Goes through my mind all the time. I don't understand the meaning behind it. It's also weird how their good friend doesn't know their real name. Really? Never thought to ask?
shareThere is no value in using a birth name. They have no real aspirations. Using a nick name or moniker they think they earned on their pissed down streets has more value than building a real life and future with their birth name.
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Lol, Mike for Michael isn't the same as a street name.
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You're stretching it.
Mike is nothing like a street name.
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You must come from the side of town that has endearment for stupid street names, that's why you're so annoyed.
Mike isn't a street name. Nicknames given by family are not street names. When a guy on this show has "Killa" or "Cheeseburger" (yes, one guy arrested and charged on this show had this nickname) or "Murda" those are street names given by other idiots on the street. Not by their mother. Street names are earned on the street in the hood, ghetto, bad part of town, ward.....each region has its own term. Street names are not earned over family dinner on Sunday, you know where they are earned and your nicknames you listed are not street names.
You won't see a CEO with the name of Michael call his shortened name of Mike as a street name. You won't see a teacher by the name of William call Billy his street name. You won't see a stay at home mom with the name Christine call her shortened name Chris a street name. You know damn well those are not street names. Stop justifying these stupid as hell street names by saying going by Mike instead of Michael is the same; "Killa" (short for killer) is a street name, Mike isn't a street name. End of story. Now, I suggest you lose the endearment of thinking you have a street name since your name is shortened. Shortened names are not street names. Sorry you just lost your hard veneer.
Ps: Imdb names are not street names either. Lol, can't believe you even asked me that.
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My adviser in college was an Anthropology professor who has made a lifelong study in the Anthropology of Violence. Took his special Seniors only, 8 people class my last year of college and we actually discussed this issue at one point. His theory was street names act as a sort of "mask" separating the person from the actions they take while in that identity. Kind of psychological armor I guess where you can rationalize some of it as "oh that wasn't ME that did those things, that was Cutter"
shareThey don't use their real names for the reason you see in the show, they are much harder to find when the cops are trying to figure out who they are. The same can be said if someone from the street is trying to find out who they are and where they live.
shareBecause rats always have nicknames.
shareSome people got their nicknames as children. However, concerning criminals, I suppose those nicknames are used as an alias.
sharePeople with a reputation want to have an alias to match. If you're out doing seedy things you want to be called "Billy Smith" or "Annie Johnson".
Also it could a given name because of who you associate with.