general
 * "Old Stars"-- Ormsby M. Mitchel, Union general
 * "Old Wooden Head" — John Bell Hood, Confederate general
 * "Otter" — Orde Wingate, British commander of irregular forces in WWII.
 * "Ozzie" — Richard B. Lynch, U.S. submarine officer

P

 * "Pa" — Edwin M. Watson, American General
 * "Pablo" — Squadron Leader Paul Mason, RAF Tornado pilot during Operation Desert Storm and author.
 * "Pacifier of Libya" (Italian, Pacificatore della Libia) — Rodolfo Graziani, Italian Army General
 * "Paddy" —
 * Brendan Finucane, World War II Irish RAF fighter ace
 * Hugh Gough, 19th Century British Army general
 * W. H. Harbison, British RAF officer
 * "The Panther Man" (Italian, L'uomo pantera) — Achille Starace, Italian Army Major General, Blackshirt, and Fascist party leader
 * "Papa" — Joseph Joffre, World War I French marechal
 * "Pappy" —
 * Greg Boyington, World War II U.S. Marine Corps fighter ace
 * Paul Gunn, World War II U.S. Army Air Force bomber pilot
 * "Pappa Dönitz" - Karl Dönitz, German admiral
 * "Pat" — J. Loy Maloney, U.S. submarine commander
 * "Peaches" — David Petraeus General, United States Army
 * "Pete" —
 * Lloyd M. Bucher, U.S. submariner and commanding officer of Pueblo
 * William E. Ferrall, U.S. submarine commander
 * Ignatius J. Galantin, U.S. submarine commander
 * Marc Mitscher, World War II U.S. carrier admiral
 * "Petit Rouge" (Little Red) — Manfred von Richthofen, German fighter ace
 * "Pi" — Herman A. Piczentkowski, U.S. submarine commander
 * "Pied Piper of Saipan" - Guy Gabaldon, U.S. Marine PFC, single-handedly talked an entire battalion of Japanese troops to surrender.
 * "Pilly" — Willis A. Lent, U.S. submarine commander
 * "Ping" — Theodore S. Wilkinson, U.S. Navy Admiral and commander of ONI
 * "Pinky" — Marvin G. Kennedy, U.S. Navy submarine and destroyer commander
 * "Pip" — G. P. B. Roberts, British general
 * "Pips" - Josef Priller, WWII German fighter ace
 * "Poco" — William W. Smith, U.S. Navy officer (Kimmel's Chief of Staff)
 * "Poet General" — Masaharu Homma, Imperial Japanese Army general known for his invasion of the Philippines.
 * "Pompey" — Harold Edward Elliott, World War I Australian general
 * "Popski" — Vladimir Peniakoff, Belgian-born commando in British service in World War II
 * "Prince John" — John B. Magruder, Confederate general
 * "Pritzl" — Heinz Bär, German fighter ace

Q

 * "Quax" - Karl Schnörrer, German fighter ace of WWII.
 * "Quex" — H. F. P. Sinclair, British admiral and head of SIS

R

 * "Rebel" — Vernon L. Lowrance, U.S. ace submarine commander
 * "Red" — Lt. Edward E. Cook Pilot CBI
 * James W. Coe, World War II U.S. ace submarine commander
 * Walter E. Doyle, U.S. submarine commander
 * Ralph C. Lynch, Jr., U.S. submarine commander
 * William F. Raborn, U.S. Admiral and Director of the CIA
 * Lawson P. Ramage, U.S. ace submarine commander
 * Douglas N. Syverson, U.S. submarine officer
 * "The Red Baron" (German, der Rote Baron) — Manfred von Richthofen, German fighter ace
 * "The Red Battle-flyer" (German: "der rote Kampfflieger") — Manfred von Richthofen, German fighter ace
 * "The Red Knight" — Manfred von Richthofen, German fighter ace
 * "Red Mike" — Merritt A. Edson, World War II U.S. commando officer (commanding 2nd Marine Raider Battalion)
 * "Reeste" — Heinz Bär, German fighter ace
 * "Reggie" — Harry George Smart, British Vice Air Marshal
 * "Rooney" — William Henry Fitzhugh Lee, Confederate general and U.S. Congressman
 * "Rosey" — Redfield Mason, U.S. cryptanalyst
 * "Rough and Ready" - Zachary Taylor, U.S. Army general
 * "Rum" — John M. Jones, Confederate general

S

 * "The Saint" — Augustus R. St. Angelo, U.S. submarine officer
 * "Sailor" — Adolph G. Malan, British fighter ace
 * "Sailor King" — King William IV of Great Britain (due to service in the Royal Navy)
 * "Sally" — James J. Archer, Confederate general
 * "Sam Bahadur" — Sam Manekshaw, former Field Marshal of Indian Army
 * "Sandy" — Louis D. McGregor, U.S. submarine commander
 * "Savvy" —
 * Charles M. Cooke, Jr., World War II U.S. sailor
 * Leon J. Huffman, U.S. submarine commander
 * Charles W. Read, U.S. Federal and Confederate naval officer
 * "Schneller Heinz" (German, '"Hurrying Heinz") — Heinz Guderian', World War II German panzer general
 * "Screwball" - George Beurling, Canadian fighter ace
 * "Seminole" — Edmund Kirby Smith, Confederate general
 * "Shagger" — Johnny Johnstone, World War II British pilot
 * "Sharkey" — Nigel Ward, Royal Navy fighter pilot during the Falklands War and author.
 * "Shimi" — Simon Fraser, WWII British Commando leader.
 * "Shorty" —
 * Charles D. Edmunds, U.S. submarine commander
 * Robert H. Soule, U.S. 3rd Infantry Division Commander Aug 1950 – Oct 1951
 * "Shy" &mdash; Edward C. Meyer, Retired United States Army general and former Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army.
 * "Silent Otto" — Otto Kretschmer, World War II German ace submarine commander
 * "Skinny" — Francis W. Rockwell, U.S. Navy admiral
 * "Sky Samurai" — Saburō Sakai, WWII Japanese Navy fighter ace.
 * "Slew" — John S. McCain, Sr., World War II U.S. admiral and aviator
 * "Smiling Albert" — Albert Kesselring, World War II German Luftwaffe Field Marshal.
 * "Smitty" — John S. McCain, Jr., Vietnam War U.S. admiral
 * "Soarer" – David G. M. Campbell (after winning the 1896 Grand National on a horse called "Soarer")
 * "Soupy" — James H. Campbell, World War II U.S. submarine commander
 * "Spanky" — George Roberts, commander of the 99th Fighter Squadron (Tuskegee Airmen)
 * "Speed" — John P. Currie, World War II U.S. submarine commander
 * "Spig" — Frank W. Wead, U.S. Navy aviator and screenwriter
 * "Spike" —
 * Martin P. Hottel, U.S. submarine commander
 * William H. P. Blandy, U.S. Navy admiral
 * "Splash" – Edward Ashmore, British air force general
 * "Spoons" – Benjamin F. Butler, Union general
 * "Spud" — Elbert C. Lindon, U.S. submarine commander
 * "Spuds" -Theodore G. Ellyson, U.S. Naval Aviator
 * "Stan" — Roderic Dallas, World War I Australian fighter ace
 * "Steam" — Elliott E. Marshall, U.S. submarine commander
 * "Star of Africa" — '''Hans-Joachim Marseille, German flying ace
 * "Stonewall" — Thomas J. Jackson, Confederate general
 * "Stoney" — Clifford H. Roper, U.S. submarine commander
 * "Stormin' Norman" — Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr., U.S. general (a nickname he disliked)
 * "Strafer" — W. H. E. Gott, British general (from a German propaganda poster, Gott strafe England)
 * "Stuffy" — Hugh C. T. Dowding, commander of Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain
 * "Sunshine" — Stuart S. Murray, U.S. submarine commander
 * "Swanky Syd" – S. T. B. Lawford, British general (from his penchant for appearing full dress uniform and in the company of beautiful women)
 * "The Swamp Fox" — Francis Marion, U.S. general
 * "The Swamp Fox of the Confederacy" — M. Jeff Thompson, Confederate general
 * "Swede" —
 * Eliot H. Bryant, World War II U.S. submarine commander
 * Charles B. Momsen, World War II U.S. submarine force commander, inventor of the Momsen lung

T

 * "Taffy"
 * James I. T. Jones, British World War One fighter ace.
 * Trafford Leigh-Mallory, British World War Two air force officer
 * "Tenacious" — Tanaka Raizo World War II Japanese destroyer admiral (for action in the Solomon Islands)
 * "Terrible Turner" — R. Kelly Turner, Admiral USN in World War II
 * "The Great Asparagus" — Charles De Gaulle, French general and later President of France.
 * "The Terror" — Edward Quinan, Indian Army General in World War II
 * "The Terror of Morocco" - Aarne Juutilainen, Finnish army captain, who served from 1930 until 1935 in the French Foreign Legion.
 * "Tex" —
 * Forrest R. Biard, World War II U.S. submarine commander
 * David Hill, Flying Tigers fighter ace
 * Heber H. McLean, U.S. submarine commander
 * Leonard S. Mewhinney, U.S. submarine commander
 * Chris Kyle, U.S. Navy SEAL
 * "Tiger of Malaya" — Yamashita Tomoyuki, World War II Japanese general
 * "Tin Legs" - Sir Douglas Bader - WWII RAF Ace
 * "Tiny" —
 * Edmund Ironside, British Field Marshal and Chief of the Imperial General Staff
 * Frank C. Lynch, Jr., U.S. submarine commander
 * "Tooey" — Carl A. Spaatz, American General, first Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force
 * "Tubby" — Arthur Allen, World War II Australian general
 * "Turkey Neck" — George C. Crawford, World War II U.S. submarine commander
 * "The Legend" — '''Chris Kyle, U.S. Navy SEAL Sniper

U

 * "Uncle Bill" — William Slim, British WW II General in Burma
 * "Uncle Billy" — William T. Sherman, U.S. Civil War general
 * "Uncle Charlie" — Charles A. Lockwood, Jr., World War II U.S. Pacific Fleet Submarine Force commander
 * "Uncle Wiggly Wings" — Gail S. Halvorsen, U.S. Air Force officer

V

 * "Vati (German, "Pappy" or "Daddy") -Werner Mölders, German fighter ace
 * "Vinegar Joe" — Joseph Stillwell, U.S. general
 * "Valkoinen Kuolema" (Finnish, white death) - Simo Häyhä, Finish sniper in Winter War

W

 * "Warhammer" — Johnathan T. McCann, Operation Enduring Freedom 11C Infantryman
 * "Weary"
 * Edward Dunlop, Australian surgeon renowned for his leadership role while imprisoned by the Japanese during WWII.
 * Charles W. Wilkins, U.S. submarine commander
 * "Weegee" — William G. Brown, World War II U.S. submarine commander
 * "Westy" - William Westmoreland, Commander of U.S forces during the Vietnam War.
 * "Whiskey" - Andrew Jackson Smith, Union Army general
 * "The White Mouse"- Nancy Wake, for her ability to elude capture
 * "The White Tornado" — Adrian Cummins, Royal Australian Navy Commodore, for his 'whirling' manner
 * "Wild Bill" - William J. Donovan, Medal of Honor recipient, Army major general and first director of the Office of Strategic Services
 * "Willie" — J. B. Tait, British aviator
 * "Wingy" — James M. L. Renton, British general (for having lost an arm in battle)
 * "Winkle" - Eric Brown, British WWII test pilot.
 * "Wizard of the Saddle" — Nathan Bedford Forrest, Confederate cavalry general
 * "Wooch" — Kendall J. Fielder, U.S. Army intelligence officer (Walter Short's G2)
 * "Wooden Box" - Richard Geoffrey Pine-Coffin, a parachute officer of the British Army who commanded the 3rd Parachute Battalion in North Africa and the 7th (Light Infantry) Parachute Battalion in Normandy, Belgium, and Germany during World War II.
 * "Wop" — W. R. May, Canadian aviator
 * "Wutz" -- Wilhelm-Ferdinand Galland, WWII Luftwaffe fighter pilot and brother of Adolf Galland.

Y

 * "Yurufun" (Japanese, roughly "droopy drawers") – Shimada Shigetaro, Japanese Admiral in World War II

Z

 * "Ziggy" – Clifton Sprague, Admiral USN in World War II