diff --git a/code/modules/client/preference_setup/general/01_basic.dm b/code/modules/client/preference_setup/general/01_basic.dm
index d991cd4825..604c9cb1ff 100644
--- a/code/modules/client/preference_setup/general/01_basic.dm
+++ b/code/modules/client/preference_setup/general/01_basic.dm
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ datum/preferences/proc/set_biological_gender(var/gender)
 
 /datum/category_item/player_setup_item/general/basic/load_character(var/savefile/S)
 	S["real_name"]				>> pref.real_name
+	S["nickname"]				>> pref.nickname
 	S["name_is_always_random"]	>> pref.be_random_name
 	S["gender"]					>> pref.biological_gender
 	S["id_gender"]				>> pref.identifying_gender
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ datum/preferences/proc/set_biological_gender(var/gender)
 
 /datum/category_item/player_setup_item/general/basic/save_character(var/savefile/S)
 	S["real_name"]				<< pref.real_name
+	S["nickname"]				<< pref.nickname
 	S["name_is_always_random"]	<< pref.be_random_name
 	S["gender"]					<< pref.biological_gender
 	S["id_gender"]				<< pref.identifying_gender
@@ -35,6 +37,7 @@ datum/preferences/proc/set_biological_gender(var/gender)
 	pref.real_name		= sanitize_name(pref.real_name, pref.species, is_FBP())
 	if(!pref.real_name)
 		pref.real_name      = random_name(pref.identifying_gender, pref.species)
+	pref.nickname		= sanitize_name(pref.nickname)
 	pref.spawnpoint         = sanitize_inlist(pref.spawnpoint, spawntypes, initial(pref.spawnpoint))
 	pref.be_random_name     = sanitize_integer(pref.be_random_name, 0, 1, initial(pref.be_random_name))
 
@@ -53,6 +56,8 @@ datum/preferences/proc/set_biological_gender(var/gender)
 	if(character.dna)
 		character.dna.real_name = character.real_name
 
+	character.nickname = pref.nickname
+
 	character.gender = pref.biological_gender
 	character.identifying_gender = pref.identifying_gender
 	character.age = pref.age
@@ -62,7 +67,9 @@ datum/preferences/proc/set_biological_gender(var/gender)
 	. += "<b>Name:</b> "
 	. += "<a href='?src=\ref[src];rename=1'><b>[pref.real_name]</b></a><br>"
 	. += "<a href='?src=\ref[src];random_name=1'>Randomize Name</A><br>"
-	. += "<a href='?src=\ref[src];always_random_name=1'>Always Random Name: [pref.be_random_name ? "Yes" : "No"]</a>"
+	. += "<a href='?src=\ref[src];always_random_name=1'>Always Random Name: [pref.be_random_name ? "Yes" : "No"]</a><br>"
+	. += "<b>Nickname:</b> "
+	. += "<a href='?src=\ref[src];nickname=1'><b>[pref.nickname]</b></a>"
 	. += "<br>"
 	. += "<b>Biological Gender:</b> <a href='?src=\ref[src];bio_gender=1'><b>[gender2text(pref.biological_gender)]</b></a><br>"
 	. += "<b>Gender Identity:</b> <a href='?src=\ref[src];id_gender=1'><b>[gender2text(pref.identifying_gender)]</b></a><br>"
@@ -92,6 +99,17 @@ datum/preferences/proc/set_biological_gender(var/gender)
 		pref.be_random_name = !pref.be_random_name
 		return TOPIC_REFRESH
 
+	else if(href_list["nickname"])
+		var/raw_nickname = input(user, "Choose your character's nickname:", "Character Nickname")  as text|null
+		if (!isnull(raw_nickname) && CanUseTopic(user))
+			var/new_nickname = sanitize_name(raw_nickname, pref.species, is_FBP())
+			if(new_nickname)
+				pref.nickname = new_nickname
+				return TOPIC_REFRESH
+			else
+				user << "<span class='warning'>Invalid name. Your name should be at least 2 and at most [MAX_NAME_LEN] characters long. It may only contain the characters A-Z, a-z, -, ' and .</span>"
+				return TOPIC_NOACTION
+
 	else if(href_list["bio_gender"])
 		var/new_gender = input(user, "Choose your character's biological gender:", "Character Preference", pref.biological_gender) as null|anything in get_genders()
 		if(new_gender && CanUseTopic(user))
diff --git a/code/modules/client/preferences.dm b/code/modules/client/preferences.dm
index 4709fb3e81..23ad2d7409 100644
--- a/code/modules/client/preferences.dm
+++ b/code/modules/client/preferences.dm
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ datum/preferences
 	//character preferences
 	var/real_name						//our character's name
 	var/be_random_name = 0				//whether we are a random name every round
+	var/nickname						//our character's nickname
 	var/age = 30						//age of character
 	var/spawnpoint = "Arrivals Shuttle" //where this character will spawn (0-2).
 	var/b_type = "A+"					//blood type (not-chooseable)
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/hear_say.dm b/code/modules/mob/hear_say.dm
index 3a451bff44..c2a7b5668a 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/hear_say.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/hear_say.dm
@@ -88,6 +88,8 @@
 // Checks if the mob's own name is included inside message.  Handles both first and last names.
 /mob/proc/check_mentioned(var/message)
 	var/list/valid_names = splittext(real_name, " ") // Should output list("John", "Doe") as an example.
+	var/list/nicknames = splittext(nickname, " ")
+	valid_names += nicknames
 	valid_names += special_mentions()
 	for(var/name in valid_names)
 		if(findtext(message, regex("\\b[name]\\b", "i"))) // This is to stop 'ai' from triggering if someone says 'wait'.
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/mob_defines.dm b/code/modules/mob/mob_defines.dm
index e296db2ab9..716a5d62c2 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/mob_defines.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/mob_defines.dm
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@
 	var/stuttering = null	//Carbon
 	var/slurring = null		//Carbon
 	var/real_name = null
+	var/nickname = null
 	var/flavor_text = ""
 	var/med_record = ""
 	var/sec_record = ""