Mobsters and gangsters nicknames

Most mobsters or gangsters have nicknames for example:

Johnny "the brain"Torrio or Carmine "the snake" Persico.

Can you provide the nicknames of any mobters and if you can, explain how they got to have those nicknames ?

Raffaele Cutolo aka The Professor because wear glasses and was very smart for a camorrista;
Pasquale Barra aka the Animal because when killed Turatello in 1981 stabbed him and bit his heart and his stomach;
Paolo DiLauro aka the milionaire because during a poker game accidently open a bag with so cash that the others said "Who we have Ciruzzo the milionaire";
Giovanni Brusca aka the scannacristiani aka the thepeopleslaughter because killed more 200 people or the verru aka the pork for his face;
Totò Riina aka Totò o curtu (small) because was at least 1.60 m;

Thanks Furio very interesting.

Would you know why they called Bernardo " u tratturi" Provenzano ?

Phil "Chicken Man" Testa got his name because he used to own a Poultry store.
Tony Ducks Corallo for ducking subpoenas.
Petey the Crumb Caprio because he liked crumb cakes as a kid

Tony Accardo had two, Joe Batters for using baseball bats on people and then the Press coined him the, Big Tuna, because he was photographed with a big tuna he caught in Florida.
Paul The Watier Ricca was a waiter/maitre D at Diamond Joe's Espposito's, restaurant.

It's hilarious how some got their nicknames.

Gaetano "three fingers" Lucchese. He had injured his hand in a machine shop accident.

According to the statements of snitch Antonino Calderone, Provenzano participated in the so-called "massacre of Viale Lazio" (December 10, 1969), during the conflict, Provenzano was injured to his hand but managed to shoot with his machine gun; Cavataio (the target of the massacre) was wounded and Provenzano stunned him with Beretta's kick, knocking him on gunshots.
After the massacre the nickname means also that Provenzano,trapped everything and where he passed "no longer grew the grass".

One of the nicknames of Matteo Messina Denaro the sicilian capo di tutti i capi is diabolik a famous italian comic character for be
uncatchable.

Furio, I really really enjoy reading about the NCO and Cutolo, those guys were insane! Especially Cutolo.

Was Torrio "The brain" also? I thought his nickname was "the fox", Arnold Rothstein was "The brain".

Dwalin we are both correct, he had two nicknames the brain & the fox.
I read this in the book "Cosa Nostra" an illustrated history of the mafia by Massimo Picozzi.

Arnold Rothstein was also nicknamed "the brain".

Ruggiero "Richie the Boot" Boiardo, Newark NJ Mafioso, got his name because he conducted his business out of a phone boot'.

The book "In the godfather garden" by Richard Linnett lists several theories:

Albert Anastasia was nicknamed the "Mad Hatter" and the "Lord High Executioner". The lord high execution was obvious but I was stunned by "the mad hatter. I found the definition in a book " The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Mafia By Jerry Capeci.

Mad hatter suggested that he was crazy, like the character in Alice in wonderland. Mad hatter comes from the practice of using mercury in the making of hats.Constant contact with the substance damaged the brains of the workers.

That was a good one to know.

'Big Tuna' Tony Accardo, after he caught a 400-pound tuna off Florida in the early 1950's.

Quack Quack, because he didn't shut the fuck up.

I guess your talking about Angelo Ruggiero.

Not 4 nuthin'.. but.. this thread could go on 4 ever,they all had nicknames.

Sure did and so did every other male in the neighborhood .

What's up Serp..see Philip around lately?

Joe Massino had several nicknames:
-'Joe Wagons', as he started out as a lunch wagon operator under Rusty Rastelli
-'Big Joey' for his obesity
-'The Ear', as he wanted others to use their ears when referring to him, similar to how mobsters pointed to their chins in reference to Vinny Chin
-'The Last Don', as he was the last full-fledged mob boss on the streets whom the feds didn't pinch while the other bosses were in the can in the 1990s.

Yes your right but it's intriguing on how some got those nicknames.

Peter Gotti known as "one eyed Pete" because glaucoma left him with only one seeing eye.

http://blog.futbologia.org/2012/09/quella-volta-che-juary-incontro-don-raffaele-cutolo/

Antonio Sibilia, was the president of the Avellino soccer team. A 60-year-old, a successful builder, folklorist, as many of the top sports executives of the 1980s. Still in trouble when it comes to using the Italian language, but able to set up competitive teams.

One day, the October 31, 1980, Sibilia went to take Juary,the avellino bestplayer and brings him to Naples where he is celebrating the hearing of a trial that sees among the accused Raffaele Cutolo, the boss of the NCO, at that time the largest criminal organization in the area. Once in the classroom,
under the incredulous eyes of journalists, police and magistrates, Sibilia approaches the cage in which "o professor" is locked.
He greets him with three kisses on his cheeks, and exchanges with him a couple of friendly chats. Then he gives way to Juary, his pupil, who approaches the bars and gives Cutolo a package. Inside there is a 70 gram gold medal; on one face is depicted the head of a wolf, symbol of avellino society, and on the other there is a dedication:

"To Don Raffaele Cutolo, with esteem".

Before leaving the classroom, Sibilia finds time to explain the gesture to the press. "Nothing odd - says - Cutolo is a super fan of the Avellino; the gift of the medal is not my initiative, it is a decision taken by the board of directors.

The truth was that Luigi Necco a tv jornalist spoken of the ties between Cutolo and Sibilia that dreamed to become the NCO capo in the Avellino zone and went to Cutolo asking to fix Necco.
To answer Sibilia's request, however, is not Cutolo, who does not want to be exposed by hitting a journalist, but his lordly lieutenant, Enzo Casillo, anxious to gain visibility in the organization. Just over a year later, on November 29, 1981, Necco was shot three times in the legs at the exit of the restaurant where he went before each game. On his car is also found a note in neapolitan “Tu vuliv’ fa o criticone?”(did you want to make the critic?).

Here is another interesting one.

Francesco Coppola became to be known as "three fingers" as a result of an on the job accident . During a bank heist his hand got caught in a teller's window and rather than risk capture he took a knife out of his pocket and freed himself with a single clean cut.

Capone was called "Scarface" by the press, but not by anyone in his outfit who planned to see his next birthday. His close associates called him "Snorky," which was a contemporary term meaning "elegant." Murray "The Camel" Humphries, a Welshman in Capone's outfit, got that name because part of his last name is "hump."

Anthony "the Ant" Spilotro got that name from a cop who referred to him as a "pissant."

Abner "Longy" Zwillman, big-time NJ gangster, got that name because he attained his full height (6'2") when he was 13.

Carmine Galante was known as "Lilo" because he was always smoking a cigar. "Lilo" is Italian slang for cigar.

Some Gambinos referred to Aniello Dellacroce as "the Polack," but I never read an explanation. Perhaps someone here knows why?

Matty "The Horse" Ianniello got that moniker because. as a kid, he got into a fight with a much bigger guy during a baseball game and knocked him down.

The Detective who named the "ant" was Bill Roemer..not sure if I spelled name right,,anyways,he has written a few good books on the "Outfit"..died a few yrs. ago.

Bill Cutolo was also called "Billy Fingers" after losing a finger and mutilating the other while working in a butcher shop. Cutolo also had the nickname "Wild Bill" after beating a man with a baseball bat.

His name is William F Roemer jr., good author.

I got four books he wrote: Accardo the genuine godfather,Man against the Mob,The Enforcer- Spilotro, War of the Godfathers.

Alphonse "Sonny Red" Indelicato, was particularly fond of a pair of custom-made red leather cowboy boots, which may have been the source of his nickname.

Dominick "Sonny Black" Napolitano,he was born with blond hair, but by his forties it had turned a gunmetal white-silver color. To hide the color, he dyed it black, earning him the nickname "Sonny Black".

He also dressed like a cowboy sometimes.

Sammy "the bull" Gravano. Wikipedia:

At an early age, Gravano found a few people that had stolen his bicycle and went to fight the thieves. Made men who were watching from a cafe saw him take on a few people at once, and they gave Gravano back his bike. As he was leaving, one of the Mafia made men remarked on how little Sammy fought "like a bull", and hence his nickname "The Bull"

I've always wondered if the person was actually addressed by their mob ' moniker', to their face.

" Hey Gaspipe, can we chat"

"What's up,(Sonny) Red"
Etc..



Didn't Fat Tony Salerno complain that some youngster called him Fat Tony to his face. Lol

I guess it all depends if they viewed their nickname favorable or not.Imagine if one didn't like it and their nickname surfaces in a taped conversation by law enforcement....LOL

Gaspipe, nobody ever addressed him as such, not in his face.

Why did they call him gaspipe ?

His pop's nickname he says in the book. His pop used a gas pipe to fight other guys and held into it like to strengthen the punch, the grip.

In his biography of Capone, John Kobler notes that the nicknames(at least in that era) were made up by newspaper reporters to titillate their readers. As he put it, mobsters didn't go around greeting each other with, "Yo,Three Fingers..." or "Wassup, Clutching Hand..." I think today, fellow mobsters make up the nicknames, but they use them among themselves, not face to face with the nickname holders.

How true, if they would call themselves those nicknames in public it would look somewhat like a scene taken from the movie "analyse this",
when Chazz Palminteri got up at the meeting introducing himself as Joey Boom Bats and so on....lol.

https://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&s....92.jWCH-IHsZpc

Richard "the Iceman" Kuklinski, he had a habit of freezing the bodies of people he killed to prevent law enforcement doctors from calculating the time of death.

Jackie "the nose" D'Amico nicknamed on account he had his nose fixed.

Two nice ones from Europe.
Francesco Schiavone is nicknamed Sandokan for a slight resemblance to actor Kabir Bedi, who played the pirate.
Matteo Messina Denaro, nicknamed Diabolik, the main character of the Italian comics. A thief and anti-hero.

Willie "Two-Knife" Altieri,Mob boss Yale used Altieri on many occasions to commit murders. In 1919, Yale sent Altierri to silence an informer within the gang. Altierri stabbed the informer in the torso with both knives, then broke off blades in the victim's body. Altierri later presented the handles to Yale, who mounted them on a plaque and hung it up in his office.Wikipedia

before he fixed his nose

Vincent “Vinny Gorgeous” Basciano loved the bella vita. Earning his nickname because he owned beauty salon “Hello Gorgeous”

i dont know if Massino started doing the ear thing himself and making it a mandate. i think they started pulling on ear lobe or pulling their ears to refer to him, because he was notorious for "having his ear to the street" - always finding out about every penny his soldiers made and every move they made...a micromanager. i get the feeling that he wasnt well liked, before he ratted. he seemed greedy as fuck. no made guy could borrow any money from anyone else in the tamily except from him...still kept a personal, active loanshark book when he was boss

Richard Cantarella got the name "Shellackhead" for using pomade his hair.
Pomade is a greasy, waxy, or a water-based substance that is used to style hair. Pomade gives the user's hair a shiny, slick appearance, and does not dry it out.

Venero "Benny eggs" Mangano,his nickname “Benny Eggs” came from his mom running an egg farm.

Anthony Brancato & Anthony Trombino were nicknamed:
"the two Tonys",they racked up an great number of arrests before making a fatal error. They stole from the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vagas betting operations. Jack Dragna put a contract on them and both bodies were found in a car.

Mr.Dominick Cirillo -- known as "Quiet Dom" -- has vaulted to the summit of organized crime in America after studiously maintaining a low profile for four decades in the mob.
For decades, Dominick V. Cirillo has thrived on obscurity, shunning the trappings of wealth and influence. He lives in an attached house in the Bronx, drives himself around town in modest cars and has told neighbors that he turned to construction work after flopping as a professional boxer.
New York Times.

Joseph Carna:
His mob nickname was "Junior Lollipops", not the most intimidating for a mobster.
His father owned an eatery in the Brooklyn area called Lolly’s, and it was in fact his father that gave Carna the nickname that stuck with him, Junior Lollipops.

George DeCicco was the brother of Frank (the mobster who would die from a car bomb aimed to killed John Gotti).

Does anybody know why he was nicknamed "butterass" ?

Ciment, george was franks uncle, george was not butterass, joe was georgie's brother..hope that helps

Thanks Bronx.

It looks like he went also by a nickname Big Georgie.
Other internet sites had him down as butterass or butter but can't find why he was called that.

Hello Ciment,that was joe's aka, butterass..or just butter..also never big georgie, how the press got that is strange..just georgie..

I agree Georgie makes more sense.

Genna brothers known as the "terrible Gennas" were six Sicilian brothers who devvied up territory in Chigago during the 1920's.
Angelo was the cruelest who was nicknamed "bloody Angelo.

Pasquale (Pat the Cat) Spirito was an associate of made man Joseph (Joey Chang) Ciangalini who introduced Spirito into the life of organized crime. Pat earned the nickname amongst his fellow associates as 'The Cat' because of con artist charm and demeanour.Wikipedia

Tony "the ant" Spiloto(played by Joe Pesci in the casino movie),a hometown pal Rosenthal, whose small size belied his stature as one of the most violent and dangerous Mob enforcers in history.
The Mafia and the machine book.

Frank "Lefty Rosenthal: Rosenthal’s nickname came from the fact he was left-handed. Some romantically claim he got the nickname when, in 1961, he appeared before a Senate hearing on organized crime and invoked the Fifth Amendment 37 times, keeping his left hand in the air while doing so.

Joey "doves" Aiuppa the boss of the Chicago outfit. Aiuppa's nickname derived from his love hunting.In 1962 he was arrested for having 550 game birds in his possession as he returned from a hunting trip in Kansas. The game bird limit was twenty four.
The Mafia and the machine book.

Joseph Patrick “Joey the Clown” Lombardo Sr,He was alleged to be the Consigliere of the Chicago Outfit.
Lombardo earned the nickname "The Clown" from his joking nature and from various humorous incidents involving him, including grinning wide for mug shots and for departing a 1981 court appearance at the federal courts building in Chicago holding a Chicago Sun-Times newspaper in front of his face with a hole cut out so he could see. In 2005 Halprin spoke to the Chicago Tribune about his client's nickname saying, "That's a name he doesn't relish, and neither do I. The guy I know is not a clown. Wikipedia

Harry 'The Hunchback' Riccobene; he was born with a slight curvature of the spine that has been suspected of having been caused by lordosis, kyphosis or Pott disease. He was 5'1" (155 cm) tall and weighed 136 pounds (62 kg) with brown hair and eyes and had a hunchback from a birth defect that earned him the moniker "Harry the Hump." Wikipedia

John DiTullio, a local bar owner and a legendary mob killer. DiTullio was known as "Skinny Razor" for his weapon of choice. He really took Ralph Natale under his wing and provided an education on life and the mob, often while hanging out after hours inside his Friendly Tavern.
Vice

Felix "skinny razor" DiTullio was a mentor of Nicky Scarfo,Natale was a nobody union guy in jail 4 arson &drugs when A.C. was being built up.

Louis "Louie HaHa" Attanasio Jr. (born 1944 in White Plains, New York) is a New York mobster and reputed captain in the Bonanno crime family.[1] He is the brother of Bonanno mobster Robert Attanasio. Attanasio earned the nickname "HaHa" because he laughed whenever he heard about a mobster dying. Wikipedia

Thanks for the info.

Giuseppe "the Clutch Hand" Morello (May 2, 1867 – August 15, 1930), also known as "The Old Fox", was the first boss of the Morello crime family and later top adviser to Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria. He was known as Piddu (Sicilian diminutive form of Giuseppe).Giuseppe Morello was born in Corleone, Sicily.He was famous for having a one-fingered deformed right hand that resembled a claw. wikipedia

In 1899,Ignazio Saietta arrived in New York fleeing a murder charge in Corleone. He was Giuseppe Morello's brother-in-law. Ignazio had acquired the nickname "Lupo" meaning wolf; suggesting an animal that preys on the weak. American Mafia book by Thomas Reppetto.

Lupo was his last name, but sometimes he used his mother's surname Saietta (or was it Saitta, I read somewhere Saietta is a misspelling, but I am not sure). His parents were Rocco Lupo and Onofria Saietta, he used both surnames depending on the situation.

Samuel DeCavalcante was called "the Plumber" because he owned and operated from a heating and plumbing company in Kenilworth, New Jersey, though he hated that nickname. He preferred "The Count" , as he told people he was of blue blood.

Changing his name would make sense since he was wanted on a murder charge. Thanks for the info.

Accetturo moved to Newark and became the leader of a large street gang. He gained a reputation as a ferocious street fighter, which led several of his fellow gang members to call him "Tumac," after the caveman hero of the 1940 adventure film One Million B.C.Accetturo was recruited by Anthony "Ham" Delasco, the boss of the Jersey Crew. By the early 1960s, he had become Delasco's driver. Accetturo became Delasco's protégé learning trades in illegal gambling and loansharking controlling the Newark area. Delasco died in the late 1960s and Accetturo became a major earner under his successor, Joseph Abate, as well as a major player in his own right in the New Jersey underworld.

Wikipedia

Roberto Calvi (13 April 1920 – 17 June 1982) was an Italian banker dubbed "God's Banker" (Italian: Banchiere di Dio) by the press because of his close association with the Holy See. A native of Milan, Calvi was Chairman of Banco Ambrosiano, which collapsed in one of modern Italy's biggest political scandals. His death in London in June 1982 is a source of enduring controversy and was ruled a murder after two coroner's inquests and an independent investigation. In Rome, in June 2007, five people were acquitted of the murder.

Claims have been made that factors in Calvi's death were the Vatican Bank, Banco Ambrosiano's main shareholder; the Mafia, which may have used Banco Ambrosiano for money laundering; and the clandestine Masonic lodge Propaganda Due. Wikipedia

Philip Abramo (born 1945), also known as "The King Of Wall Street is a caporegime in the New Jersey DeCavalcante crime family who was allegedly involved in security fraud and murder. He became involved in extortion, loansharking, and microcap stock fraud schemes. Abramo was the hidden control person behind Sovereign, a prominent microcap stock company and its sister trading firm, Falcon Trading. Abramo also controlled two penny stock firms, Toluca Pacific Securities and Greenway Capital. Abramo allegedly controlled other small-cap stock dealers through brokers and traders owing allegiance to him.[2] Wikipedia

Sam “Golf Bag” Hunt

Sam was one of Al Capone’s most trusted hit men and carried all his weapons in a golf bag he lugged everywhere he went. He wasn’t much of a golfer, but he was pure magic when it came to a hole in one. BY LORENZO CARCATERRA

Thanks Ciment, I enjoyed reading every last bit of your posts.

Thank you Alfa Romeo, this will encourage me to post more. I almost was on the verge of stopping but what kept me going a little was the number of viewer was increasing.

Abe “Kid Twist” Reles

Another Murder, Inc. member who got his nickname courtesy of his favorite candy. He was going to turn informant and was hidden away at the Half-Moon Hotel in Coney Island. Six detectives were guarding his room, but still, somehow, someone got in and threw him out a window to his death. The tabloids were kind to Kid Twist: They called him “the canary that couldn’t fly.”
BY LORENZO CARCATERRA

Phil “The Chicken Man” Testa

Phil was also known as “the Julius Cesar of the Philadelphia Mob”, which is kind of more dignified. His sillier nickname came about because of a severe case of chicken pox he suffered as a child, that left his face scarred and marked.Was a Sicilian-American Mafia figure known for his brief leadership of the Scarfo crime family.Testa became boss after popular former boss Angelo Bruno was murdered by his own consiglieri Antonio Caponigro who, in turn, was ordered killed by The Commission for acting without permission. About a year after Bruno's death, Testa was killed by the blast of a nail bomb allegedly ordered by his underboss Pete Casella.
By L.Carcaterra & wikipedia

If u had 2 look that up then u should'nt even be on these boards.B-sides, half of what u just stated is WRONG.Get ur facts straight kid.No bad intent meant,ur probably just young.

If there is a correction to be made then state your point, I will be more than glad to entertain and correct it. But what I do not take lightly is your childish comments on who should be on these boards. I am quite sure you belong out there with GOD himself that knows everything. You must know every mobster out there, I bet you know how they think, sleep and shit. You know what, I do not give a shit what you think or know and have fun with this one.

Ciro “The Artichoke King” Terranova

Ciro was a turn of the century gangster who knew how to turn a profit: He would buy California artichokes for $6 a crate and then sell them in New York City at a 40% mark-up. Now this was a guy who knew how to make a business run! And there were no complaints from the paying customers.By LORENZO CARCATERRA

Vincenzo "Vinny Carwash" Frogiero
Despite the infinite frog-related options his surname provides, Frogiero was thought to have got his nickname after running car washes for the mob in his younger days. The FBI describes him as a "soldier" for New York's infamous Gambino crime family. By L.Carcaterra

Michele Greco ,the court sentence him to six life sentences. His nickname was "il Papa" (The Pope) because of his ability to mediate between different Mafia families. Greco was the head of the Mafia Commission after the expulsion of Gaetano Badalamenti.

Anthony "Tony Bagels" Cavezza
Gambino family mobster is said to be known among New York's mobsters for his fondness for the city's signature deli delicacy – the humble bagel. Often seen wearing hoodies instead of the mob's signature sharp suits, the The New York Post newspaper has criticised him for "crimes of fashion" The Mafia by Al Cimino

You probably don't want to mess with Luigi "Baby Shacks" Manocchio, an 83-year-old Italian gentleman with puppy-dog eyes who has pleaded not guilty to charges of extorting cash "protection" payments from New England's strip clubs for the past two decades.

Manocchio, who owes his nickname to his taste in women (he likes them young and skinny), is the reputed head of the Patriarca family, an underworld organisation which controls much of Rhode Island. 26 Jan, 2011 5:30am Independent

Clement, the Lorenzo Carcaterra you quote is that the same writer of the movie Sleepers?

Yes it is, I checked the source where I got my information and they do specify that he is the author of the book Sleepers.

During the 1920s, Guzik served as Capone’s chief accountant and treasurer, and as such he was a very confident man. He’d walk around without a gun and always carried at least $1,000 in his pocket. After all, who was going to mess with Scarface’s accountant?
As Capone’s treasurer, Guzik was the guy who took care of the bribes. If a judge needed to be bought off or a police commissioner needed a few extra bucks, Guzik would count out a couple of bills, earning him the nickname “Greasy Thumb.” However, being the man in charge of the money isn’t always a good thing. Guzik went to prison with Capone on charges of income tax evasion in 1930. By Nolan Moore

Jimmy Burke had a rough life growing up. He was shuttled from foster home to foster home, where he suffered both physical and sexual abuse. He often ran afoul of the law, and between ages 16 and 22, he spent only 84 days as a free man. During one stint in the slammer, Burke worked as a hitman for incarcerated mobsters. Outside prison, his murderous legend grew after he chopped up his fiancé’s ex-boyfriend. Burke’s longtime associate Henry Hill (Ray Liotta in the movie) claimed that Jimmy could be nice at dinner, but “then he could blow you away for dessert.”
While he had a flair for murder, Burke’s favorite pastime was stealing. He and his crew would hit shipments leaving airports and steal whatever the trucks were carrying. During these heists, Burke would take the truck driver’s license as a way of saying, “I know where you live.” But Burke didn’t want the truck driver to feel too bad, so he’d also leave a $50 bill in the guy’s wallet, earning him the nickname “Jimmy the Gent.” By Nolan Moore

Jack Diamond was one of the original Prohibition-era gangsters. When the government outlawed the sale of alcohol, Diamond opened up a string of speakeasies, including the infamous Hotsy Totsy Club. To supply his bars with booze, Diamond and his crew held up liquor trucks, and he was known for making quick getaways, earning him the nickname “Legs.” Maybe—there’s also the possibility that his moniker came from his mad dancing skills.
Diamond earned his second nickname, “Clay Pigeon,” because he was shot so many times. Between 1927 and 1931, Diamond was shot on three separate occasions. After surviving all three attempts, Diamond started to brag, “They can’t kill Legs
by Nolan Moore

I never heard about "the Julius Ceaser thing in 27 or so yrs that I've been following this subject,& as 4 the chickenpox statement, he got his name b-cause his parents owned a chicken store @ 9th & Christian in the heart of the Italian market,but could b on whom the source is..like I said it's only no harm meant,just what is known 4 his whole tenure.

Julius Ceasar nickname name comes from two sources L.CarcaTerra and wikipedia. The chickenpox nickname comes from two sources as well. And yes, he did have a poultry business this can be found in wikipedia.

Now I want you to explain to me why you say I shouldn't be on this board and you should. By your explanation, I surmise 99% percent of people on this board who read books, newspaper articles or movies on the mob should not be on this board. The other 1% are people that have first hand knowledge on what is going on in the mafia or experienced certain things because they come from the neighborhood.
I read one of your post, in which you made reference or took words that were from a movie. This means you must include yourself in the 99% that should not be on this board. Please explain your rationale. Please explain to me how you possess extrasensory perception about me being a kid and that I am too young ? I am dying to know this one.
There is a logical reason why I reference these numerous nickname statements and is why I do not paraphrase in these particular posts but I will keep it a secret because I want you to figure it out all by yourself. I am quite sure you will succeed some day. No bad intent.
Excuse me for being old school, please explain in today's words what bad intent means. Is it an apology soon after you insult someone. It kind of sounds oxymoronic to me; you seem to use it often.
Emotional intelligence is very useful when dialoguing with people. I learned that in kindergarten school that I am presently attending.

Alright,u not being on board was not meant seriously, & I have also learned in my old school life & certain individuals whom hail from south philly that have a bit of garlic on their breath that someone who possess some credibility & self confidence should not get into a pissing contest. Enough already.

Enough it is.

Growing up, Tommy Pitera’s squeaky voice earned him the role of neighborhood punching bag. Sick of being kicked around, Pitera started learning martial arts. He became such an enthusiast that he moved to Japan to study with the masters, and when he returned to the States in 1975, people called him “Tommy Karate.” A lot of people also started dying, which lead to his second, more gruesome nickname.
Tommy Karate became a hitman for the Bonanno crime family, but he straddled the line between contract and serial killer. After he was arrested in 1990, witnesses claimed this martial arts mobster murdered at least sixty people. After bumping off a victim, Pitera brought out his special dismembering kit, a bag full of nasty tools such as a serrated hunting knife. He’d then lug the body into a bathtub where he’d sever the head and cut the stiff into pieces.
This made it easier to get rid of the victim and made it more difficult for authorities to identify the body. It also earned him his second nickname, “The Butcher.” But these killings weren’t “strictly business,” as Pitera kept trophies of his victims. He was basically Jeffrey Dahmer with a dash of Joe Pesci. By Nolan Moore

Vincent Mad Dog Coll,not someone you would ever want to meet, Mad Dog Coll was given the nickname for his disregard for human life including children. On July 28, 1931, Coll unsuccessfully attempted to kidnap Joey Rao, a Dutch Schultz underling. The resulting shootout left a five year old child, Michael Vengali, dead and several children wounded. After this atrocity, New York City Mayor Jimmy Walker dubbed Coll “Mad Dog” and the whole city started looking for him. A $50,000 bounty was put on Mad Dog and he was gunned down while making a call in a phone booth in 1932. By Shell Harris

Isreal "Icepick Willies" Alderman(Casino investor):This grisly nickname needs little imagination. As you would suspect, Icepick Willies’ method of murder involved an icepick. As the owner of a speakeasy in Minneapolis the gangster would murder his victims by pushing the icepick through their eardrum and into the brain. He used this quick “technique” because eyewitnesses would only see the victim suddenly slump over as a would-be drunk who had passed out. Icepick Willie could then drag the corpse from the speakeasy, as if helping the drunkard, and then dispose of the body. By Shell Harris

Just out of curiosity ciment, what reference did I make from a movie,?...Im to lazy 2 look 4 it,thanx dude.

Video/audio of Ralph Staino quotations ring a bell.

Giovanni Carbo known as Frankie Carbo, was one of the most important soldiers in the Lucchese family. He was born in NY 1904 and his parents were from Arigento Sicily and his nickname says a lot about his temerament" "Mr.Fury". By the end of the the thirties Carbo had already collected 17 arrests and had been accused of at least 5 murders. He got into the business of organizing boxing matches, becoming known as the "Czar of boxing.
By Massimo Picozzi

"Mad Sam" DeStefano, he joined the Chicago outfit and forr the family specializing in loan sharking, protection rackets, and extortion. A sociopathic killer without scruples, DeStefano didn't hesitate about eliminating even his own younger brother ,at the request of Giancana. The organization itself was disturbed by his sadism but the bosses put up with him because of the profits he delivered.

Joe Bonanno hated being called Joe Bananas because it implied he was crazy. But how did he earn that nickname in the first place?

According to some sources they state it was the newspaper reporters that gave him that name.

The story of him having a squeaky voice was fabricated by Phil Carlo, the writer who wrote a book on Pitera. There has never been any proof that he ever traveled to Japan, though that may be true. I think the Nolan Moore you quoted above pasted a bunch of wiki type stuff off of different web sites, after searching for the strangest sounding stories on Pitera.

Thanks for the feedback, last summer I read the book "the Butcher" by Phil Carlo much of what Nolan wrote is in that book. I didn't know that the squeaky voice thing was a fabrication.

Louis Buchalter holds the hardly enviable record of being the only major boss of organized crime to be executed in the United States. Nicknamed by his mother "Lepke" meaning "little Louis" in Yiddish. In the thirties Buchalter took control of Murder Inc. together with Albert Anastasia. By Massimo Picozzi

Joseph "The Builder" Andriacchi (born October 20, 1932) has been reported by Chicago newspapers to be a high-ranking member of the Chicago Outfit criminal organization.In 1989, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that Andriacchi had been elevated to being the second-in-command in the Chicago Outfit.[1] The article identified Andriacchi as having two nicknames: "the Sledgehammer"—because of his unsubtle ways as a safe cracker—and "the Builder."Andriacchi was one of several reputed mobsters ordered to appear before a federal grand jury after the May 17, 1992, bombing of a car outside the home of a daughter of mob turncoat Leonard Patrick, who was in the process of testifying against several known mobsters. wikipedia

Giovanni Nicchi (Sicily), known as Gianni, was called 'u picciuittedu'(the little boy) because he was not thirty years of old. However, following the arrests of Provenzano and then of Antonio Rotolo, Nicchi's godfather and mentor. Nicchi proved old enough to become the reggente of the Pagliarelli mandamento. By Massimo Picozzi

Stephen The Rifleman" Flemmi had allied himself with the Winter Hill Gang boss Whitey Bulger. Flemmi's nickname was attributed to his outstanding marksmanship during the Korean War. By Domenic Spinale

Joseph "the animal" Barboza (Boston), he had become an executioner for the mob. He was an instrument the LCN used to wipe out anyone who failed to heed their demands. Barboza had hopes of one day being the first non-Italian inducted into the Mafia. He was Portuguese, therfore could not be a made man. Barboza would often freelance, killing at will. He had once received a contract to kill a man, but the intended victim knew he was in Barboza's sights, therefore refused to leave the home. "No problem", The Animal said,"I'll set fire to his house and when he runs out,I will shoot him." "his mother lives in the house with him," "No problem," Barboza replied, "When she runs out I will shoot her too." By Domenic Spinale

James "Whitey" Bulger, boss of the Winter Hill gang in south Boston. The eldest son, was already building a reputation as a tough guy. "Whitey", as he was known because the color of his blond hair was nearly white, was violent and vicious. He hated the name "Whitey" and made certain that no one dared call him that.

John Martorano was a former hitman for the Winter Hill Gang in Boston, Massachusetts and has admitted to 20 mob related killings.
John was their loyal gangster, who could be called on anytime,day or night, to kill for them. "Johnny one the spot," was one of many nicknames.

AHH,so u know about that long last piece..that's hard 2 find my friend..very rare audio police property...u should have heard the whole conversation..if I went into detail ,u could have probably figured out who he was posing a threat 2..talk 2 u on the rebound,.

How did you get it, pick pocketed a Philly cop. On second thought it's better I don't know..........LOL

And,Ciment...if u r familiar w/ these certain time period tapes,It is possible that u know certain individuals that I used 2 congregate with..I Ain't nobody,but played cards w/ alot of "nice" ppl.My old man was "friends" w/Ange Bruno,& I still speak once in a while w/ his daughter Jeanne..that's as far as I go ..if u want 2 really find out who I'm hanging out w/ call Celeste Morello....& she will give the dime on all of us, even though she is a nice old chick.

Ciment, I'd be curious in knowing how many of these guys monikers were ever uttered to their faces or even if they knew that was what they called them behind their backs. One examples is Bugsy Sieigel who hated his nickname. Also, didn't Leonetti hated the moniker, Crazy, even though Scarfo thought you couldn't buy that type of nickname?

For an Italian,this becomes a familiar theme when one hangs around an Italian social club/bar or grew up in that environment. It's only a matter of time that you will bump into some of these nice people. Best keep these memories to yourself. If you know what I mean.

Oh yes..I do keep 2 myself,,thanx cuz,& i'll c u on the rebound, but ..i'm 100% Irish,& I personally think my old man's courtship w/Angelo was something 2 do w/ Keebler cookie Co.,who dad was a union official.Was2 young 2 know till I b-came a teen.,,..later dude.

Harry "Doc" Sagansky was a Jewish organized crime figure in Boston. Sagansky started off as a young graduate of Tufts dental school and quickly gave up his practice for the lucrative numbers racket. Not only was he a numbers bookie,but he became known as the top layoff man in the city.When far too much money was gambled on certain numbers, Doc would take the layoffs from other bookmakers.Doc became a millionaire and was regarded as Boston's biggest bookmaker. By Domenic Spinale

Nails, whose real name was Joe Snyder, was a Boston native connected with the Winter Hill gang.Snyder had been given the nickname Nails by the professional gamblers in Las Vegas, for his tenacity in dealing with point spreads on sports betting.He was considered "hard as nail" for never taking the worst of a point spread on ant gambling event.If Joe favored betting on a game at one particular point spread,and the number was not available,he would not make the bet.By Domenic Spinale

Stefano Magaddino, also known as The Undertaker, was born October 10, 1891, in Castellammare, Sicily. After being shot at in Brooklyn by the Buccellato clan, Magaddino relocated to Buffalo. In WNY, Magaddino set up shop and started a bootlegging business, allowing the Cleveland Syndicate and Moe Dalitz's "Big Jewish Navy" to smuggle illegal booze from Canada through Buffalo! And when any of his rivals or regular citizens got in the way and needed to be "disposed of", he also owned the the Magaddino Memorial Chapel funeral home! Yasmin Young

Benedetto Angelo Palmeri was born Jan. 12, 1878, to Francesco and Anna Caleca Palmeri in Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily.
Palmeri's violent tendencies resulted in a 1915 arrest for assaulting a police officer. He was convicted and fined $250. His reputation was enhanced by the nickname "Buffalo Bill," reportedly awarded to him because he wore cowboy hats and carried a holstered pistol. DiCarlo home page.

Salvatore "Tom Mix" Santoro of the Luchese family bore a resemblance to an old time cowboy film star called Tom Mix.

Colombo associate Joseph Luparelli preferred eating fish to meat.
Hence the name Joe " Fish" Luparelli.

Angelo Bruno's prohibition on violence earned him the nickname "the Docile Don".He became famous for settling disputes through compromise, both inside and outside the Family. His 22 years as boss were remarkable for their lack of violence.
Book "the Plumber"

Nicodemo Domenic "Little Nicky" Scarfo (March 8, 1929 – January 13, 2017) was a member of the American Mafia who eventually became the boss of the Philadelphia crime family after the death of Angelo Bruno and Phil Testa. During his criminal career, Scarfo was described by some as psychotic, cruel and vicious. From many accounts of his former criminal associates who testified against him, he would want to murder someone if he was shown the slightest bit of disrespect or even if he was stared at. wikipedia

On the subject of his height,Scarfo was particularly senstive.No reference to it was ever allowed,and though among themselves his associates referred to him as "Little Nicky" or "the Little Guy". No one dared to use these terms within his hearing. Book The Plumber.

John DiFronzo (born December 13, 1928), known as John "No Nose" DiFronzo is an American mobster and the boss of the Chicago Outfit. DiFronzo, a former enforcer and caporegime, first appeared in the criminal record in 1949. He got the nickname "No Nose" because he sliced off part of his nose while jumping through a window during a 1949 clothing store burglary. Reportedly, the police gave him back the missing part which was almost perfectly restored. Wikipedia

Angelo J. "The Hook" LaPietra (1920–1999) was a Chicago mobster and member of the Chicago Outfit, involved in extensive loansharking operations in the city's First Ward during the 1970s and 1980s. He earned his nickname "The Hook" due to the way he murdered his victims—those that did not, or could not pay up. He would take his victim—bound and gagged—and hang him on a meat hook, (piercing the victim's rib cage with the meat hook) and then torture him to death with a blow-torch. The torch would not actually be the cause of death. The victims most often died from suffocation. wikipedia

Ciment, did you see my post? I was hoping you might know.

My apologies, I must of overlooked it by mistake.
Yes, it would be funny to watch their facial expression. Who knows may some were probably killed for uttering such name.
But I could picture a scenario of mafia soldiers having a conversation that is taped by the FBI and said tapes being released in court. Then having their mafia boss read in media reports what his unwanted nickname was.

"Patty the Pig" — for Patrick DeFilippo, accused in a federal indictment of being a member of the Bonanno family. This was the pre-diet nickname for a Bronx man who used to weigh roughly 300 pounds.

"Patty from the Bronx" — DeFilippo's post-diet nickname.

-taken from the Chicago syndicate web site.

"Good Lookin' Sal" — for Salvatore Vitale, an acknowledged Bonanno family member and government witness. Court records indicate he came up with the name himself and urged underlings to use it.
--taken from the Chicago syndicate web site.

Mikey Scars" — for Michael DiLeonardo, an acknowledged Gambino family member and government witness. From scars he received in a childhood accident.
--taken from the Chicago syndicate web site.

"Nicky Eye Glasses" — for Nicholas Marangello, a convicted member of the Bonanno family. His glasses were very thick.
--taken from the Chicago syndicate web site.

"Kid Blast" — for Albert Gallo, a convicted member of the Gambino family. He was known for enjoying parties.
--taken from the Chicago syndicate web site.

Salvatore ‘Toto’ Riina, one of the most feared Godfathers in the history of the Sicilian Mafia, has died.

The 87-year-old, nicknamed ‘The Beast’ because of his brutality, had been serving multiple life sentences for his role in a number of high-profile murders as a Cosa Nostra boss.Also known as "Toto u curtu"(shorty)

Salvatore Maranzano was nicknamed "Little Caesar" because he was a Roman military history buff, had a bust of Caesar in his office, regaled about Caesar's exploits, and like Caesar, he was stabbed and killed.

"Phil Lucky" — for Philip Giaccone, a convicted Gambino family member. The name was unintentionally ironic; he was assassinated by a rival.
--taken from the Chicago syndicate web site

"Louie Bagels" — for Louis Daidone, a convicted member of the Lucchese family. He owned a bagel shop in Queens, N.Y.
--taken from the Chicago syndicate web site

"Mikey Y." — for Michael Yannotti, a convicted associate of the Gambino family. Easier than saying his last name.
-taken from the Chicago syndicate web site

"Richie from the Bronx" — for Richard Martino, a convicted Gambino family member. Apparently used to distinguish him from the many other Richies involved with the Mob.
-taken from the Chicago syndicate web site

Mobsters sometimes use nicknames with each other to avoid easy identification by the feds. The mob boss Vincent "Chin" Gigante (whose nickname was "Cinzini," short for "Vincenzo",) insisted that his name never be spoken aloud. His wiseguys were told instead to rub their fingers across their chin or, at one point, to refer to him as their "Aunt Julia." Meanwhile, the press dubbed Gigante "The Oddfather" after he began posing as a schizophrenic in the late 1960s.By Daniel Engber

BENJAMIN “BUGSY” SIEGEL
The feared, entrepreneurial mobster (he ran his first gang at 14 years old) had a tough time controlling his temper, which led people whispering behind his back that he had “gone bugs” or was “crazy as a bedbug.” Bugsy hated the nickname though, and if any of his guys called him that to his face, they would’ve probably lost theirs. From Lineup

CHARLES “LUCKY” LUCIANO
Luciano was top dog in New York City’s crime syndicate in the early 1930s, but his quick rise to power (by off-ing “Joe the Boss” Masseria) wasn’t the reason Lucky got his nickname. The way he told it, he narrowly escaped several attacks on his life, including the one that left scars on his face and a droopy right eye. From Lineup

My memory of why former New England mob boss Francis Salemme – had received the nickname “Cadillac Frank” was because at one time, he worked on Cadillac cars at a garage in Boston. Francis P. Salemme [Salemmi], also known as "Cadillac Frank" and "Julian Daniel Selig" (born August 18, 1933), is a Boston, Massachusetts mobster who became a hitman and eventually the boss of the Patriarca crime family of New England before turning government witness. Wikipedia

Vincemt "the schemer" Drucci was on of the leaders on the North Side Gang of Chicago: After serving his country in the military, Vincent Drucci at a young age is involved with crime. He begins by robbing telephone coin boxes when he is noticed by the Northsiders. Nicknamed "The Schemer" for his various plans such as how to overthrow the government by killing everyone in command and becoming president of the U.S.
Drucci is a wacky fun gangster, at least to his co-horts. To others, especially rivals he was one tough torpedo to tangle with. One episode has him dressed as a priest on the sidewalk and as a couple walks by Drucci blurts out "You have a nice ass" As soon as they turn around to face the insulting Drucci he blurts out "Not you lady, your fellow!"

One time Dean O'Banion himself participated in the mayhem by pretending to kick the shit out of Drucci whilst in the priest outfit.

Other madcap jokes done by the druccmeister where done to drivers who delivered bootleg booze for the Northsiders. The driver would arrive at Schofield's and park his car out back and then drive off with the Northsider's truck in front for booze pick ups or deliveries. Once in winter time, Drucci went out back of the Flower shop and filled the driver's car full of snow. When the unsuspecting driver came out back to see his car, he was left in total shock. Drucci had shovelled snow inside his car right to the top. The driver was pissed off and Drucci was no where to be seen. When learning of this O'Banion laughed his head off but sympathized with the driver. O'Banion had to pay to have the car cleaned out.

Another joke performed by Drucci was the shoe game. Whenever someone in the gang had a new pair of shoes Drucci would yell "shoes!!!" and tackle the new shoe wearer to the ground while removing the new footwear and throwing it as far as he could. Hymie Weiss fell victim one day on the second floor of Schofield's flower shop. Drucci saw that Weiss had a shiny new pair on so he immediately tackled Weiss to the ground, removing his shoes and throwing them out the open window to the ground below. Coming up the street was a Northside truck driver who saw the foot covering missiles hitting the ground and the word "Shoes!" being yelled out.

Hymie stuck his head out and asked the driver to kindly retrieve the shoes and bring them up. Meanwhile, Weiss was calling Drucci every expletive available. Al Capone Museum

Joseph "Piney" Armone, also known as Shorty, (September 13, 1917 – February 23, 1992) was a gangster in the Gambino crime family who served as underboss. Born on the Upper East Side, Manhattan, Armone earned his nickname "Piney" in the 1930s by extorting money from Christmas tree vendors.[1] He was the younger brother of mobster Stephen Armone, an early member of the Mangano crime family, forerunner of the Gambino family.wikipedia

Anthony J. "Tiger" Cardarella (1926–1984) was a Kansas City, Missouri mob figure involved in large-scale fencing operations. Cardarella was the owner of Tiger's Records shop on Independence Avenue in Kansas City. He was also a suspect, along with Felix Ferina, in a gangland shooting for which he always insisted on his own innocence. Cardarella served five years in prison for receiving stolen property including firearms. He was noted for paying professional thieves and shoplifters to steal records from other record stores, such as Walmart. Wikipedia

Philip Lombardo (pronounced "loam-BAR-doh") (October 6, 1908 in New York City – April 1987) also known as "Benny Squint" and "Cockeyed Phil", was the boss of the Genovese crime family from the late 1960s until the beginning of the 1980s. Lombardo began his career as a soldier on Michael "Trigger Mike" Coppola's powerful 116th Street Crew in the East Harlem section of New York. During the 1940s, Lombardo served a brief prison stretch for narcotics trafficking, his only imprisonment. Due to his thick eyeglasses Lombardo earned the nickname, "Benny Squint."wikipedia

ROME - After 13 years on the run, the woman with 'the eyes of ice' who reputedly directed a crime syndicate for her imprisoned brother gave herself up to police who came knocking at dawn yesterday at a fortified villa outside Naples, police said.
The arrest of Rosetta Cutolo, 57, in the mob stronghold of Ottaviano was the second important strike by authorities at organised crime in less than a month.
Authorities believe Rosetta Cutolo had been running the syndicate for her brother, Raffaele Cutolo, who is serving a life sentence in a Sardinian prison for crimes in the name of his Nuova Camorra Organizzata, a powerful branch of the Camorra, as Neapolitan crime gangs are known.
Rosetta Cutolo is nicknamed 'ice eyes' for the hardened look from her blue eyes. She never married, apparently to devote her life to her brother. She had been sought since 9 September, 1981, when she was believed to have escaped during a police raid on a house in search of crime bosses. Independent news.

Pietro Aglieri (born June 6, 1959 in Palermo) is a Sicilian mafioso from the Guadagna neighbourhood in Palermo. He is known as U Signurinu ("The Little Gentleman") for his relatively sophisticated education and refined manners. He had a classical education and studied Greek, Latin, philosophy, history and literature to a level that guaranteed him entry to university. Instead he chose for a career in Cosa Nostra.In spite of his youth and misleadingnickname (the Little Gentleman), Aglieri was everybit as violent as the rest of the Corleone bosses
before him. wikipedia.

BARNES, Leroy (a.k.a. Mr. Untouchable; the King of Harlem)
Leroy “Mr. Untouchable” Barnes was a legendary drug dealer and crime boss in Harlem who was the John Gotti of his day,according to famed crime writer Jerry Capeci. Barnes was a well-known drug
dealer, and yet he survived numerous trials. The name “Mr. Untouchable” was given to him by the New York Times who featured him on the cover of their Sunday magazine. All the while he was dealing drugs, Barnes was also a deacon of a popular Harlem
church that was famed for giving out turkeys to needy families on Thanksgiving and toys to less-fortunate children on Christmas. Carlo Devito

CARLISI, Samuel (a.k.a. Sam Wings)
Sammy was the driver of Joey Aiuppa, former
Chicago Outfit boss. Sammy received his nickname
in the 1970s because he flew around the country as a
mob courier. He often represented Joseph Ferriola,
another high-ranking outfit capo, who suffered from
cancer.
Sammy was well known for racketeering, loan
sharking, and arson as well as several illegal gambling
businesses in the Chicago area and the west suburbs.
He was sentenced to prison where he died in 1997
Carlo Devito

Frank “The Prime Minister” Costello:
Also known as the “Chairman of the Board.” He was such a powerful mob boss that when he testified in front of the televised Kefauver Hearings looking into organized crime in 1951, he refused to let the cameras show his face. They showed only his hands and viewers heard only his voice. Marlon Brando studied those hand gestures and mastered that voice for his role as Don Vito Corleone in The Godfather. BY LORENZO CARCATERRA

John DiFronzo (born December 13, 1928), known as John "No Nose" DiFronzo is an American mobster and the reputed current boss of the Chicago Outfit.
DiFronzo, a former enforcer and caporegime, first appeared in the criminal record in 1949. He got the nickname "No Nose" because he sliced off part of his nose while jumping through a window during a 1949 clothing store burglary. Reportedly, the police gave him back the missing part which was almost perfectly restored.[2] In 1950, DiFronzo served two years in prison for burglary.
Wikipedia

Louis Tom Dragna (July 18, 1920 - November 16, 2012) was a mobster and nephew of Jack Dragna and son of Tom Dragna.He was active in the Los Angeles crime family from the 1940s until the early 1980s. Louis Tom Dragna was born on July 18, 1920 in Los Angeles, California to father Tom Dragna. He has a younger brother, Frank Paul Dragna (nicknamed "Two Eyes" to distinguish him from his cousin who had the same name and had a glass eye).wikipedia

Thomas Cacciopoli (born September 5, 1949), also known as Tommy Sneakers and Cacci, is a high-ranking member of the Gambino crime family, holding the rank of caporegime in the Queens, New Jersey, and Westchester faction of the family.
After John Gotti became boss in December 1985, Cacciopoli became a made member in the crew led by Gotti's son, John "Junior" Gotti and brother Peter Gotti. When John Gotti went to prison in 1992 and Junior Gotti became acting boss, Cacciopoli became Junior's top protegee and bodyguard. Cacciopoli allegedly received his moniker "Tommy Twitch" because he suffered from case facial neuralgia, an uncontrollable muscle spasm condition
wikipedia

Michael DiLeonardo (born June 18, 1955) is a former Italian-American mobster turned government informant. He was a capo belonging to the Gambino family. In the early 2000s, DiLeonardo decided to cooperate with the FBI and managed to convict over 80 mobsters. He was temporarily in a witness protection program. Born in New York City, DiLeonardo grew up in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. He lived there until 1998, when he moved to Eltingville, Staten Island. At age 10, DiLeonardo was scarred on the face by a dog attack, resulting in the nickname "Mikey Scars". His parents were second-generation immigrants, his father's parents immigrants from Bisacquino, Sicily. His mother was a seamstress and his father was a professional gambler. wikipedia

http://www.sj-r.com/x517526805/What-s-in-a-Mafia-nickname

What’s in a Mafia nickname?

https://nypost.com/2008/02/10/how-mobster-nicknames-get-made/

HOW MOBSTER NICKNAMES GET ‘MADE’

In Chicago, the big story was a funeral. The city was saying good-bye to the Dingbat. The "Dingbat" was John Oberta, his nickname derived from a comic strip. He was 29 at the time of his death. Like Taft he was a Republican politician, the 13th Ward Committeeman. Unlike Taft, he was a gangster. Oberta was a protégé of Big Tim Murphy, bootlegger and labor racketeer in the Back-of-the-Yards neighborhood. One morning Big Tim opened his front door and had his head blown off by a shotgun blast. A few months later, Dingbat married Big Tim’s widow. Now Dingbat was gone, too. He had been found shot dead in his car, along with his chauffeur, on a deserted road near Willow Springs. By 1930 the gangster funeral had become a familiar Chicago custom. Dingbat’s friends would not scrimp. “I’m giving him the same I gave Tim,” Mrs. Murphy Oberta told reporters. Dingbat was waked in his home on South Richmond Avenue. He lay in a $15,000 mahogany coffin with silver handles, under a blanket of orchids.
Chicago Tribune

Julian "Potatoes" Kaufman was a personal O'Banion friend who provided him with advice and direction in the North Side Gang's gambling operations. Kaufman whose nickname originated from a sideline in speculating on potatos futures,was the son of a millionaire commission broker.His disdain for the law struck him at the age of 13 when his mother got shot and killed by a gang of boy bandits in a robbery gone wrong.
By Rose Keefe

Jake Guzik. His nickname "Greasy thumb", was the result of him proverbially greasing the wheels (throwing money bribes) at many an official who tried to put a halt to Capone's organization.

Aglieri is special, very religious guy. At one time he was seen as the new boss of bosses.

Matthew Joseph "Matty the Horse" Ianniello (June 18, 1920 – August 15, 2012) was a New York mobster with the Genovese crime family who was once the acting boss of the Genovese Crime Family. During the 1960s and 1970s, Ianniello controlled the lucrative adult entertainment business that was then centered in the Times Square section of Manhattan. Ianniello allegedly got his nickname "Matty The Horse" in a youth baseball game. Ianniello was a gifted player with a hard swing. During one game, the opposing pitcher threw a hard pitch into the face of the batter. A fight erupted in which Ianniello knocked down the pitcher, who was older and taller than him. After this episode, someone remarked about Ianniello: "That boy is as strong as a horse. wikipedia

Tino "T" Fiumara (August 11, 1941 – September 16, 2010), also known as "The Greek", was a major figure in the Genovese crime family. Since the 1980s, he had been the leader of the Genovese New Jersey faction in northern New Jersey. After his final release from prison Fiumara lived on Long Island. Tino Fiumara was born in Livingston, New Jersey to parents from Ali Superiore, Italy. His associates usually called him "T" or "the good-looking guy." Fiumara later earned the nickname "The Greek" from operating a crew in a Greek neighborhood of Bergen County, New Jersey.wikipedia

Stephen Armone (November 17, 1899 Palermo, Sicily – 1960), also known as "14th Street Steve", was a New York gangster with the Gambino crime family who ran gambling operations in Lower Manhattan. He was the older brother of Gambino capo Joseph Armone. Armone moved to the United States with his family to Queens. A small-statured man with black-gray hair, he limped due to a previous hip fracture. His arrest record included assault and battery with intent to kill, burglary, and narcotics laws violations. Armone was a leader of Gambino operations in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. He engaged in large-scale narcotics smuggling and distribution.wikipedia

Jack "Jack the Whack" Rizzocascio
This self-explanatory handle must be the ultimate clichéd gangster nickname.However, according to the FBI this mob moniker belongs to an associate of New York's Colombo crime family who was arrested.

Carmine Persico had a few "Junior", "The Snake", and "Immortal". I love the latter.

Ellsworth Raymond Johnson (October 31, 1905 – July 7, 1968) — known as "Bumpy" Johnson — was an African American mob boss and bookmaker in New York City's Harlem neighborhood. The main Harlem associate of the Luciano crime family, Johnson's criminal career has inspired films and television. Johnson was born in Charleston, South Carolina on October 31, 1905. Johnson derived his nickname "Bumpy" from a bump on the back of his head. After being released from prison in 1932, Johnson learned that notorious gangster Dutch Schultz, who was known as the Beer Baron of the Bronx, had moved in on the numbers racket in Harlem. Any numbers banker who refused to turn over his numbers operation to Schultz was targeted for violence. Schultz was murdered in 1935, which was arranged by Lucky Luciano and the National Crime Syndicate.
Luciano took over most of Schultz's number operations in Harlem but made a deal with Johnson which allowed the numbers bankers who had fought for their independence to remain independent as long as their operations participated in the Mafia's central gambling pool and Black operators tributes were paid. That deal made Johnson an instant hero in the eyes of many Harlemites, who were impressed that a black man could actually cut deals with the Italian Mafia.
Johnson was soon the toast of Harlem,and became friends with many Harlem luminaries such as Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Ethel Waters, Cab Calloway, Lena Horne, Billie Holiday, and Sugar Ray Robinson. He also became the de facto crime boss of Harlem: no one could conduct criminal activities in his section of New York without first going through him. wikipedia

Frank Lucas (born September 9, 1930)is an American former drug trafficker, who operated in Harlem during the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was particularly known for cutting out middlemen in the drug trade and buying heroin directly from his source in the Golden Triangle. Lucas boasted that he smuggled heroin using the coffins of dead American servicemen,but this claim is denied by his South East Asian associate, Leslie "Ike" Atkinson. Rather than hide the drugs in the coffins, they were hidden in the pallets underneath as depicted in the 2007 feature film American Gangster in which he was played by Denzel Washington. Wiki pedia
Gave himself the nickname Superfly possibly inspired by the 1972 film Superfly, follows a character named Priest who is super slick,clever and crafty up and coming drug dealer.

James "Mad Bomber" Belcastro (1895 – August 23, 1945) was a Black Hand gang member, extortionist, and later chief bomber for the Chicago Outfit during Prohibition.
Known as "King of the Bombers", Belcastro was highly skilled at constructing improvised explosive devices. He used these skills to extort money from business owners in Chicago's Little Italy district during the 1910s. In the early 1920s, Johnny Torrio and Al Capone formed the Chicago Outfit and put the Black Hand gangs out of business. However, Capone invited Belcastro to join the Outfit and he soon became a prominent member. During the mid to late 1920s, Belcastro was suspected of causing over 100 deaths while bombing saloons that refused to buy alcohol from Capone. Wikipedia

Salvatore Joseph "Teets" Battaglia (November 5, 1908 – September 7, 1973) was a Chicago mobster and high-level member of the Chicago Outfit criminal organization.Battaglia was born in Chicago, Illinois. At age 16, Battaglia joined bosses Johnny Torrio and Al Capone in the Chicago Outfit at the start of the gang war against the mostly Irish North Side Gang, which was under boss Dean O'Banion. By the late 1930s, Battaglia had become a high-ranking member of the Outfit and a formidable loan shark.] Debtors behind in their payments would be brought to Battaglia in the back room of the Casa Madrid restaurant, in Chicago, where they would be severely beaten or killed. Supposedly Battaglia's nickname "Teets" came from one such encounter. Another mobster was questioning Battaglia's handling of a debtor and Battaglia yelled back at him, "Shaddup, or I'll bust ya in da teets! wikipedia

Benjamin Ruggiero, also known as "Lefty", "Lefty Guns", and "Lefty Two Guns", was a soldier in the Bonanno crime family. He is well known for his friendship and mentorship of FBI undercover agent Joseph "Donnie Brasco" Pistone.Wikipedia
He was given the nickname,Lefty, because when he shot dice, he always roll them with his left hand. The nickname, Two Guns, came from the observation that whenever he shot someone, he always did it with one gun in each hand. Keisha Joseph

Salvatore "Sally Dogs" Lombardi, uncle of Big Ang of Mob Wives, was low-key capo of the Genovese Crime Family. Even though he held the capo position within the highest profile criminal family in New York, Salvatore Lombardi is not very well known, publicly. He lived in Brooklyn and he and his crew members operated out of the Gravesend section. Big Ang says her uncle was like a bulldog that is why he was given the name”Sally Dogs”. Keisha Joseph & wikipedia

Tommaso "The Ox" Petto (1879–1905) was a New York mobster and leading hitman in the Morello crime family during the early 1900s.
Born around 1879, Petto lived in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. His nickname "The Ox" came from his massive head and frame. Petto's nominal profession was that of a suit presser, but his real job was working for the Morello family. The Morello family was a Sicilian clan in Manhattan that became infamous for killing their rivals, stuffing them in barrels, and leaving them on street corners.wikipedia

Carmine "Charley Wagons" Fatico (January 19, 1910 East New York, Brooklyn-August 1, 1991) was a Caporegime in the New York Gambino crime family. Fatico is best known as an early mentor to Gambino boss John Gotti. Fatico was a short, slim man known more for his intelligence than his physical power. However, Fatico did not shrink from brutal violence when he deemed it necessary. Fatico quickly became a leading capo in the Gambino family due to his unfailing loyalty and obedience, and his tireless and innovative ability to earn money. Fatico's nickname "Charley Wagons" alluded to his penchant for hijacking transport trucks. Carmine Fatico had a brother, Daniel Fatico, who was his partner in all his rackets.wikipedia

Alphonse "Allie Shades" Malangone (born December 2, 1936) is a New York City mobster and caporegime in the Genovese crime family, headed by Vincent Gigante. Malangone controlled the Genovese interests in the Fulton Fish Market, as well as being involved in pump and dump stock scams on Wall Street, and controlling Brooklyn's garbage hauling industry. He was a central figure in the book "Takedown: The Fall of the Last Mafia Empire" an autobiography by NYPD officer Rick Cowan who went undercover for several years in the commercial garbage industry, posing as a family member of Brooklyn garbage company and eventually gaining access to the garbage cartel's organization, he Kings County Trade Waste Association. ISBN 0-425-19299-7 Cowen describes Malangone as the cagiest and most relatable of mobsters he dealt with.
He got his nickname for always wearing aviator style tinted sunglasses, even at night.wikipedia

Francesco Carrone, also known as "Buzzy" or "Buzz", was an Italian-American Gambino crime family associate (1938 - 1975 Walpole, Massachusetts). He was a close friend of Thomas Agro and Peter Calabrese.Born in the Little Italy section of Manhattan, Carrone was nickamed "Buzz" because of his violent temper. He joined the Gambino family as an associate, working under caporegime Thomas Agro, and later Carmine Fatico, in the Bergin Hunt and Fish Club crew. He was involved in bank robbery and hijacking as a "stick up man". Carrone also trafficked small shipments of cocaine, marijuana and Quaaludes in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
His right eye was gouged or shot out, severing nerve endings and paralyzing facial muscles and giving the impression that half of his face was smiling. It is unclear how or who was responsible for Carrone losing his eye. As a result of the injury, he suffered from depth perception issues in the years following his accident. Carrone suffered from narcissistic personality disorder, borderline personality disorder and antisocial personality disorder. After his disfigurement, Carrone's condition was made worse by a severe case of posttraumatic stress disorder. wikipedia

Frank "Punchy" Illiano (1928 – January 6, 2014) was a Brooklyn capo with the Genovese crime family. During the 1960s and 1970s, he served as a top lieutenant to the Gallo brothers in their two wars with the Colombo crime family leadership.Illiano began his criminal career as a member of the Gallo crew in the Profaci crime family, later known as the Colombo family. Illiano earned the nickname "Punchy" as a result of a short boxing career. His capo was "Crazy Joey" Gallo, who would become infamous for his feuds with the Profaci family bosses. wikipedia

Salvatore Maceo, also known as Sam Maceo, was a businessman, community leader, and organized crime boss in Galveston, Texas in the United States. Because of his efforts, Galveston Island became a nationally known resort town during the early and mid 20th century, a period known as Galveston's Open Era. He and his brother, both Sicilian immigrants, owned numerous restaurant and casino venues including the now-vanished Hollywood Dinner Club and the Balinese Room. Sometimes known as the "Velvet Glove," Sam's smooth style and ability to influence people were legendary. He was able to wield influence comparable to an elected official and he held relationships with celebrities and politicians throughout Texas and the United States.During his lifetime he and his island home were known nationwide.

Vincent "Vinny Ocean" Palermo (born June 4, 1944) is a former Italian--American mobster who was de facto boss of the New Jersey DeCavalcante crime family before becoming a government witness. Fictional mob boss Tony Soprano, the protagonist of the HBO series The Sopranos, is said to be based upon Palermo.Palermo was raised in a traditional Italian family in Brooklyn, New York. He has five sisters, including Claire and Nancy, and one brother. His father was an Italian immigrant who moved to New York when he was a teenager. Palermo came from a close-knit family, and was said to have lived a harmonious lifestyle. He was an altar boy during adolescence. When Palermo was sixteen, his father died, which forced him to leave school and work two jobs to help support his family, as his mother was a bedridden asthmatic. In his earlier years, Palermo worked at a wholesale fish business in the Fulton Fish Market, where he earned the nickname "Vinny Ocean".

Benedetto Santapaola (born June 4, 1938), better known as Nitto is a prominent mafioso from Catania, the main city and industrial centre on Sicily's east coast. His nickname is il cacciatore (the hunter), because of his passion for shooting game. He is currently in jail serving several life sentences.Nitto Santapaola was born in the degraded neighbourhood of San Cristoforo, in Catania, into a poor family together with his brothers Salvatore, Antonino, Natale and numerous cousins, such as the Ferrera clan, the Ercolano clan and the Romeo clan, all members or associates of Cosa Nostra, and the future nucleus of the Santapaola-Ercolano Mafia family.wikipedia

Arthur Simon Flegenheimer was born into a Jewish family of German immigrants in New York City on August 6, 1902, the Feast of the Transfiguration. Early in his life his father abandoned the family, and life was harsh for Arthur, his mother and his younger sister. He dropped out of school in the eighth grade to help support the family. He quickly fell into a life of crime and by age 18 was serving a prison sentence. He was paroled on December 8, 1920, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Going to work for Schultz Trucking, he swiftly returned to crime. Among his gangland colleagues he adopted the nom de crime of Dutch Schultz. Gangster Joey Noe hired him in 1928 to work as a bouncer at a small speakeasy, Hub Social Group. Impressed by his brutality and ruthlessness, Noe took Schultz into partnership and soon he became wealthy owning with Noe a chain of speakeasies. The Noe-Schultz gang quickly became a power in Manhattan, the sole non-Italian gang to rival the five Italian crime organizations that would later merge as the founding five families of the American Mafia.

The expansion into the upper west side of Manhattan, brought Noe and Schultz into conflict with Irish-American gangster Jack “Legs” Diamond. War breaking out between the gangs, Joey Noe was gunned down and died on November 21, 1928. Schultz was crushed by the loss of his friend and mentor.

Cesare "The Tall Guy" Bonventre (January 1, 1951 – April 16, 1984) was a Sicilian mobster and caporegime for the New York City Bonanno crime family. Born in Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily, Bonventre was a member of the Sicilian Mafia. During the 1960s, the New York crime families imported young Sicilian men from Sicily to the United States to work as drug traffickers and hitmen. American mobsters soon derisively dubbed the Sicilians "Zips" due to their fast speech. Bonanno boss Carmine Galante brought Bonventre to New York to be his bodyguard. Bonventre soon became the unofficial underboss of the Bonanno family Sicilians. Bonventre's uncle was John Bonventre, a former Bonanno underboss. Bonventre was also a cousin of the first family boss Joseph Bonanno and Bonanno mobster Baldassare "Baldo" Amato. In 1979 Cesare and Baldassare were arrested for carrying illegal firearms in their car after being stopped by police at the Green Acres Mallin Valley Stream, New York shortly before the execution of Carmine Galante. In April 1981 they were convicted and after serving two months. Ralph Blumenthal wrote in Last Days of the Sicilians: The FBI's War Against the Mafia that Cesare identified himself to law enforcement as "a pizza man from Brooklyn".
He was a regular habituate of his cousin Baldassare Amato's deli run by his family located at Second Avenue and Eighty-fourth Street in Yorkville, New York. The deli had burned down not long before January 1984 but in its place the Amato family built an apartment building with a sleek Italian cafe and restaurant called Biffi. Bonventre's moniker was "The Tall Guy" because he stood close to six feet nine tall. Lean and handsome, Bonventre frequented clubs such as The Toyland Social Cluband the Knickerbocker Avenue area with other Sicilian mobsters.wikipedia

Giovanni Brusca (born 20 February 1957 in San Giuseppe Jato) is a former member of the Sicilian Mafia. He murdered the anti-Mafia prosecutor Giovanni Falcone in 1992 and once stated that he had committed between 100 and 200 murders but was unable to remember the exact number. He was sentenced to life in prison in absentia, captured in 1996 and started to cooperate with the authorities.
A pudgy, bearded and unkempt mafioso, Brusca was known in Mafia circles as "U' Verru" (in Sicilian) or Il Porco or Il Maiale, (In Italian: The Pig, The Swine) or "lo scannacristiani" (people-slayer; in Italian dialects the word "christians" often stands for "human beings"). Tommaso Buscetta, the Mafia turncoat who had cooperated with Falcone’s investigations, remembered Giovanni Brusca as "a wild stallion but a great leader. wikipedia

Michele Zaza (Italian pronunciation: [miˈkɛːle ˈdzaddza]; Procida, April 10, 1945 – Rome, July 18, 1994) was a member of the Camorra criminal organisation who was also initiated in the Sicilian Mafia. He headed the Zaza-Mazzarella clan in Naples. Zaza was known as ’O Pazzo (the madman) due to his outspoken and implausible public statements. He was one of the first Camorristi to emerge as a powerful organiser of the cigarette contraband industry in the 1960s and 1970s. A son of a fisherman from Procida (the smallest of the three islands in the Gulf of Naples) he grew up in the poor neighbourhood Portici in Naples. The second of three brothers, Zaza had a troubled youth with involvement in burglaries, fighting, and even attempted murder.[1] His had his first encounter with the law in 1961 when he was arrested for being involved in a street fight.[2][3] In the 1960s, he became the leader of a successful cigarette smuggling group through the port of Naples besides the other predominant group, the Maisto clan. With his relatives, the Mazzarella family, he controlled the zones from San Giovanni a Teduccio to Santa Lucia.[1]
By 1974 there was evidence that he had risen in the criminal underworld when he was arrested with important Mafiosi like Gerlando Alberti, Stefano Bontade and Rosario Riccobono. Soon after that he was arrested in Palermo with Mafia boss Alfredo Bono for illegal possession of firearms.[4] Zaza was an extravagant and prolific cigarette smuggler. He once described his activities during questioning by an investigating magistrate: “First I’d sell five cases of Philip Morris, then ten, then a thousand, then three thousand, and I bought myself six or seven ships that you took away from me… I used to load fifty thousand cases a month… I could load a hundred thousand cases, US$10 million on thrust; all I had to do was make a phone call… I’d buy US$24 million worth of Philip Morris in three months. My lawyer will show you the receipts. I’m proud of that - US$24 million!” wikipedia

https://www.npr.org/2018/06/26/6232...-and-the-nicknames-of-american-mobsters?

'Cadillac Frank,' 'Ice Pick Willie,' And The Nicknames Of American Mobsters

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/news/2018/06/25/mob-museum-havana-tour/

Step back in time to 1950s Havana with a new tour from the Mob Museum

From Vinnie Aspirins to Smoked Thighs: How mobsters get their nicknames and why they need them

http://nationalpost.com/wcm/68b2e694-1115-4921-9d88-448e81176b6d