had been nicknaming

• past perfect progressive

  past perfect progressive

  Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.

  of nickname.
  nickname

  noun

  a name added to or substituted for the proper name of a person, place, etc., as in affection, ridicule, or familiarity.

Related Words

• epithet
• moniker
• sobriquet
• style
• tag