Etimology of "moniker"

 The word "moniker" refers to a personal name or nickname, often an informal label that draws attention to a particular attribute. Here are some possible etymologies of the word:

- **Shelta**: The word "moniker" may come from the Shelta language of Irish itinerants, where it is spelled "mŭnnik" and is a modification of the Irish word "ainm," meaning "name".

- **Irish Gaelic**: Another possible origin is the Irish Gaelic word "ainm," which means "name".

- **Old Irish**: The word "moniker" may have roots in Old Irish, as suggested by the etymologist Watkins, who speculates that it comes from the Old Irish word "ainm".

- **Backslang**: "Moniker" may be a backslang for "ekename," which means "nickname".

- **Monk**: The word "moniker" may come from the word "monk," as early 19th-century British tramps referred to themselves as "in the monkery".

- **Saint Monica**: A further idea is that it comes from the saintly name Monica.

The origins of the word "moniker" are uncertain, and it seems to have always been obscure.