120+ Army Nicknames: Cool, Powerful, & Historical Military Monikers

Nicknames are ingrained in military culture, from "jarhead" to "fly boy" and beyond. Each branch of the armed forces comes with its own nicknames. It’s also common for individual members of the military to have their own unique nicknames. Whether you're looking for inspiration for your own military nickname or just curious about famous nicknames of historical soldiers and military units, we’ve got you covered! Keep reading for a list of cool and impressive nicknames for military members, the best military nicknames for the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marines, best historical military nicknames, and tips on how to come up with the perfect military nickname.

Common Military Nicknames for Soldiers

Ghost
Dread
Gunslinger
Jar Head
Menace

Section 1 of 10:

Cool Military Nicknames for Soldiers

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These nicknames highlight your strength, agility, and daring-do. Whether you’re in the Army, Air Force, Navy, or Marines, you need a nickname that showcases your military prowess! Check out these cool and empowering nicknames for inspiration:
- Ghost
- Reaper
- Ranger
- Hawk
- Phantom
- Tank
- Grim Reaper
- Shadow
- Devil
- Dread
- Smoke
- Viper
- Maverick
- Menace
- Demon
- Hurricane
- Midnight
- Rage Machine
- Storm
- Gunslinger

Section 2 of 10:

Powerful Nicknames for Military Teams

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Looking for a nickname for your team? These nicknames for individual units and squads showcase your team’s stealth, prowess, and strength, no matter what branch of the military you’re in:
- Wolf Pack
- Shadow Havoc
- Steel Vortex
- Phantom Elite
- Iron Legion
- Viper Strike
- Shadow Brigade
- Sentinel Force
- Stealth Hawks
- Battleborn
- Fury Command
- Thunder Squad
- Viper Division
- Iron Tempest
- War Hammers
- Blaze Force
- Frostbite Unit
- Silent Vanguards
- Rogue Titans
- Thunder Hawk

Section 3 of 10:

Army & Special Forces Nicknames

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The Army itself, as well as members of this military branch, have their own special and classic nicknames. They range from the silly to the intimidating (and a few fall somewhere in between):
- 11 Bullet Catcher – an infantryman
- Bang-Bang – an infantryman
- Dirt Dobber – a member of the Army
- Dittybopper – someone who marches out of sync with a military cadence, or an Army term for signals intelligence radio operators who use Morse code^{[1]
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- Geardo – a soldier who spends too much money on gear
- Grunts – Army and Marine infantry
- Jawa – a soldier stationed in a desert area (named for the desert-dwelling alien species in Star Wars)
- Joe – a soldier (shortened from G.I. Joe)
- Knuckle draggers – Army and Marine infantry
- POGs (Persons Other than Grunts) – someone who is not a "grunt" (this term is sometimes frowned upon by people in leadership positions, particularly if they are "POGs," so be cautious using it!^{[2]
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- Shavetail – second lieutenants in the Army (referring to their haircuts)
- Nicknames for Members of the Special Forces:
  - Green Berets
  - Quiet Professionals
  - Commandos
  - Soldier-Diplomats
  - Snake Eaters
  - Bearded Bastards

Section 4 of 10:

Air Force Nicknames

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There are quite a few Air Force-specific nicknames, both for this branch of the military itself as well as the specific roles within it. Check out some of these fun nicknames for members of the Air Force:
- Airedale – a member of the Air Force
- Blues buddies – a pair of Airmen who often leave base together in their dress blues during training
- Cadink – an officer cadet
- Chair Force – a nickname for the Air Force (some see this as derogatory, so be careful using it!)
- Flight Suit Insert – a pilot
- Fly boy – a member of the Air Force
- Latrine Queen – a trainee in basic training who is tasked with cleaning bathrooms
- Zoomie – someone in the Air Force

Section 5 of 10:

Navy Nicknames

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From "frogmen" to "shellbacks," the Navy has nicknames for just about every role and every military experience. Check out these classic ways to refer to the Navy, as well as members of this branch of the military.
- Black Shoe – a member of the surface Navy
- Blue Nose – a sailor who has crossed the Arctic Circle
- Brown Shoe – a Naval Aviator
- Bubble Head – a submariner
- Caterpillar – a naval aviator who has to bail out of their aircraft
- Frogmen – Navy SEALs
- Grape – someone who refuels aircraft (in the Air Force, a "grape" refers to an easy assignment or can be used as a compliment when a service member makes a task look easy)^{[3]
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- Puddle Pirates – general nickname for Navy service members
- Shellback – Navy sailors who have crossed the Equator^{[4]
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- Golden Shellback – Navy sailors who have sailed across the International Date Line while aboard a U.S. Navy vessel
- Sea Squatter – a Navy servicemember who has spent more than 24 hours afloat in a life raft
- Grand Order of Muskies – Navy submariners who have submerged in all five of the Great Lakes

Section 6 of 10:

Marines Nicknames

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The Marines have been called many things over their 200-plus-year history, from "jar head" to "devil dog." Check out these other famous ways to refer to the Marines at large and to individual Marines:
- Jar Head
- Crayon Eater
- Devil Dog
- Leatherneck
- Ground Pounder – a member of the infantry
- Bullet Catcher – a member of the infantry
- Grunts – Army and Marine infantry
- Knuckle draggers – Army and Marine infantry
- POGs (Persons Other than Grunts) – anyone who’s not a "grunt" or a "knuckledragger" (this one is frowned upon by those in leadership positions, especially if they themselves are "POGs," so be careful with this one!^{[5]
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Section 7 of 10:

Nicknames for Military Roles

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Nearly every role in the military comes with a fun, silly, catchy, or intimidating nickname. Whether you’re in the Marines, the Army, the Navy, or the Air Force, referring to your fellow soldiers by one of these classic nicknames is a way to strengthen your already-solid bond:
- Blue-head – a new recruit (so called because particularly pale recruits’ heads may appear blue after being shaved)
- Bones – any military doctor, especially in the Navy
- Brass – top-ranking officers
- Cherry – a new recruit still in basic training, or a new service member on their first assignment^{[6]
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- CO – commanding officer
- Doc – a military doctor or medic
- Legs – what paratroopers call non-airborne infantry (as part of their interservice rivalry)

Section 8 of 10:

Nicknames of Famous Soldiers

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Check out the nicknames of historical soldiers for inspiration. People have been donning cool or threatening nicknames for battle since the dawn of time (probably). If you’re stuck and need some real-life inspo, or you just want to learn some fun facts about some of the U.S.’s military leaders of the past, check out this list of historical soldier nicknames:
- "Angel in Fatigues" – Ruby Bradley, an Army nurse and POW in World War II
- "Bad Hand" – Ranald S. Mackenzie, U.S. Army general in the Civil War and Indian Wars
- "The Desert Fox" Rommel – German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, known for his tactics in North Africa.
- "Mad Dog" Mattis – Former U.S. Marine Corps General James Mattis, respected for his leadership.
- "Ol’ Blood and Guts" Patton – General George S. Patton, American general in World War II (he rejected this nickname, preferring "Bandito")
- "Ol' Fuss and Feathers" – Winfield Scott, U.S. Army general
- "Ol' Rough and Ready" – Zachary Taylor, U.S. Army general, 12th President of the United States
- "Old Hickory" – Andrew Jackson, U.S. general and 7th U.S. President
- "Soupy" – James H. Campbell, World War II U.S. submarine commander
- "Spoons" – Benjamin F. Butler, Union general in the Civil War
- "Stonewall" Jackson – General Thomas J. Jackson, a Confederate general in the Civil War, known for his steadfastness in battle
- "Stormin’ Norman" Schwarzkopf – An important figure in the Gulf War (he preferred the nickname "The Bear")
- "Whiskey" – Andrew Jackson Smith, Union Army general in the Civil War

Section 9 of 10:

Nicknames of Famous Military Units

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Many military units throughout history have held famous nicknames. Whether you’re looking for a cool nickname for your Army, Navy, Marines, or Air Force unit, squad, or battalion, these real-life unit nicknames can offer some inspiration. Maybe you’ll even see your own team on this list!
- Army:
  - The Devil Brigade – 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division
  - The Old Guard – 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Regiment
  - The All-Americans – 82nd Airborne Division
  - The Screaming Eagles (or Screaming E’s) – 101st Airborne Division
  - The Nightstalkers – 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment
  - AAA-0 (short for "Anything, Anytime, Anywhere, Bar Nothing" – 39th Infantry Regiment
  - Larry Loudspeakers – 5th Psychological Operations Battalion
  - The Anglers – 305th Psychological Operations Company
  - Pacific Justice – 19th Military Police Battalion
- Air Force:
  - Team Target – 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron
  - Desert Cajuns – 706th Aggressor Squadron
  - Thunderbirds – USAF Air Demonstration Squadron
  - Pirates – 63rd Air Refueling Squadron
  - Black Knights – 99th Air Refueling Squadron
  - Vikings – 960th Airborne Air Control Squadron
  - Proud Pelicans – 9th Airlift Squadron
  - Hellhounds – 20th Attack Squadron
  - Grim Reapers – 13th Bomb Squadron
  - Scorpions – 41st Electronic Combat Squadron
  - Vampires – 44th Fighter Squadron
- Navy:
  - Big Gray Hate Maker – term of endearment for the USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19)
  - Big John – nickname for the USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67)
  - Magnificent Seven – term of endearment for the USS Henry B. Wilson (DDG-7)
  - The Seabees – the Navy’s Naval Construction Battalion ("Seabee" comes from "C" for #**"Construction" and "B" for "Battalion")
  - Stinkin' Lincoln – crews’ nickname for the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln
- Marines:
  - First of the First – 1st Battalion, 1st Marines
  - Darkhorse – 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines
  - The Cutting Edge – 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines
  - America's Battalion – 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines
  - Lone Wolves – 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marines
  - The Terror from the North – 1st Battalion, 24th Marines
  - The Mad Ghosts – 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines
  - Lava Dogs – 3d Littoral Combat Team

Section 10 of 10:

Choosing the Perfect Military Nickname

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1
Pick a nickname that emphasizes their military prowess. Nicknames are a great way to showcase a person’s strengths and skills—especially in the military. Choose a nickname that highlights the strengths your military buddy bring to the team, whether they’re famous for their physical abilities or their brains.
- Are they known for their speed? Try something like "Speedy Gonzales" or "Quicksilver."
- If they’re famous for their strength or intimidating stature, consider a nickname like "The Hulk" or "Andre the Giant."
2
Choose a nickname inspired by their real first or last name. Does their name naturally lend itself to a fun or quippy nickname that rolls off the tongue? Some names already come with nicknames (like "Smitty" for the surname "Smith"), but you can turn just about any name into a cool nickname. More unique names may even make for one-of-a-kind nicknames (for instance, if their surname is "Zinnamon," their nickname might be "Zinn").
- You could even choose a nickname that draws from their actual name as well as their skills on the battlefield—like "Fighting Dick," which was the nickname of a number of historical soldiers, including Richard H. Anderson, a Confederate general, and Israel B. Richardson, a Union general.
3
Give them a nickname inspired by their personality or an anecdote. Pick a name inspired by an inside joke or a personal experience you share with them, or one that references something about their personality or history—it’ll make the nickname all the more unique and all the more special.
- For instance, if they’re known to peel the labels off their beer bottles, you could call them "Peels."
- Someone with a theater background could be called "Showtunes."
4
Make sure they’re down with whatever nickname you give them. Look, the military’s a tough place for tough people—but that doesn’t mean you should be forever shackled with a nickname like "Poopsicle" inspired by the time you ate a chocolate popsicle and it melted all over your face. Try to give people nicknames that they feel OK about, and if they tell you to quit using a nickname, be a mensch and drop it.

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