When Did Paul Become "Macca"?

I never heard it before the '90s but as someone posted, I've read it began in PM's youth.

It became widely used in headlines by the British press b/c it is shorter than "McCartney", the same way "Jacko" is shorter than "Michael Jackson", "woes" is shorter than "problems", and "pals" is shorter than "friends"

 

I just call him P Mac C.

 

hes just the bass player in a band i dig. i dont know him personally, so referring to him via friendly nickname seems creepy to me.

 

Interesting about the "Liverpool thing" nicks. Thanks for the answers! I was truly curious. Don't feel quite the animosity I had before.

 

When I watch soccer on TV, and Steve McManaman is either in the studio or broadcast booth, and they call him Macca, I keep waiting for Paul to chime in with his thoughts on the match.

 

I think the NME in the 1970s also called him Macca (the "thumbs-aloft one" probably in the 1980s). They liked nicknames - see also Madge, Jacko, Mozza ...

But nikh33's reply is probably the definitive one here.

 

I don't call him that, but it's been very common around Liverpool, long before Paul got famous, for people with names beginning with Mc or Mac to be nicknamed 'Mac' or 'Macca'. It's very common in football, where everyone's name gets shortened. Personally, having Irish roots, I really hate 'Mac' but have never minded being called 'Macca'. I'm sure McCartney heard that abbreviation when he was at school, which is where it usually starts.

 

But how do they get Keef from Keith Richards? (Unless he's selling it )

 

I like The Beatles, yes.

 

I think that's just a take on how Mick says the name.

 

We have he same thing in Australia, everyone is called by a shorter version of their surname or has an added y on the end. i.e.; McDonald become Macca, or Jones become Jonesy, or Smith become Smithy etc etc.

 

I always thought Macca was the Paul impersonator that took over when Paul died.

 

Seriously though, I never heard the name "Macca" until I came to this silly forum. And it took me a couple months to figure out it was Paul McCartney.

 

I've never referred to Sir Paul as Macca, and probably never will.

 

Still sounds better than His Bobness

 

Thanks again ya'll for the enlightenment. Very interesting.

 

It's pretty common to put an f for a th, I'm sure I have heard people say "oy finks" for " I think" during my time in Portsmouth

 

"I hereby dub thee 'Sir Macca'"

 

In grade school?

 

I always identify him as Paul McCartney, too.

 

He's always been Macca to scousers!

 

When did we start referring to McCartney as Macca?? »

people refer to Paul McCartney as "Macca"? »

Appears originality in creating Beatles related threads has reached the tipping point.

 

I first heard of "Macca" in 1973 when Paul wore his Strawberry Macca Jacket
WONDER WORKSHOP: The Strawberry Jacket »

 

Don't forget he named his Coming Up band The Plastic Macs.

 

Yes, we give our friends juvenile silly names when we are young and juvenile, like "Macca".
Then everyone grows out of them when they become adult, except those who remain juvenile.
After that they become mature, and we give them silly names like "Sir".