What is the term for a contradictory nickname such as "Tiny" for a very large person?
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A hypernym is 'ironicism'. – Edwin Ashworth May 06 '17 at 21:11
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Related: https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/338978/etymology-of-the-nick-used-in-nickname/338983#338983 – May 06 '17 at 21:30
1 Answers
This is an ironic nickname (or ironic appellation if you want to get all formal about it).
Here is a definition which uses the example nickname you have used in your question:
The most famous one is probably the name "Tiny". Any guy called "Tiny" will invariably be either morbidly obese or eight feet tall with more muscles than a Mr Universe contest. The same is true for "Shorty" or "Pipsqueak" or any variation on a name or nickname implying "very small."
-- tvropes.com
An ironic nickname is (as the linked definition above goes on to explain) a subtrope of non-indicative name because it is not indicative of any actual characteristics belonging to the object it is referring to. So the type of name you have referred to is both a non-indicative-name and more specifically an ironic name.
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