Those who give you a nickname in their first message on a dating app are normally of two categories.

Those who think that giving you a nickname is a good way to break the ice with you and those who are trying too hard to endear themselves to you.

Someone who is trying too hard is often hiding a bunch of issues and insecurities that warrant red flags.

He hasn’t had a whole lot of success with his matches on the dating app and is hoping that calling you a nickname endears you to him.

It’s too desperate. A desperate guy has a propensity to tell you whatever he thinks you want to hear, in a desperate attempt to get you to like him.

This is never good.

It means that he won’t hesitate to lie to you.

This is the last thing you want from a stranger on a dating app.

Now, those who call you a nickname in their first message believing that it to be a good way to break the ice are a different story.

Although, he is misguided in thinking this, his heart is in the right place.

In seeing your name, he instantly surmised that you probably go by a shortened version of it in your day to day life.

He makes this assumption based on other people he has met in his life with the same name who go by the shortened form of it in their day to day life.

He shouldn’t be making assumptions.

After all, he doesn’t verifiably know that you go by the shortened form of that name.

He makes an assumption and hopes that by calling you by that nickname, he breaks the ice and gets you to feel like he is someone you know, and consequently, you need not be guarded or nervous in talking to him.

A guy who calls you a nickname with this mindset, isn’t doing so with nefarious intent, he is just misguided.

It’s a good idea not to immediately write him off when he does this in his first message to you.

Take a look at his dating profile to see whether it has substance.

If it does, it’s alright to respond to his message.

Somewhere in the message, preferably towards the end of it, let him know that you would much rather be called by your full name at this time.

Be polite in how you say it.

Crack a joke about it.

You have gotten your point across politely and need not worry about him using that nickname again.

From here, the two of you have an opening to chat and see whether chemistry exists.

How do you differentiate between a guy who calls you a nickname to break the ice and a desperate guy who is trying too hard?

The guy who is trying too hard sounds desperate in his dating profile too.

He is spending way too much time trying to convince people that he is worth dating.