The Italian American mob families of the 20th century are notorious for a variety of reasons, with the crimes they committed being at the top of the list. But members of the mob were also known for their nicknames, some of which bordered on the bizarre.
Some of the nicknames were handed down from previous generations of gang members, while others were based on the habits, interests, and crimes held by the members themselves. Here are 10 especially interesting nicknames of crime family members.
Albert 'Tick-Tock' Tannenbaum
Albert Tannenbaum was part of Murder, Inc., which was made up of members of the Italian American Mafia and the Jewish Mob. He was crowned "Tick-Tock" by fellow member Jacob Shapiro, because Shapiro believed Tannenbaum had a nervous manner that resembled a clock.
Anthony 'Big Tuna/Joe Batters' Accardo
Anthony Accardo had not one, but two nicknames because he was a pretty big deal — he ran the Chicago Mob alongside Paul Ricca after Al Capone was put in jail. Capone himself crowned Accardo "Joe Batters" after the latter killed three former mobsters with a baseball bat, and journalists in Chicago actually began calling Accardo "Big Tuna" after he was photographed with a large fish.
Joseph 'Joe Bananas' Bonanno
Joseph Bonanno was head of the notorious Bonanno crime family in New York. He was nicknamed Joe Bananas by the NYC media, who were making fun of Bonanno's perceived mental state. His family was sometimes referred to as "the Bananas family."
John 'Jackie Nose' D'Amico
John D'Amico worked his way up the mob's ranks, starting out as a street boss for the Gambino family before eventually becoming the acting boss following the arrests of John and Junior Gotti. He allegedly was crowned "Jackie Nose" or simply "Nose" by the media after undergoing rhinoplasty.
Joseph 'Junior Lollipops' Carna
Joseph Carna was a member of New York's Colombo mob family. His family was integrated with the mob for decades, and his nickname came from his father's restaurant: Lolly's. In fact, his father was known as "Senior Lollipop."
Al 'Scarface' Capone
Of course, no list would be complete without mentioning Al "Scarface" Capone. As the cofounder of the Chicago Outfit, Capone was one of the most notorious gangsters in history. He earned his nickname after being scarred by Frank Galluccio.
Lester Joseph 'Baby Face' Nelson
Lester Nelson was known for his bank robbing partnership with John Dillinger. The pair were known as especially ruthless gangsters. Nelson earned his "Baby Face" nickname due to his youthful appearance.
Luigi 'Baby Shacks' Manocchio
Luigi Manocchio was the boss of the Patriarca family in New England. His nickname was actually borne from accident: a local paper misheard his nickname as "Baby Shacks" and then proceeded to use only that nickname from that moment on.
Charles 'Lucky' Luciano
Charles Luciano was credited with being the mobster who really developed the National Crime Syndicate. There are two stories about how he earned his nickname, "Lucky." One is that it was due to his apparent proficiency at gambling. The other? That someone simply mispronounced his last name.
Anthony 'Gaspipe' Casso
Anthony Casso was a notorious and prolific hitman for the Lucchese family. He confessed to anywhere between 15 and 35 killings, but the true number could have been higher.
No one is 100% sure where his nickname came from, but Casso himself reportedly claimed the nickname was passed down from his father, who used gas pipes as his weapon of choice.
