Calling themselves the "Dragonfly Army, " after Mr. Sukrit's nickname, Chinese fans have also teamed up with their Thai counterparts to form powerful online voting blocs that sway the outcome of Thai entertainment awards.

WSJ: Hungry for Drama, Chinese Viewers Send Out for Thai

That was more than enough for fans (whose "Browncoat" nickname, by the way, comes from the Western-style dusters worn by Fillion and others on the show).

CNN: Doug Gross

When asked what kind of boxer nickname he might adopt, Mr. Zou said he hoped fans would decide for themselves after seeing him fight.

WSJ: 'Fists of Gold' Zou Shiming Boxing Match Fires Up China

He stopped the shot with his right pad, and the Devils' fans in the crowd sang out "Moose, " which has been Hedberg's nickname since 2001, when he kept wearing his old Manitoba Moose face mask even though he had been called up by Pittsburgh.

WSJ: Even the Devils' Backup Is a Wall

It's also the new name Mr. Chesney invented for his legion of tailgating fans, who (unlike Deadheads or Jimmy Buffett's Parrothead followers) had somehow never gotten a nickname.

WSJ: Kenny Chesney: King of the Road

He earned the nickname "The Hardest Working Man in Show Business" and often tried to prove it to his fans, said Jay Ross, his lawyer of 15 years.

NPR: Harlem Says Its Farewell to James Brown