Why do some guys call each other by their last name?

Question

as  question asks, I'm not saying all but some.  I've been around my brother sometimes and they are like what's up  Smith?? carry on with conversation . Is it a guy thing?

BearsAnswers · Accepted Answer

Two reasons. Well, lots of reasons, but two in particular.

There are some guy names that are very popular, and its likely that there will be multiple guys with the same name in the same class. Last names generally get used in that case, usually being shortened into a quasi-nickname that often sticks with them, even if they later end up in a class without people of the same name.

Secondly, it has a lot of meaning in sports. Sports tends to display surnames, not first names, on the back of the jerseys. Coaches will therefore generally refer to players by surnames. Teammates will then also start referring to each other by surnames. Athletes tend to be a group that has a high percentage of alpha males, so their behaviour and naming practices gets picked up by others and spreads throughout the population. It is the 'alpha behaviour' that tends to give it the current 'bro' feel, even though it's been going on for decades.

Most women's sports, traditionally, haven't had the surnames on the back, though some do now. And they don't have as much alpha behaviour. So it never really picked up for women. I wouldn't be surprised if it occurred amongst groups of women that played competitive team sports with surnames on their jerseys though.

gray_sailor · Accepted Answer

Speaking as one who served in the US Navy, The last name is the first thing you know about a guy. Its right there in front of you before he introduces himself. It is displayed on the front of his uniform shirt. Back before current uniform standards were in place, the surname was stenciled above the right hip pocket on dungaree trousers too.

Sports and military experience explain everything about this behavior. Interestingly, women in the military adopt this common way of referring to others too.

Calling others by their last name also has the effect if signalling membership. Civilians (and those not on the team) are known by their first names.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

A lot guys at school do that too. Mostly ones on sports teams so sometimes it's easier to call out the last name during a game or something and it kinda carries on to school also

miserybusiness · Accepted Answer

Yet another question that proves that I'm a man  This website has taught me so much

existing_not_living · Accepted Answer

Lol, I do that ALL the time. It just feels natural. Lol, I'm a total tomboy.

Phoenix98 · Answer

It's a sports thing since sometimes there may be 2 or even 3 of people with the same last name. But its mostly used in the military since you always refer to each other by first their rank then last name.

An example Sgt. Smith or Sargent Smith First Class, Platoon Leader etc.

In the military a persons last name and rank are the first things you know about someone as their patch (es) will have their last name on it and not their first and their rank will be on their uniform.

Sources : huge military family from various branches of the military.

nickbrick · Answer

It varies for each friend/guy you know. I tend to use last names for guys that I respect but am not super close with. Other guys use it for closer friends and not anybody else. Generally it is just a fun way to say someone's name. So there are many reasons we do it.

steveguitar · Answer

I think it depends on what name people can more easily say, your first or last name. I always get called by my last name, since I was in school to when I started working at my new job, all the people who talk to me minus a few call me by my last name.

Prof_Don · Answer

1) it's part of military culture to refer to each other by last name; Maybe they are familiar with military culture

2) sometimes there are several people in a friend circle with the same first name, so they are differentiated by referring to them by last name

JustinCaseUDontKnow · Answer

Yes, in school all them jerks called me by my last name
my last name meaning behind it is a insult in German
my late paternal grand-dad was German wow he was
not so nice and so shameful for me to carry his last name
well my dads last name :(

Hephaestus · Answer

Depends on the last name I guess... Some just sound cool and it's an easy nickname

My surname is Gray... and with the recent shockingly awful film... kinda glad peeps don't call me by it lol

Also, yelling "YO GRAY" can be heard differently lol

JackKerouac77 · Answer

Because they learned it in sports. I can remember being on many sports teams and they would say that, because there'd always be 6 Sam's and 2 Bobby's and blah blah blah.

Kidanis · Answer

no no no I usually call my friends by calling them the worse thing you can imagine (asshole, dipshit fat fuck ect) the whole last name thing is usually when they are coworkers ex: hey smith did you know that roggers is absent?

madhatters4 · Answer

it's just a thing. I've called girls and heard girls call each other by their last name as well. it's just similar to a nickname

epiman94 · Answer

Its just fun sometimes. Last names are funny/cool. Its not a guy thing. I have girls call me by my last name, and I'll call girls by their last names.

AleDeEurope · Answer

I don't know, I think it's fun to do it, something different. I don't always do it though, just usually with my best friends.

BertMacklinFBI · Answer

they either have the same name or its just a bro moment/thing.

jwhit · Answer

Most people at my job are called by their last name. I guess maybe because there's so many people employed there and the chances of people having the same last name are smaller than first names so it's easier to remember.

zorro8888 · Answer

It's usually done on sports team in my opinion. I do it a lot now that I think about it.

Krushhbrownies · Answer

Not all the time but among my friends we say it if the surname is cool.. Like for example Fahy!!! and since I have a cool surname they would also call my last name. My full name sometimes.

IAmMellow · Answer

My friends have really cool last names, so I call them by their last name

Johnson123 · Answer

My friends always do that cause in football we call each other by our last name

ihatethiswebsite · Answer

Probably because it's common to do on sports teams. Seeing how most people have their last name on their jersey and that's generally what the coaches call them by too

Anonymous · Answer

not all guys do this... but sounds really weird basically...(and stupid if u ask me)

Anonymous · Answer

I did that in military school but not now. I have seen it a bit and yeah it's a bit of a guy thing I guess.

SunDevil11 · Answer

Just something we do because it is a guy thing

abundantlyrich · Answer

They think its cooler to be informal.

evenlift · Answer

It's just a guy thing.

CHARismatic110 · Answer

No idea, but I think it's cute.

jmmmfi · Answer

Smith, what a boring last name

Why do some guys call each other by their last name?

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