This may be just me, but I've really become aware of what others are calling Hurley. Sawyer's abandonment of nicknames aside, it seems others (ie. Jack and Dead Charlie) have begun to use the proper "Hugo" instead of the informal "Hurley". Why now? For about 90 island days, everyone (aside from Sawyer) used Hurley. What's changed?

I just have a feeling the writers are trying to tell us something, but I have no idea what....

I've always thought there is somthing about the way people are addressed, by last names, first names, occupations that will prove to be relatively important, I'm just not sure what yet.

Initially, didn't Hurley tell everyone that was his name? I can't remember if he ever introduced himself as Hugo ...?

Yes, I think you're right. "My name's Hurley...long story, Dude."

Michael would know his real name from the list. Juliet, too. But it seems everyone's calling him Hugo now (and in the future).

I think Hurley has come into his own more recently, become more serious. I can't really pinpoint what I mean, but he just seems to have changed a little, and thats why I think he's being called Hugo moreoften now, it's a progression along with himself.

I think Hurley has come into his own more recently, become more serious. I can't really pinpoint what I mean, but he just seems to have changed a little, and thats why I think he's being called Hugo moreoften now, it's a progression along with himself.

i'm not 100% certain it's the full reason for the shift to Hugo, but i definitely know what you mean about his development. i'd say a big indication of this is the fact that he just mowed down the Others on the beach when it would be almost unimaginable for the Hurley we first met to kill anyone, even in defense of his friends (though i was kinda proud of him for that, actually).

I may be remembering this incorrectly, but did Hurley start being referred to as Hugo more often shortly after his sweetheart's death?

Hurley has such child-like qualities, but through these events on the island he's kinda coming into his own, and being seen as a more mature guy by the Losties. The respect level may be higher than it once was, and that could be reflected by how they address him.

BUT, I agree that there is something in a name on this show. And calling somebody by their proper name doesn't always mean respect. When Sawyer is caught by the others (w/ Kate and Jack), the others refer to him as James. It was more of a calling-him-out, we-know-who-you-are rather than a respect thing.

And, it could just be a tad of foreshadowing: If our lovable, easygoing Hurley is changing into a more serious, intense Hugo...then things on the island (and their futures in general) are on the verge of getting really bad.

Not that we are expecting anything different than that, though. :) :)

I think they may be gaining respect for him. Hugo sounds more adult (at least more adult then Hurley). It's like a kid named Chuck wanting to be called Charles when he gets older

And, it could just be a tad of foreshadowing: If our lovable, easygoing Hurley is changing into a more serious, intense Hugo...then things on the island (and their futures in general) are on the verge of getting really bad.

I completly agree that Hurley's change to Hugo could be perhaps a forshadow to something larger. And now that Charlie is gone (R.I.P.) I can really see this change in character take affect. My guess is that we will be seeing a much more somber Hurley in the times to come. So that might be a reason the TPTB chose to make these slight changes in the use of his name.

I think that when dead or time shifting Charlie used the more formal Hugo vs. nickname Hurley it signals a change in Charlie and not in Hurley's status. Sort of like when Walt appears to Locke and tells him to get out of the hole that he has work to do. Same serious demeanor.

We still don't know the "long story" behind his nickname, Hurley. Who coined it? Where did it come from? The significance of Hurley vs. Hugo, if any, may have something to do with the origin of the nick.

I think that when dead or time shifting Charlie used the more formal Hugo vs. nickname Hurley it signals a change in Charlie and not in Hurley's status. Sort of like when Walt appears to Locke and tells him to get out of the hole that he has work to do. Same serious demeanor.

I was thinking about that. I think that Charlie using Hugo instead of Hurley is more a clue about Charlie's state of mind (for a lack of a better word) than it is about Hurley's. I think that Charlie is using the name Hugo to emphasis the importance of what Charlie is telling him i.e. "they need you." Kind of like when a mom wants to get the attention of their child and uses their birth name instead of their nickname (I hope that made sense).

Locke's always called him Hugo, ever since the S1 census episode when he told him his real name..

Sawyer's called him Hugo a few times since late S3, when he quit using nicknames. But he quit calling Kate Freckles about that same time, so that's a Sawyer thing more than a Hurley/Hugo thing..

Other than that, the Losties have stuck with Hurley.
The Others have called him Hugo, and in fb's he's been called Hugo ever since S1.

So there's not been a recent trend, just Charlie.

Come on guys!

Locke/John
Hurley/Hugo
Sawyer/James
Ben/Henry

All currently in Team Green.

This may be just me, but I've really become aware of what others are calling Hurley. Sawyer's abandonment of nicknames aside, it seems others (ie. Jack and Dead Charlie) have begun to use the proper "Hugo" instead of the informal "Hurley". Why now? For about 90 island days, everyone (aside from Sawyer) used Hurley. What's changed?

I just have a feeling the writers are trying to tell us something, but I have no idea what....

The only people calling him Hugo were Locke and Sawyer and that's nothing new. Jack, Bernard and Charlie all still called him Hurley.

We still don't know the "long story" behind his nickname, Hurley. Who coined it? Where did it come from? The significance of Hurley vs. Hugo, if any, may have something to do with the origin of the nick.

I've wondered that, too, and have used the two names interchangeably.