Paul McCartney Explains Why His Nickname Is Macca
The Beatles was formed of four members: John Lennon, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr. However, each member often went by their nickname. Paul McCartney was also known as Macca, and his nickname stems from his hometown of Liverpool.
Paul McCartney grew up in a working-class family in Liverpool
McCartney and the other Beatles were born and raised in Liverpool, England. McCartney grew up in a working-class family of four. His father was a salesman, while his mother worked as a midwife. He was an intelligent kid, attending the Liverpool Institute, where he met future Beatles member George Harrison.
His mother died when he was young of an embolism due to complications from her surgery for breast cancer. His loss became a way to bond with John Lennon, whose mother also died when he was young. McCartney had a talent for music at a young age and wrote his first song, “I Lost My Little Girl,” at the age of 14 or 15, shortly after his mother’s death.
How did Paul McCartney receive his nickname ‘Macca’?
In an interview with Wired, Paul McCarthy answered why his nickname is Macca. The answer is relatively simple, according to him. McCartney says he is from Liverpool, and they abbreviate everything in Liverpool, which also explains the nicknames for the other Beatles.
“I’m from Liverpool and they abbreviate everything in Liverpool,” McCartney explains. “McCartney is a bit too formal for ‘Hey, Macca.’ So, George Harrison, ‘Hey, Hassa.’ John Lennon, ‘Lenny.’ So, they just abbreviate everything there and so that’s why. It’s a derivation of McCartney.”
In addition to Macca, McCartney was also called the cute one of the four. Each Beatle had their own unique personality trait, with McCartney being the cute one, Ringo being the funny one, Harrison being the quiet one, and Lennon being the witty one. McCartney says he hated being known as the cute one because he didn’t believe it was accurate.
I hated that,” McCartney told SiriusXM’s The Howard Stern Show. “That’s what happens — just, ‘He’s the cute one.’ I’d go, ‘No, I’m not! Don’t call me that. I hate that! But once it’s said, it kind of sticks.”
The Beatles each had their own unique nicknames
Each Beatle had their own unique nickname outside of their actual name. Ringo Starr (born Richard Starkey) changed his name before he joined The Beatles. He received his stage name while playing in a band with Rory Storm and Eddie Clayton. The reasoning was simple: he wore multiple rings on both his hands. Starr appears to be an abbreviation of Starkey.
George Harrison was called the dark horse after leaving The Beatles. Not only did he have an album called Dark Horse, but many found his success as a solo artist unexpected. John Lennon once went under the moniker of Dr. Winston O’Boogie. He used this name on a few collaborations with his friends, including an Elton John cover of “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds,” which hit number one in the US.
