“The Power,” “Snakebite,” and “Jackpot.” Every dart player in the PDC sooner or later receives a nickname or competition name after he has achieved a certain status. These names are often suggested by the PDC as an idea or have a completely different reference. We would like to show you a few of the most famous examples and explain how these dart players got their nicknames. The dart players' respective nicknames have now become a real trademark. Part of the fascination with darts and dart players is also caused by the affectionate nicknames.
Raymond “Barney” van Barneveld
Every dart fan knows him. After Phil Taylor, Raymond van Barneveld is probably the most successful darts player of all time - so far. Van Barneveld's nickname is no coincidence either. Although “Barney” is ultimately just a shorter derivative of his full last name, the nickname has proven to be one of the most popular among fans. For this reason, the Dutchman's fans refer to themselves as the so-called “Barney Army”.
Gary “The Flying Scotsman” Anderson
Gary Anderson used to have the nickname “Dream Boy”. However, this has long since changed with his rapid rise in the PDC. Every dart fan now knows the Scottish darts player as “The Flying Scotsman”. His nickname comes from an allusion to the name of the fastest train connection between London and Edinburgh that has existed since 1923. His nickname is often mistakenly understood as an allusion to The Flying Dutchman .
Alan “Chuck” Norris
Who would be better suited to the nickname “Chuck” than Alan Norris? The connection is of course easy to derive here. Alan Norris also received the nickname Chuck at the PDC thanks to Hollywood action star Chuck Norris.
Jelle “The Cobra” Klaasen
Jelle Klaasen hasn’t had the nickname “The Cobra” for that long. There were reasons for this at the time, as Jelle Klaasen was particularly known for his fast throwing rhythm and was initially nicknamed “Jelle de Snelle”. At times he was also called “The Matador” before “The Cobra” became his trademark in 2014. There is a deeper meaning here too, because Klaasen is Dutch but has Indonesian roots. Since the cobra also comes from Indonesia, Klaasen's nickname fits his origins very well.
James “The Machine” Wade
The younger generation probably only knows darts player James Wade by his nickname “The Machine”. However, Wade had several nicknames in the past. The Gladiator, 009, No Nickname and Spectacular were just a few of his former nicknames. James Wade has kept the nickname “The Machine” for eleven years now - also because he actually hits double 10 like a machine.
Michael “The Bully Boy” Smith
Michael Smith still belongs to the relatively young generation in darts . This is exactly why the 2019 World Cup finalist was nicknamed “Bully Boy”. In German, this essentially means thug type. The English darts player explained his nickname in an interview by saying that he was attacked by a calf on a farm.
Adrian “Jackpot” Lewis
The story of the nickname Adrian Lewis is probably one of the most spectacular of all. At a tournament in Las Vegas, Lewis thought he could spend his free time in the casino. There, Lewis literally hit the jackpot with a one-armed bandit and would have actually won $75,000. But that's far from the case, because in the USA, playing in casinos is only permitted from the age of 21. However, Lewis was younger at the time and did not receive the money. A strange and funny story that earned Lewis the nickname “Jackpot”.
Phil “The Power” Taylor
Phil Taylor got his nickname “The Power” by accident. Because Taylor himself didn't choose this name. Rather, it was an English TV employee who gave Taylor this name. In a dark room, Peter George stepped on the CD box of the same name from the band SNAP! and then gave Taylor that name.
Simon “The Wizard” Whitlock
When it comes to Simon Whitlock, you don't really need to think much about where his nickname comes from. If you look closely, Whitlock certainly resembles great wizard characters from films like “The Lord of the Rings” or “Harry Potter”. It quickly became clear that Simon Whitlock, with his long mane and distinctive beard, could only be given one nickname: The Wizard.
Peter “Snakebite” Wright
Of course, darts player Peter “Snakebite” Wright should not be missing from this list. His nickname goes back to the drink of the same name “Snakebite” – a mixture of cider and beer. For Wright in particular, his nickname has now become a trademark, so much so that the shrill bird of paradise has a hissing snake painted on the side of his head in many television appearances.
Michael “Mighty Mike” van Gerwen
Of course, the world number one should not be missing from this list. Hardly any other darts player's nickname fits so well with a player's playing style. As a result of his dominant, emotional and sometimes frightening appearance on stage, Michael van Gerwen received his current nickname.
For you in this list we have listed the top 32 dart players of the PDC with their respective nicknames:
| 1 | Michael van Gerwen | Mighty Mike |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Rob Cross | The Voltage |
| 3 | Peter Wright | Snakebite |
| 4 | Gary Anderson | The Flying Scotsman |
| 5 | Daryl Gurney | Great Chin |
| 6 | Michael Smith | Bully Boy |
| 7 | Gerwyn Price | Iceman |
| 8th | Scale Suljovic | The Gentle |
| 9 | Simon Whitlock | The Wizard |
| 10 | James Wade | The Machine |
| 11 | Ian White | Diamond |
| 12 | Dave Chisnall | Chizzy |
| 13 | Darren Webster | Demolition Man |
| 14 | Adrian Lewis | jackpot |
| 15 | Joe Cullen | Rock star |
| 16 | Johnny Clayton | The Ferret |
| 17 | Stephen Bunting | The Bullet |
| 18 | Mervyn King | The King |
| 19 | Steve West | Simplay |
| 20 | John Henderson | The Highlander |
| 21 | Steve Beaton | The Bronzed Adonis |
| 22 | Kim Huybrechts | The Hurricane |
| 23 | Kyle Anderson | The Original |
| 24 | Alan Norris | Chuck |
| 25 | James Wilson | Lethal Biscuit |
| 26 | Jamie Lewis | Rasta |
| 27 | Jelle Klaasen | The Cobra |
| 28 | Raymond van Barneveld | Barney |
| 29 | Jermaine Wattimena | The Machine Gun |
| 30 | Benito van de Pas | Big Ben |
| 31 | Cristo Reyes | The Spartan |
| 32 | Max Hopp | Maximiser |
The stories of the dart players nicknames make it
We hope we were able to inspire you dart players a little, even if you are still looking for the right nicknames in your dart team . The stories of how these nicknames come about are part of what makes darts so special. There are just things that you don't have to be able to explain. If you would like to see the players live on TV, it is worth securing the free trial month at DAZN !
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- The PDC Q School is the first step to a darts career. No talented player can avoid taking part in the PDC Q-School.
- Read the exclusive success story of Phil Taylor , the English darts player “The Power” now! Find out more about his titles and 9-darters in the PDC
