90 Popular George W. Bush Nicknames

This article is about the nicknames of George Walker Bush, the 43rd President of the United States. Did you know that Bush was the first President in over a century to be elected without winning the popular vote? Of all the five presidents that won the presidency despite losing the popular vote, Bush remains the only one to have been re-elected.

That said, let’s learn about the widely known nicknames of George W. Bush.

Table of Contents

1. Dubya

Dubya,” a folksy pronunciation of his middle initial “W,” is perhaps the most popular nickname for Bush. It uses the initial for his middle name to refer to his Texan origin and being the son of the forty-first president, George Bush.

2. Temporary

The origin of this moniker dates back to Bush’s time as a student at Yale, where he was a member of Skull and Bones, an elite secret society. Lore has it that the society, founded in 1832, is so secretive that members must leave the room if an outsider mentions the organization. According to Atlantic Monthly, Bush had difficulty coming up with a nickname for Skull and Bones, so he ended up as “Temporary,” the moniker fellow Bonesmen still call him.

3. King George/King George II/Little George

Coined by the former governor of Vermont, Howard Dean, the nickname “King George” carries negative connotations. It implies that Bush was as oppressive as the British monarchy toward the early American colonists. Dean used this moniker in a campaign speech on September 23, 2003.

4. Shrub

The name “Shrub” was given to Bush by columnist Molly Ivins. Running as a candidate for governor of Texas, George W. Bush became “Shrub,” a nickname she never tired of using. The moniker is a pun on his last name since he’s a smaller Bush. Although Ivins passed away due to cancer in 2007, her nickname for Bush lives on.

5. Incurious George

The nickname “Incurious George” or “Uncurious George” makes a not-so-subtle reference to Curious George, a fictional monkey from a popular children’s book and TV series. One explanation for this moniker is his resemblance to the fictional monkey and his intolerance for diverging facts and opinions. Another is that pundits use it to describe President George Bush’s alleged lack of curiosity about intelligence reports before the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

6. Gush

The 2000 presidential election ranks as one of the most disputed in American history, with Bush having emerged the winner after a Supreme Court ruling ordered that a recount of votes in the deciding state of Florida be stopped. Bush, running against Al Gore, was the prevailing news of the day, with commentators making puns out of their names by swapping out their initials. Bush and Gore became Gush and Bore.

7. Bushitler

Bushitler” is a derogatory name given to George W. Bush by his political opponents who likened him to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

8. 43

43” is the nickname given to Bush because he is the 43rd President of America. It also distinguishes him from his father, the 41st POTUS, who shares George’s first name. George W. Bush would go on to write a biography about his father titled 41: A Portrait of My Father.

9. Jefe

According to PageSix, George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, go by unusual nicknames. One such name is “Jefe,” a term of endearment given to Bush by his grandkids, which he prefers to Grandpa. Jefe is a Spanish term for a leader.

10. Trailblazer

George W. Bush had two codenames. One while his father was president and another, he took on the assumption of office as POTUS. Bush’s presidential code name was complimentary and was known as “Trailblazer.” However, while his father was president, his name was less flattering: Tumbler. According to some reports, it was based on his alleged propensity to party.

Other nicknames for George W. Bush include:

11. George of the Bungle

12. The Lyin’ King

13. Boy George, Junior

14. Commander-in-Thief

15. Spurious George

16. George W. Butcher

17. LoserBush

18. Dumbya

19. DUHbya

20. George Putsch

21. Scurrilous George

22. Bushwacker

23. Bush II

24. Bogus W. Potus

25. His Fraudulency

26. Bush Baby

27. Oaf of Office

28. Mini-Bush

29. Mona Loser

30. Giggles the Clown

31. President Reject

32. UnPresident

33. Drinky McDumbass

34. Whoosh Bush

35. Prince Snippy

36. President Select

37. Ersatz DumbShrub

38. Resident Putsch

39. President* Bush

40. Twiggy Bush

41. Resident Bush

42. StumbleYa

43. Shrubus Illegitimus

44. Dubfus

45. Sniffy

46. President?

47. Bushware 2.0

48. Bushbrat

49. “President”

50. B eelzebush

51. The Son King

52. His Royal Fraudulency

53. Embarrassment-in-Chief

54. The Perp

55. Flubya

56. Our Beerless Leader

57. Our Foundling Father

58. Quayle II

59. Duh President

60. DWIbya

61. Bushit

62. Bushwacker

63. Ambush

64. George the Lesser

65. His Illegitimacy

66. Humpty Dumbty

67. DoubleDay

68. Bush League

69. Great Pretender

70. Supreme Choice

71. G. Whizz George

72. Dead Brain Talking

73. D. Dubya I

74. The English Mauler

75. The English Patient

76. Our Encephalic Emperor

77. Pediatric President

78. Lyin’ Scion

79. Pre$ident

80. Presidunce

81. Presidense

82. DoubleScrewed

83. Gridlock George

84. Your Accidency

85. George W. Gump

86. The Rain Man

87. Dubious Dubya

88. Smirky the Chimp

89. Pretender-in-Thief

90. Poppy’s Puppet

Do you know any other nicknames for George W. Bush? or maybe you have some personal nicknames for him? Please drop all your favorite, funny, and weird George W. Bush nicknames in the comments.

More President Nicknames:

Photo of author
Written By:
Last Updated:
Stephen Agwaibor is a writer, editor and journalist with an academic background in economics. His writing interests cover various topics, including science, politics, business and social commentary.
Learn more about our editorial guidelines.

Leave a Comment