Is Trey a nickname for being a 3rd in your area?
Posted by HurtsCauseItMatters@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 340 comments
Growing up in Louisiana and through adulthood, I've known a ton of people named Trey. Most of them were common acquaintances so it never occured to dig into their name too much.
A few years ago I learned that for most of those folks Trey is simply a nickname for being a 3rd in the family. I know Trey is also a stand alone name on its own as well but is the nickname thing something people do in other areas of the US or is it just a Louisiana/gulf south/South tradition as a result of the francophone background?
Strict-Farmer904@reddit
I’m from around Chicago. I’ve not only never heard that, but I don’t think I officially know anyone who’s a third. To the point where it took me a couple reads to really understand what you meant by the word “Third.”
Fleg77@reddit
We know a family that has a “quatro”.
Okiegolfer@reddit
Every Trey I’ve know is the third. I’ve never met someone just named “Trey”
It almost never comes up though, because they introduce themselves as Trey and unless you are sitting next to them on the first day of school and the teacher mistakenly calls them by their actual name, or something like that, you never know. So most people assume it’s a name and some probably named their kid Trey because they liked the sound of it.
In my job I see dozens of drivers licenses every day, tons of people who introduce themselves as Trey are always something like “Tom Smith III” etc..
Bulky-Nectarine-5328@reddit
same
HurtsCauseItMatters@reddit (OP)
Interesting - what part of the country?
Okiegolfer@reddit
Southwest USA
Neuvirths_Glove@reddit
I never heard it used as a name growing up in western New York state, but since moving to Texas it's reasonably common.
TreyHansel1@reddit
No but its mine tho! Nobody seems to get it and I usually have to explain it to them
oligarchyreps@reddit
Massachusetts here. No.
C5H2A7@reddit
Trey, Tres, and Trace are all nicknames for 3rd that I've seen growing up in MS.
erst77@reddit
I knew an Ivy. He was a 4th - IV. Ivy was a nickname.
Courwes@reddit
Reminds me of Usher whose oldest child is called Cinco cause he’s the fifth Usher Raymond
cherrycuishle@reddit
I had no idea that Ushers name is actually Usher
Libertas_@reddit
The only Ivy I've known was a girl who's actual name was Ivy.
C5H2A7@reddit
Oh that's clever!
RedStateKitty@reddit
Georgia too. Chip is a nickname for Junior.
NSNick@reddit
As in "chip off the old block"? That's pretty good.
Spam_Tempura@reddit
Same, I knew a couple of Treys and a Trip.
C5H2A7@reddit
Yes, I forgot about Trip!
Applesauce1998@reddit
Growing up and living in the Midwest, I’ve never heard of that. I’d guess it’s a regional thing
biglittlerose@reddit
I went to elementary school with a Trey who was a third. Midwest, Missouri.
In my adult life I also know a Chip who is a third.
baasheepgreat@reddit
Same I’m a Midwest girly. Never even heard of this, much less know anyone personally.
MPLS_Poppy@reddit
Yeah, I actually don’t think I know a single Jr, let alone a 3rd. If I do they don’t use it.
Strangy1234@reddit
I think it's a southern thing. I had never heard of it until moving to SC.
BroughtBagLunchSmart@reddit
In the south they honor their grandparents a lot more because the life expectancy is so low down there. They try to get around this by having kids at 14 years old but that just causes a whole different set of problems.
Muuvie@reddit
What are you smoking?
ILikeToEatTheFood@reddit
Yeah, the Treys (Trae, Tre) are names and not significant to a paternal lineage where im from in the western Midwest. I also know a Junior, and that's his given name. Junior LastName. But I did come across a kid (saw the birth record and everything) named Lil' FirstName.
shelwood46@reddit
Growing up in Wisconsin I knew almost no "juniors", let alone III or more. When i moved to New Jersey, I swear half the men I knew had the same name as their dads, it was weird and confusing.
Ok_Investigator_6494@reddit
Not common, but I know of Trey's (and Tripp's) who are 3rds.
BaseballNo916@reddit
I’m also from the Midwest and I was going to say I’ve only met Treys who were legally named that, but I’m actually not sure if I’ve ever met anyone named Trey. The closest I can think of is Travis or Trent.
nomoregroundhogs@reddit
I have never heard of this
orneryasshole@reddit
Do you know any people named Trey?
friskyjohnson@reddit
Not the person you’re replying to, but I know quite a few men that go by Tre/Trey being short for Treyvon, Treyvonte, etc. I grew up in Arkansas, by the way.
I don’t think I’ve ever met a Trey that was a Third and realized it.
This is an interesting thread to me.
joemoore38@reddit
Nope. Not a single one. Ironically, I'm a 3rd.
trashlikeyourmom@reddit
I have a cousin nicknamed Deuce (he's the 2nd) and his son is called Trey
HegemonNYC@reddit
Haha. Deuce.
nomoregroundhogs@reddit
Not many, I did go to school with one Trey but I know that was his actual legal name.
Ornery_Invite_966@reddit
I like your username. It's much better than mine.
horsesmadeofconcrete@reddit
Trey Anistasio of phish is the most famous Trey that I know of, he’s from New Jersey and was born in the 60s…
That’s my contribution
Azariah98@reddit
Well, I am the third and go by Trey, so... yes.
sysaphiswaits@reddit
It makes sense. I’ve mostly lived around the southwest, and I’ve never heard of anyone doing that before just now.
Wii_wii_baget@reddit
In California no not really it’s used as a nickname but people just say jr or don’t say “the third”
Odd_Tie8409@reddit
I've never heard of this.
r2k398@reddit
Not where I live. Unless your dad was [Name] II or [Name] Jr. Then you would be [Name] III.
sweetalmondjoy@reddit
No
ShakeWeightMyDick@reddit
I grew up in Southern California and I’ve met very few “the thirds.” Of the small handful I have met, one went by Trey, and I think their family was from the South.
KnivesandKittens@reddit
I know a guy who's Grandpa was Frank, Dad was Frank, and he is Frank. Dad was called Jr. and he is Trey. Is that what you mean? Virginia here, and they are from this area.
Suppafly@reddit
I think it's more of a southern thing than a franco thing, but it's way less common to the a Jr in the north, let alone a 3rd. I think a lot of times when people are Trey because they are the 3rd, a lot of people don't realize it's a nickname and not their actual name.
abbot_x@reddit
Are there statistics on the prevalence of sons being named after their fathers? Just anecdotally, I've lived in a number of places and found Juniors, Thirds, etc. all over.
About the only relevant naming trend I know is that Jews do not name sons after their fathers. But naming the son after the father is very common among Christian ethnic whites, for example. Hence all the "Uncle Juniors" in mob movies. My Massachusetts Lebanese family included an Uncle Junior and my dad and many of his cousins were juniors. I have an Italian-American coworker right now who is a Third. Etc.
Suppafly@reddit
I suspect it's more common with Lebanese and Italians by a far larger margin than any other group in the north which is why it seems common to you. Although the Lebanese I know all have about 5 generic American names plus a more ethic name their family uses for them and their 'legal' name might only include a couple of those names.
Even then I'm not sure it gets into the thirds so much, but any culture that is big on 2nds is going to have some 3rds. In most situations the juniors find it so annoying to be named after their dads they break the tradition for their own kids.
JoyfulNoise1964@reddit
And Greeks
Suppafly@reddit
The few Greeks I've known all had unique names, but I don't know enough about their culture to know if name reuse is part of it or not.
abbot_x@reddit
So you couldn't find any statistics either? I'll keep looking.
I do think with ethnic whites this may have been an effort to assimilate to American naming practices rather than a carryover from the Old Country.
HurtsCauseItMatters@reddit (OP)
I can speak to the Italian side - especially when you don't speak fluent Italian and have to go through 100+ year old italian documents trying to figure out your Italian family tree having each generation with multiples of the same name on each line of cousins is INFURIATING lol
Suppafly@reddit
Yeah I really don't understand what's so bad about giving people unique names, but some cultures just want to reuse the same couple of names for everyone.
BaseballNo916@reddit
I could be wrong but I think it might be a Jewish custom to not name children after living people period.
ReasonableGoose69@reddit
yes - among the ashkenazi it's considered kinda like bad luck (?) but with the sephardi it's a little more accepted. this is a respect thing, because it might seem like you're waiting for the original name-haver to die (since people are usually named after dead people)
Suppafly@reddit
That's a sensible custom. Let kids have their own names and identities.
BaseballNo916@reddit
I think it might be something about it being bad luck.
minicpst@reddit
Right. It’s honoring someone that has passed. So if they’re still alive, it feels like you’re toeing them into an open grave.
shelwood46@reddit
They do sometimes name children "for" someone by not giving them the exact name, but a name with the same first initial, and usually only for those who are already dead.
Apptubrutae@reddit
That’s correct. For Ashkenazi Jews
abbot_x@reddit
Ashkenazim (Eastern European diaspora) traditionally do not name children after living relatives but do name children after dead relatives. Sephardim (Mediterranean diaspora) traditionally name children after relatives regardless whether they are living or dead, though I think giving the son the father's name is very rare.
anneofgraygardens@reddit
just want to tack on for non-Jews who might not be aware, the vast majority of American Jews are Ashkenazim. So those are the Jewish cultural norms that are most common within the US.
nothingbuthobbies@reddit
Not just in America. Around 80% of the Jews in the entire world are Ashkenazi. Sephardim are next and Mizrahim are nearly extinct.
MrShake4@reddit
Mizrahim are not nearly extinct, most Israelis identify as Mizrahi iirc.
nothingbuthobbies@reddit
You're right, I was mistaken.
anneofgraygardens@reddit
I'd disagree, although I guess it depends on where you draw the lines. I'd say people of Iraqi, Persian, Yemeni, Syrian, etc origin are Mizrachi and there are plenty of those people in Israel.
Reader47b@reddit
10%-15% of sons are named after their fathers in the U.S., more commonly in the South (20%-25%) than elsewhere.
sweet_hedgehog_23@reddit
The old naming custom for British families that fell out of use in many places well over a century ago was first son after paternal grandfather, second son after maternal grandfather, third son after father, first daughter after maternal grandmother, second after paternal grandmother, and third after the mother. After the third of each sex it gets a bit harrier. Often it was the name of the oldest paternal uncle or maternal aunt, but some did great grandparents. This naming custom was never universally used. From my anecdotal experience the custom persisted longer in Scotland than England.
nothingbuthobbies@reddit
Don't I know it.
Yankee_chef_nen@reddit
My middle name was both of my grandfathers’ first name. My parents took care of both sides of the family with me so my younger brother (2nd child/son) got my father’s first name as his middle name.
HurtsCauseItMatters@reddit (OP)
I'd argue if not a lot at least some of what we know as "southern" culture is at least rooted in franco history. Take dixie for example - that came about because term for ten dollar notes in new orleans were "dixie" notes. And considering in the early days NO being a required visit for lots of (deep south) southerners doing business before cars and such it wouldn't surprise me.
Fit_Bath2219@reddit
I guess my question is how did Dixie originally become the term for the ten dollar note?
HurtsCauseItMatters@reddit (OP)
dix is ten in french.
BaseballNo916@reddit
To be a Trey do they have to be the third boy or just third in the family?
PalpitationNo3106@reddit
Grandpa is Pete. Dad is Junior, third is Trey (or Trip, or a nickname from the name, I know more than my fair share of of JCs, TJs, EKs, PJs… The odd Smitty or Westy) fourth generation gets the name again. Half the people at my prep school (male and female) just went by names that weren’t on their drivers license. (Yes, we had a Muffy, a Bunny, a Kip, a Topher, a Bean, even a Gumby) my grandfather was a III, he went by Skip. My uncle, the IV, uses a one syllable version of the last name.
Canada_Haunts_Me@reddit
Third direct descendant with the same name.
Suppafly@reddit
I suppose it depends how far back into history you're looking to go and how much you like to argue. I'm not sure the 'Trey' thing is even particularly southern, just more common there because they like to reuse names in families more than the north typically does. I'm sure it's also common in the northeast among the old money crowd that similarly reuses family names.
HurtsCauseItMatters@reddit (OP)
Argue? No. But studying history, specifically Louisiana history is kinda my thing so I like to be clear on the context especially when discussing a topic that's relevant. From the responses so far it seems dominant in the south, less so in the midwest but still common and pretty nonexistent elsewhere unless the folks came from the south.
Suppafly@reddit
I think you are definitely missing those areas in the upper northeast where they also reuse family names. I'm sure they have some Treys there as well. It's a 'common in families that reuse names' thing more so than anything specific to a region.
Aegi@reddit
Yes, but Trip is way more common.
Source: went to a prep school in the Northeast/New England.
Suppafly@reddit
oh yeah I forgot about Trip being common up there.
Arkansas_BusDriver@reddit
As someone this applies to, people get so shocked when they realize it's not my real name, or anywhere in my name. Just a nickname. They ask why I don't go by my real name, and I'm like cause thats my dad...
I have had to pull out my ID to prove it to some people, cause they didnt believe me.
Suppafly@reddit
I have a Trey in my group of friends, and I'm like 95% sure it's his legal name, but I don't remember if I had asked him at one point or not.
Arkansas_BusDriver@reddit
I used to be friends with a guy named Tres in college. No reason. Not the 3rd. Not even hispanic. His parents just liked the name lol
Prestigious_Look_986@reddit
I grew up with a fair number of _Js in the mid-atlantic
Suppafly@reddit
I knew one kid like that when I was a kid. Others I think it was because they had a J middle name. Like a TJ would be Travis James or similar.
I specifically didn't give one of kids a middle name that started with J because I didn't want him to have a two letter nickname like that. One of my other kids has a J middle name, but their first name isn't one you'd normally combine into a 2 letter nickname.
annizoli@reddit
I think the Treys I’ve met are like 80/20 thirds vs just being named Trey. Anecdotally, it’s more common for black men named Trey to be a third/using Trey as a nickname, and for white men to just be named Trey. I’ve met slightly more black Treys than white.
HurtsCauseItMatters@reddit (OP)
See, from my experiences it seems to be the opposite but like you said ... super anecdotally lol
JazzyJulie4life@reddit
No
HOMES734@reddit
I've heard both Trey and Trip as names for a 3rd.
PrudentPush8309@reddit
I didn't know it as a nickname for a person, but it is a common term for the number 3 in dominoes.
1, 2, and 3 at known as ace, deuce, and trey. I don't know if 4, 5, and 6 have similar nicknames.
ssk7882@reddit
Trey is more common in the south, Trip in the northeast.
Gripen-Viggen@reddit
Okay, my time to shine because I'm a Boomhauer:
J.R. is short for Junior.
Skip is for skipping a generation.
Trip and Trey is for The Third.
Ivey is a nickname for a male (or sometimes female because she was born out of order) who is "The Fourth." Because of the Roman numerals IV.
"V" is The Fifth. We just call them "Vee."
Vickie is the sixth because she's out of order and she's VI.
There's rules, people.
Sleepygirl57@reddit
I’ve never heard of any of these nicknames. Trip, skip or Trey meaning the 3rd. Midwest here.
Brilliant-Mess-9870@reddit
My nephew is named Trey. I also have a cousin who named her son Trey. Both are young adults. They are just names, not indicating a “3rd.” It’s a common enough name here. (midwest)
baasheepgreat@reddit
Same. Only Trey I knew was just named that.
Visible-Shop-1061@reddit
Trey is a nickname for the 3rd male in the family with the same exact name, for example John Smith Sr., John Smith Jr., John Smith III. The 3rd one might be called Trey as a nickname. I don't think it is specific to any region.
baasheepgreat@reddit
Fascinating. So not a thing where I grew up. Everyone I’ve ever known who shares a name either goes by their middle name or just a different version of the name (grandpa is Johnathan, dad is John, son is Johnny). I dated a guy from a family of every-first-born-son-is-Michael and he went by Jake because of his middle name. Dad was Mike, grandpa was Michael, cousin was Mikey so poor Jake was all that was left lol. I also have a friend whose child is the third Cody in a generation and they just do Grandpa Cody, Big Cody (dad) and Little Cody (son) 🤷♀️ I knew one Trey and that was his given name, and dad definitely did not share his name. (I was-autistically- really in to phone books as a kid lmao). So interesting to read about this and appreciate all our lil micro cultures.
Akem0417@reddit
No
Practical-Train-9595@reddit
Only slightly related, a friend who was a third was having a boy and we joked that if he followed tradition, we were going to call the kid “Quattro”. He did not follow the tradition, much to our chagrin.
deleted_by_reddit@reddit
[removed]
AutoModerator@reddit
The use of URL shorteners on this subreddit is prohibited. Please repost your link without the use of a url shortener
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
ParkerGroove@reddit
I’ve learned very in both coasts and middle US. Not uncommon.
Prowindowlicker@reddit
I’ve never heard of such a thing?
Professional-Mix9774@reddit
I have also heard Trace being used in the same way as Trey. I have a cousin who is I know as Trace, but I was an adult that his name wasn’t Tracey. His name is James Lynn, 3rd. We are non-Hispanic whites.
Forward-Repeat-2507@reddit
Knew a really great guy from Louisiana with the nickname Trey. I miss him!
AshDenver@reddit
Trey and Tripp, yes.
Walkerlovr89@reddit
I have a friend from Georgia, his real name is Charlie but everyone calls his Trey, and he’s a third junior. Always wondered if it was more common
fraksen@reddit
Trey or Trip.
sonofabutch@reddit
Some people do “Trip” for this as well.
Traditionally “Skip” was a nickname for a boy named after the grandfather — the name “Skip’d” a generation.
gtrocks555@reddit
Damn, I could be called Skip. WTF haha
bloobityblu@reddit
Holy crap I am (mumble) years old and I just realized why my cousin named after his father and grandfather was called Trip. I just thought it was a weird nickname.
I mean it is kind of a weird nickname, pretty much just calling someone a number, but anyway.
ohmiss1355@reddit
And Chip is a nickname for a junior. Chip off the old block.
North_Artichoke_6721@reddit
My dad is Chip. He’s not technically a junior because he and his dad had different middle names but the same first name.
YSApodcast@reddit
My dad and I have the same first name and different middle names so I’m not a junior. I’m going insist people start calling me chip. I’m 47.
Zealousideal_Draw_94@reddit
Same… middle initial is A, mine is B
thatrightwinger@reddit
That's funny, I never heard that one. I have a family member who's nickname is "Chuck." But his name isn't Charles, and he's a Second. And it's for entirely different reason.
beggars_would_ride@reddit
I've also heard "Sticks". III = 3 sticks.
Crumbmuffins@reddit
You just randomly answered something that’s been bugging me for nearly 30 years.
beggars_would_ride@reddit
Thank you for confirming it's a thing....someone might have been implying otherwise.
BroughtBagLunchSmart@reddit
Good thing the only amount of sticks there can possibly be is 3 so this naming system works out. This guy should write instructions on how to throw a holy hand grenade of Antioch.
jlt6666@reddit
I mean 4 becomes IV so it's no longer just sticks as written.
beggars_would_ride@reddit
And 2 is just Junior.
Vesper2000@reddit
So that’s where Skip comes from! My dad had friends nicknamed Skip and it mystified me where that came from.
QuarterMaestro@reddit
It's not universal. Prof. Henry Louis Gates Jr. is nicknamed "Skip" (apparently it was a fairly common nickname among Black men of his generation).
Apparently the older form of the nickname is an abbreviation of "Skipper" (captain of a ship).
Momik@reddit
Wow, I had no idea that was the origin
thatrightwinger@reddit
I have a cousin who is a third, and his family nickname is "Tripp." He's almost as functionally broken as I am.
Vanilla_thundr@reddit
I'm a third. Before my wife and I had a kid, I told people that I wanted to name our son my name but the fifth instead of the fourth. Then we could call him Skip. But my wife HATED that idea.
HurtsCauseItMatters@reddit (OP)
The one person in our family that inherited the family name has STRUGGLED and I think a lot of it has to do with living up to the name. If any of the people in the line were highly successful, i feel like the burden of the legacy isn't worth the honor of the name. But that's just my $.02 having seen first hand what a 150 year old name can do to someone.
Vanilla_thundr@reddit
I mean, I can see that being a possibility. But, also, I've lived it and had no trouble. Maybe it depends on who your namesake is? In my family we're all pretty normal achievers. Maybe the most impressive thing to live up to is that my dad has a PhD? I dunno. It never bothered me. But, also, that's what's great about having a permanent nickname--no one but me ever even thinks about my name's legacy because most people don't even know. Check back in 20 years and we'll see how my son the IV feels. (Though he's not going to have to overachieve much to outshine my legacy. I haven't done anything impressive)
HurtsCauseItMatters@reddit (OP)
Thats why I quantified highly successful. My grandfather was .... well, any of us that tried to live up to his legacy were destined to fail. Lets just leave it there lol and he was the Jr haha
We're talking building chemical plants, traveling across the world to lend his expertise to multibillion dollar companies ... He lost more in the stock market than I'll ever make in my life ... probably. So yeah lol
jlt6666@reddit
I'm sure you know this but you don't have to live up to shit man. Just live your life. Legacy is fucking overrated.
HurtsCauseItMatters@reddit (OP)
Cultural norms now in 2025 and what they were in the late 90s when the expectations of my family were in peak form are a very different thing. There was way less tolerance for anything. As a family our parents have had to learn very hard lessons but its taken a lot of time for us to all get here.
Needless to say, I was a girl and never really felt the pressure but lots of my cousins did and I'm just saying the pressure was real.
ConsiderationHot9518@reddit
My oldest grandson is Trey, I lobbied like the dickens to get them to call him Trip.
FloridianPhilosopher@reddit
One of my favorite characters from Star Trek is called "Trip" because his name is Charles Tucker III.
keppy_m@reddit
So corny. Trashy, Sarah Palin vibes here.
Feral_Sheep_@reddit
My nephew is a third with a name that starts with A. We call him Triple A, and my brother is AJ.
miketugboat@reddit
Trey not so much as trip (mid Atlantic)
nauticalfiesta@reddit
We named our dog trip since he was our third black lab.
An8thOfFeanor@reddit
Skip is also a traditional nickname for the mothafuckin' fuckin' one dat callsh de shotsh
RonMcKelvey@reddit
never had the makings of a varsity athlete
Aggressive-Emu5358@reddit
Is what a what for what? No, it isn’t
Zephyr_Dragon49@reddit
TIL that's why the John Paul III went by trey probably
chtrace@reddit
I was nicknamed Tres when I was a young boy because I was the 3rd. When I got to the 1st grade my teacher called out my real name, Cecil, and I told her that was my Daddy's name and that I was Tres. I guess she didn't get the Spanish influence and spelled my name as Trace. It stuck all the way thru school. They even used Trace in our High School yearbooks.
abbot_x@reddit
Every Trey or Trip I've ever known was a Third. It's my usual assumption. They've also all been WASPs.
HurtsCauseItMatters@reddit (OP)
And I don't think I've ever met a Trip so I didn't make that connection.
bloobityblu@reddit
1st cousin named Trip. I had no idea why until now. He was a IIIrd.
xx-rapunzel-xx@reddit
never heard of this!
Lopsided-Ad-126@reddit
Trey Wingo from ESPN, the third and Connecticut born
S2Sallie@reddit
Yes, that’s my friend’s son’s nickname. We’re in PA
KiraiEclipse@reddit
I grew up in Florida and never heard this.
DjinnaG@reddit
I’ve only known one Trey that was a third, but he spelled it Tres (mid-Atlantic area). Most thirds, and the only fourth, that I’ve known have gone by some derivative of their first or middle names
YellojD@reddit
It’s actually fitting, really, because no matter what team he’s on, Trey Lance is always third on the depth chart.
DeliciousBeanWater@reddit
I had a friend who name was actually trey AND was a 3rd.
Chapea12@reddit
I’ll be honest. I’ve met many people nicknamed Trey and I never considered this is why they were called that, but that makes sense
JoyfulNoise1964@reddit
Yes it is , in the Midwest here
Carl_Schmitt@reddit
I'm a third and in my family my grandfather got called his first name, my father his middle name, and I got stuck with the diminutive form of the middle name. Only my enemies call me Trip.
guyuteharpua@reddit
Trey is the name of a red-haired guitar god who plays for a band from Vermont. ⭕⭕⭕
Ozone220@reddit
I know one that goes by it because he's the third, so yes (NC)
Help1Ted@reddit
I’ve never heard this. I would have thought it would be troi or some different take on the French spelling.
o_safadinho@reddit
I knew one Trey growing up. It wasn’t until reading this post that I knew about the III thing. Everybody just called him Trey and so did I.
HurtsCauseItMatters@reddit (OP)
That's fair but its not like Spain never controlled Louisiana ;)
Help1Ted@reddit
Fair! I hear far more French mixed with English coming from Louisiana. I was getting my tires rotated and someone else was in the waiting room with me. She was chatting with someone on the phone and I heard French words just shuffled in with English. I almost immediately thought she must be from Louisiana. A few minutes later I heard the person on the phone saying how long the drive was going to be from here to New Orleans.
But now that I’m thinking about this I knew a kid that was a triplet whose nickname was Trip. He was the third one. It was sort of funny because so many people didn’t even know what his actual name was.
geaux_syd@reddit
Same. But also in Louisiana.
Relevant-Ad4156@reddit
I don't personally know anyone named/nicknamed Trey, nor do I know anyone that is a third (I'm a Junior, and even that's rare around here)
I don't know if my experience can speak for this whole area, but it doesn't seem very common here to me.
BaseballNo916@reddit
I’m from Cincinnati and the more I think about it I’m not sure if I’ve ever actually met someone named Trey, legally or not.
CinemaSideBySides@reddit
I know a Trey in Cincinnati. I feel like I need to go ask him if that's his real name or not lol. (I've never heard of this trend, and don't even associate "trey" with "three")
BaseballNo916@reddit
The only Trey I can think of is the guy who created South Park. Apparently Trey isn’t his real name but he’s also not from the south.
CinemaSideBySides@reddit
Wow, this thread is really blowing my mind. It's like I found out that no one is actually named Dave and Dave is just a way of saying "the fourth son" or something
tubular1845@reddit
He is a third though
Meat_Bingo@reddit
Yup
rvcaJup@reddit
If I hear the name Trey, I assume they're a 3rd. I would find it silly to use as a stand alone name.
tubular1845@reddit
I don't see how it's any sillier than any other name
rvcaJup@reddit
To me it would be like calling someone junior that’s not a jr.
CleverGirlRawr@reddit
This is fascinating to me. First, because I’ve never known anyone called Trey. And second, I would have always thought it was just their name.
Self-Comprehensive@reddit
Texan here with a grandson called Trey because he is the third of his name.
RockyArby@reddit
The only Trey's I know were just short for Treyvon but I did know a Trevor that went by Tre.
byebybuy@reddit
OP, are you talking about a child who has two older siblings (so they're third in line) or a child who has the same name as their father and grandfather (III)?
Deolater@reddit
I've known a few Treys, I never noticed this pattern. I don't remember their birth orders so I don't know. Maybe they were.
Related: does anyone know if 'Chip' is a variant on 'Junior'? I've known a couple, all of whom were either juniors or IIs
idkidc28@reddit
Chip was my grandfathers nickname for Charles, oddly enough he was the first. There are now four and none used Chip except him.
khak_attack@reddit
Same with my brother. People always assume he's named after my dad who is a junior. But nope.
CleverGirlRawr@reddit
I knew one guy named chip. But don’t know about Junior but I do know it was his real name.
tsefardayah@reddit
That's interesting. I only knew one Chip, and he was a junior.
KittyScholar@reddit
Maybe he’s like a Chip off the old block?
mcm87@reddit
Yeah, “Chip off the old block.”
BigNorseWolf@reddit
Never heard of this
mealteamsixty@reddit
No, usually in my area Trey/Tré are black men and its short for Tremaine, trevanté or trevaughn or something similar. Never heard of it being associated with being a 3rd. That's pretty cool
Vikingaling@reddit
I know a Quatro
realmaven666@reddit
i used to work with a guy nicknamed “Three Sticks “. to me that beats Trey
NurseKaila@reddit
I actually know a person named Trey, and I know zero people who go by Trey as a nickname.
P00PooKitty@reddit
The whole trey, skip, trip, etc. thing is far more prevalent in the south or west. I’m from the northeast, no one was named this way, and the whole idea of their meanings was explained to me in my 30s.
Short answer: not the northeast.
MyWorldTalkRadio@reddit
A friend of mine’s fiancé is from Louisiana and they named their third born Trey and now my eyes are open.
OllieKloze@reddit
I'm from Missouri and I have never heard any of these reasons for Trey, Trip, or Skip. Super interesting.
Trowwaycount@reddit
The only people I've ever known that were called Trey were either named Trey or were named Treyvon and shortened it to Trey.
I have known some people who are "the III" with that name, but few if any of them went by anything other than their first name or a diminutive of their first name.
It might just be a regional thing.
Nodeal_reddit@reddit
Yes
Curious_Bar348@reddit
First time I had ever heard it in that context was when I lived in Louisiana. I’ve lived in 4 other states.
youngyaret@reddit
I never heard of it until I worked with a kid who went by Trey because of that which was when I was in my mid 20s. Still haven't seen anyone else with that name.
GSilky@reddit
I figured it was Phish fans. Never thought it might have a meaning, this is America after all.
CreditAvailable2391@reddit
From Maryland and yes but only when spelled like “Tré”.
Ok_Watercress_7801@reddit
I’ve got a cousin born on 03/03/2003.
He’s named Trey.
LurdMcTurdIII@reddit
I hung out with a Trey in high school that was a third.
kae0603@reddit
Trip(p) in my area.
SussinBoots@reddit
I have heard of Tre being the third in Michigan.
ostiarius@reddit
TIL that Trey Parker is not his legal name.
Tuerai@reddit
only guy i have ever known that went by Trey was from baton rouge and he was the 3rd.
seifd@reddit
No, I never heard of that.
ExtremePotatoFanatic@reddit
I never knew this. I just always assumed some named Trey was just named Trey. Didn’t know it was a nickname.
NiteNicole@reddit
Also from Louisiana, and all the Treys I have known have been the third, except one and people ask him what his "real name" is all the time.
DistributionNorth410@reddit
I've only known one person in Louisiana who went by the name Trey. I think that was his actual first name. Not a nickname. Don't personally know anyone elsewhere who is named Trey or uses it as a nickname.
PM_ME_UR__SECRETS@reddit
PA resident, I cant say I've ever heard of this practice
Airplade@reddit
Only when siblings marry.
Elixabef@reddit
I’ve known a few Treys (for IIIs) here in Florida. Usually from very Southern families.
Equivalent-Pin-4759@reddit
I always thought it was “Tres”.
flora_poste_@reddit
Bill Gates' family nickname was Trey because he is William Henry Gates III. He was born and raised in Seattle, so I don't think the "Trey" nickname is a strictly Louisiana or Francophone tradition.
faxmachine13@reddit
From Michigan, never heard of this
longganisafriedrice@reddit
So if there are people named Trey and people named Octavius, where's all the 4 through 7 people
Pete_Iredale@reddit
I've never met a single person that goes by "the third" in all my 44 years.
CinemaSideBySides@reddit
I know one guy who has a "II" after his name and that's it. I always associated numbered names like that as a rich person thing, but apparently it's a big Southern thing!
Wisdomofpearl@reddit
I have known a couple of guys who go by Trey because they are a 3rd in their family. I did know one guy who went by Trey because his parents named him Trevis and he hated his name. His given name is definitely different.
Unhappy_Chef_4143@reddit
This makes sense. My SIL just had twins and named one of them the second (after her fiance/baby’s father) and the other twin Tre,, maybe that’s where she came up with it ?? It was very last minute name decisions
voteblue18@reddit
The first time I ever heard of this was Trey Anastasio from Phish. Ernest Anastasio III.
I’ve never known any other Treys in real life.
Vachic09@reddit
No. It's usually a nickname for someone named Trevon or something similar.
ButterFace225@reddit
I grew up on the Gulf Coast and there was an absurd amount of guys named Trey, but I never looked into it. I just assumed that it was a super common name for boys,
WhatAmIDoingHere05@reddit
Never heard of such a thing.
GhostOfJamesStrang@reddit
I know a 'Tre'.
I wouldn't say it's common, but it also wouldn't be surprising. I'm not sure how many people would default to assuming it's a "III" rather than Trevor or Treyvon.
tiger_guppy@reddit
Yeah I knew a Tré who was a III
ATLien_3000@reddit
Like many other names, Trey has its origin as a nickname, primarily in upper socioeconomic classes.
Names tend to trickle down in those classes.
It's also common that a name that originated as a nickname becomes a given name as that happens.
Bob and Jack readily come to mind.
SnooPineapples280@reddit
I’ve never heard of this until now that I’m seeing your question…the only Trey’s (or any variation of the spelling) I’ve ever met had it as a shortened apart of their actual name, not because they were a third.
kckitty71@reddit
People in SC use “Trip.”
MundaneHuckleberry58@reddit
Very much so in the south, yes. I've lived in TN, Alabama, N and S Carolina, and yes, Trey is very common as the nickname for the 3rd.
Visible-Shop-1061@reddit
Trey Anastasio, the lead singer and guitarist of the band Phish, is Ernest Joseph Anastasio III. Born in Texas, but grew up in New Jersey, Connecticut and Vermont.
Tré Cool, the drummer for the band Green Day, is Frank Edwin Wright III. Born in Germany and grew up in California.
the_vole@reddit
Came here to say this! Much better than “Ernie” or something.
CrastinatingJusIkeU2@reddit
I’d never heard of it before, but my cousin had told her husband that if they had a boy, she would want to call him Trey for this reason. I don’t know if she knew it was a thing or if she thought it was clever and cute or whatever. They never had a boy, got divorced (because he was a cheating asshole), and he remarried. (Actually, remarried before their divorce was final and new wife didn’t even know, but that’s another story.) They had a son and he decided to call him Trey. New wife never knew it was ex-wife’s idea. (I heard she’s actually nice and not the type that would do that if she knew.)
No_Entertainment1931@reddit
No more than Ichi is a first born
Charlesinrichmond@reddit
yes
smapdiagesix@reddit
Both maintaining a name through multiple generations like that and using "Trey" as a nickname are disproportionately but not uniquely southern.
I have run into few of either since I moved to yankeeland. MANY fewer sons beyond 3; I knew a fair number of IVs and Vs when I lived down home but I don't think I've seen any in the 15 years I've been in western NY.
WestBrink@reddit
Never heard of it. Don't know all that many ends, 3rds, etc.
I did know someone named Mint that named his kid Mint Jr. though, which I always got a chuckle out of...
orangesfwr@reddit
Yes
Shot-Artist5013@reddit
My freshman college roommate was Trey because was a 3rd
EggieRowe@reddit
My SIL is from LA and my nephew is Trey, third of his name. I thought they were being creative.
Butterbean-queen@reddit
Trey. Derived from the Latin tres which translates to three.
Trey Parker (South Park) Randolph Severn “Trey” Parker III
Trey Mancini (Baseball) Joseph Anthony “Trey” Mancini III
I’ve known multiple Trey’s and a couple of Trip’s
AcidReign25@reddit
Never heard of it. I am a 4th.
rawbface@reddit
I know a "Tripp" who is the 3rd in his family.
If I met a "Trey" I'd assume it was their actual name, or short for something like "Trevor".
But there are people who use "Trey" for the 3rd in the US. Trey Parker (South Park creator) is actually Randolph Parker III.
ahleeshaa23@reddit
My husband is a Trey for being a 3rd. He’s not southern, but was born in Georgia due to where his dad worked at the time, so I wonder if that contributed to it. Or if it came from his family being midwestern? Who knows. I’ve never met another one though and we’ve lived on the west coast our whole lives
Mr_Noms@reddit
I've heard Tres, Trip, and Trey from my area.
Apprehensive-Ant2141@reddit
Yup. But also from Louisiana so not surprising.
RealMoleRodel@reddit
We called our Tertius or Lil Tert.
Diabolik900@reddit
I’ve never heard of this, and I’ve also never known someone named Trey.
I can only think of one person I’ve known who was a III though, but I could be forgetting or just not aware of some.
ExpertCalm7029@reddit
I’m from Mississippi and can confirm the Trey mostly means he’s the third of his name.
Psychological_One240@reddit
Fun Fact: Trey Parker, the co-creator of South Park’s real name is Randolph Severn Parker the third. I was shocked when I found this out. he and his father are actually Randy and his mother’s name is Sharon. Very interesting. never knew Trey was a nickname for the third.
Remarkable_Table_279@reddit
I first heard it about 20-25 years ago…it took me while to figure out why coworkers grandson Antone was nicknamed Tre…but to be honest, I assumed it might be part of her subculture (black Pentecostal-small southern city) & didn’t think much more of it… I grew up in a mostly WASP southern teeny mostly rural hick town … if someone went past junior they’d be teased with Gilligan’s Island jokes…probably one reason why people switched up how they named people after family members…in my family, middle names are main way…and now initials
oarmash@reddit
Went to high school in MI with a III who went by Trey
somewhatbluemoose@reddit
This is regional. Not a lot of 3rds out side of the Deep South. I’ve met some Treys while living in the south but that was short for Trever.
XelaNiba@reddit
There are many in the NE, particularly in Italian & Greek families. They don't do Treys, generally speaking.
The Italian families I know do gradations - like grandpa is Lou, dad is Louis, son is Louie.
When Louie has a son, the nickname shifts again. Louie becomes Louis, Louis becomes Lou, and baby is called Louie.
Lots of Johns too. Grandpa is John, dad is Johnny, son is JohnJohn.
HurtsCauseItMatters@reddit (OP)
Its pretty funny because my Indiana family has a IVth but I guess technically my great grandfather was from KY so I guess that's South adjacent.....
Escape_Force@reddit
I can't see that name without thinking of the antiquated number used for cards, dice, and similar games. Ace, deuce, trey, etc. I've never heard of aomeone using the name to mean "the third", only standalone or short for something like Trevor or Treyvon.
grixxis@reddit
I've known a couple of "Trey"s, but my understanding is that it was either their given name, or it was a shortened version of something like "Trayveon". I was never close enough to any of them to know why they were named that way.
anotherdamnscorpio@reddit
Yeah my brother is one of those. His dad was called Bill though, denoting he was the second Will.
sean8877@reddit
When I lived in upstate NY there was a family that did the Trey thing with their 3rd born. Other than that I haven't seen it anywhere else.
Hillbillygeek1981@reddit
It's not super common in East Tennessee, but it happens. My fiancé's ex husband goes by Treye as he's the third with his name. He had the horrible idea of naming their first son the same and calling him Quad as he'd be the fourth with the name. Thankfully she's even more stubborn than I am and dug her heals in on that one. I also had a buddy in high school that ended up with the nickname from being the third child, no Senior, Junior or the third involved.
boomgoesthevegemite@reddit
Trey and Trip are common. I was an adult before I realized it was a nickname
CleverGirlRawr@reddit
I’ve never met anyone with either name!
R1PElv1s@reddit
I feel like it’s more cultural than regional. I know of one couple who was planning on doing that, but they ended up getting divorced before having kids, and another family who actually did have a III/Trey, but they live on the other side of the country. I think in general, having a “Jr” is much less common than it used to be, so there aren’t too many people having thirds.
loveboner@reddit
Yes, I have a cousin Trey and he is a third.
CleverGirlRawr@reddit
I don’t know any Trey’s and didn’t know about the association.
tlollz52@reddit
The one trey I knew, he was the third.
andmen2015@reddit
Yes it is here in Texas. Tres is the word for 3 in Spanish.
AllKnowingFix@reddit
I was born in OK in '79. Real name Charles,,, go by Trey cause the 3rd.
Zardozin@reddit
No
I’ve known five treys, all five came from the south, including the one called Trey, with his brothers who were called Ace and Deuce. I was never sure if this was a riff on Charlie Chan or his Dad was a degenerate gambler.
SirTwitchALot@reddit
I suspect it's more of a Louisiana thing. There's heavy French influence there and the French word for 3 is "tres"
XelaNiba@reddit
Trois is three in french, très means very.
Tres is the word for three in Spanish.
I wonder if tres is three in Louisiana Creole or Cajun French?
HurtsCauseItMatters@reddit (OP)
No I was being lazy in my post. I've corrected it in comments but the damage has been done lol
anneofgraygardens@reddit
that's Spanish. The French word for three is trois.
SirTwitchALot@reddit
D'oh, you're right
HurtsCauseItMatters@reddit (OP)
Technically ... its trois. Tres is Spanish I think? But since there's a heavy spanish influence from france and spain both in Louisiana it still fits.
Quick History lesson - spain controlled for 40 years before they gave it (I think?) back to France and then France turned around just a few years later and sold it to the US. Thing is Spain never demanded Louisiana switch their language so Spanish "control" was more like .... Spanish used in official documentation but let the people do what they want culturally. If it wasn't for this time of Spanish control, the Acadians that were exiled to France never would have made it to La since they funded it (they needed bodies in the remote areas of the state to encourage the colony to take off).
martlet1@reddit
I know three Tre’s. All the third generation. It’s more of a southern thing.
panic_bread@reddit
The only Trey I know of is Trey Anastasio. His full name is Ernest Anastasio III
freecain@reddit
No - Maryland and I have only heard this online, or as a nickname for Trevon.
Girl_with_no_Swag@reddit
I also grew up in Louisiana, but I had no idea that Trey was used as a nickname for the third until I was a grown adult living in California and it was explained to me that it came from the Spanish word Tres, meaning 3 (and Italian Tre).
I do have a mix of French, Spanish (Canary Islands), German, and Italian.
I have known people growing up called Trey (not many) but don’t know if they are the third.
In my family, while it’s extremely common to name babies after other family members, it really was not common for them to go past Junior. Mostly they would be named after the child’s grandparents or aunts and uncles. And while nicknames were super common, often they were called by their initials, odd nicknames related to the persons trait, and middle names.
I can’t tell you how many times I learned a relatives actual given name only after my mom sent me their obituary.
HurtsCauseItMatters@reddit (OP)
Yeah, for us our family naming traditions really just revolved on every female in the family having Marie somewhere in the name until my and my cousins generation lol. We're also french, spanish, german, Italian with a splash of Irish and quebecois that came down around the same time as the Germans came over.
We haven't had a ton of boys though and naming girls identical isn't all that common. But lots of repeat first names for them.
quietly_annoying@reddit
I grew up in Minnesota in the 80s with a kid named Harold III who went by Trae and a Stephen V who went by Quint.
I know Quint is French Canadian. I think Trae was Norwegian or at least mostly Scandiavian. I think in my area it was much more common for a "the third" to go by a middle name or by their initials.
jjmawaken@reddit
Yes
Leading-Summer-4724@reddit
My bio-father’s side of the family does this, and although they’ve been located in the south for about 4 generations now, the practice comes from their French-Canadian roots.
myseaentsthrowaway@reddit
I know of one instance of this, one woman I worked with named her son after her husband, who I presume was a junior, she said "because I wanted to have a Trey." I wouldn't say it's common but I've at least heard of it.
zgillet@reddit
To me, a trey is a three point shot.
Vanilla_thundr@reddit
I am a Third and I've literally never gone by my first name. My parents have called me Trey my entire life.
Own-Gas8691@reddit
my dad goes by Trey for this reason and my brother went by Ivy when he was young, for being the IV(th).
NewtOk4840@reddit
Lol my nickname is Trey short for Tracey which is my middle name. My son's middle name is Trey short for Tracey and his dad's name is Rey.
makethebadpeoplestop@reddit
I honestly didn't know what it was until worked with a kid a few years ago and I needed to call him and told my sup I couldn't find his number in the directory. I honestly don't remember his given name but it was something like William Summers. I asked him where the nickname "Trey" came from and his literally said, "Duh, I'm the third." As far as the francophone , wouldn't the nickname then be Trois? My family is Cajun, in the bayou, and I never heard it before...at least not in my family.
HurtsCauseItMatters@reddit (OP)
Yeah, I should have specified but linguistically we have both spanish and french in louisiana its just that most people think of us as French so I didn't think to go into it. I probably should have lol
Ok_Scientist_2762@reddit
Yes, this is a gulf coast thing. I live in the north and don't see it here, but my family is Texas/Louisiana. I have a Quatro as a cousin, quat for short.
HurtsCauseItMatters@reddit (OP)
Well that's a first for me.
Ok_Scientist_2762@reddit
I knew a few Treys in New Orleans growing up, in the 80s.
Manderthal13@reddit
My old dog Trey.
https://youtu.be/6FEF4Pjn_fs?feature=shared
1radgirl@reddit
This is a thing?? I've never heard of this in my life. Where I'm from people named Trey are named Trey, that's kinda it.
Jumpin-jacks113@reddit
I worked with guy in HS a long time ago. He was Walter Xxxxx the 3rd, but he was known by Trey. Never knew why until today.
I couldn’t figure out how Walter became Trey until now.
HurtsCauseItMatters@reddit (OP)
Right? When I found out I was dumbfounded for weeks lol
Odd-Help-4293@reddit
I've heard of this as a Southern thing, but I don't think it's common here, no.
tcrhs@reddit
The people I know that I use a nickname for being the third children go by Trip.
RonMcKelvey@reddit
I knew a Tre growing up in Texas who was a 3rd. Also went by Bubba.
girlgeek73@reddit
I know a "Trip" who is a third. I met him in Indiana, but he was from Florida so I assumed it's a southern thing. I am unaware of any Treys irl, but I am a middle-aged woman and it certainly wasn't common in my area when I was a kid.
DennisTheBald@reddit
Trey or trip
mis_no_mer@reddit
Never heard of that but I knew a Trey in high school. Wasn’t the south though.
AntisocialHikerDude@reddit
I've got a brother in law who goes by Trey for that reason.
anneofgraygardens@reddit
I've heard of this, in the sense that "Trey is a nickname for people with who are the third", but I've never actually met anyone named Trey that I can recall. I'm not sure I even know any Juniors. It seems like an antiquated thing, to not give someone their own name.
Poster_Nutbag207@reddit
There is only one Trey and he reigns supreme over all other Treys
LuxPerExperia@reddit
Texas, yes it's a thing. It took me a while to figure it out and some people are just named Trey without being a III.
SubstantialPressure3@reddit
I've heard of "Trip" for the 3rd, but not Trey. I've also heard "Skip" if the name has skipped a generation. I was a little kid when I was in Louisiana, so if Trey was a nickname for "the 3rd" that went straight over my head.
No_Papaya_2069@reddit
In the southeast US, absolutely.
Existing_Charity_818@reddit
I knew a guy in Texas who called Tres because he was named after his father and grandfather - grandpa was Senior; Dad was Junior; he was the Third, so Tres
LilMissStormCloud@reddit
I knew a Trey growing up and he was the third. Also the character Commander Trip Tucker on Star Trek is so named because he was the third in his family with his name. His actual first name was Charles.
illegalsex@reddit
Yeah, but I've met Treys that were a III, and the others that were actually named Trey.
dangleicious13@reddit
My cousin is called Trey. At least we used to call him that. No idea what he goes by today.
brenap13@reddit
Yes
readbackcorrect@reddit
yes, Trey is a nickname for being the third. I have a son whose actual name is something totally unrelated, but since he is the III, his nickname is Trey.
boneso@reddit
It’s a thing in Texas
sundial11sxm@reddit
Never heard of this.
Myfourcats1@reddit
I know of a Neil III who is called Trey
Electrical_Feature12@reddit
Nope
KittyScholar@reddit
Here in Louisiana I know a guy named “Drew” short for Quadruple. He’s the Fourth of his name
BrooklynNotNY@reddit
Yeah. Most Trey/Tre’s I know are short for a longer name but a few are 3rds.
FreshHotPoop@reddit
My little brother was born on 03/03/03 and is the third child so naturally we all agreed his name would be Trey 🤣
Interesting-Card5803@reddit
Grew up in Louisiana, also knew many Treys. They were all the third as far as I knew. One of them is actually celebrating his birthday today, so oddly topical for me.
AuburnFaninGa@reddit
I’m in Georgia - all the Treys I’ve known are III’s. I’m Gen X and the ones I’ve known range from current kids to my age range.
DullQuestion666@reddit
I have never heard this before!
I did know a Quentin who was fifth.
Blue387@reddit
The only Trey's I know of are Trea Turner and Trey Griffey, son of Ken Griffey junior. Both are athletes, Turner plays baseball and Griffey is a football player.
IamMiserable636372@reddit
I grew up in MI and I never heard of this until I was in the Navy. This isn’t surprising as there aren’t many Juniors/2nd/3rd in MI or the Midwest as a whole.
gadget850@reddit
I had a Scout named Frank III who went by Trey. His best friend was William V and went by Biff.
greeneggiwegs@reddit
I have two cousins named Trey. Both from NW Florida so I think it’s a southern thing too.
curiousleen@reddit
I know a Tre who is the third. His real name is John.
Northern Midwest.
pinniped90@reddit
I've never heard this.
I knew one kid who was a Junior - but only called that at home by family. Friends at school used his first name.
ucjj2011@reddit
The only person I know of for whom this is true is Ken Griffey III. And I only know that because Ken Griffey Jr is from Cincinnati, so I would occasionally hear about his son, Trey Griffey.
tsefardayah@reddit
I've known one "Trip" for third, but also a "Riv" - his name started with an R, and he was the 4th. I haven't explicitly known anyone else who was a third or higher. In fact, I can only think of two juniors off the top of my head.
ENovi@reddit
I don’t think it’s super common out here but I have known a few. Though now that I think about it I realize that a couple of those were marines stationed at Camp Pendleton and they didn’t actually grow up here. This brings my California Treys down to 2 total so no, in my personal and anecdotal experience I wouldn’t say it’s too common.
OldCompany50@reddit
Tray was used as a cafeteria item to hold your food to carry to the lunch table
No one would have considered as a human name
OldCompany50@reddit
Never heard it as a name or a nickname
FatGuyOnAMoped@reddit
I'm from Minnesota, and I knew a kid in school whose nickname was Trey. I was around 6 years old, and the first time anyone called him that I thought they were calling him "Trigger".
I now have a nephew who is called Trey. His parents are from northern states, but live in northern Florida. So YMMV.
SeaworthinessIll4478@reddit
Yeah we have that a lot for a guy whose name would be written as Joe Smith III as an example.