Collocations for nickname - noun

childhood
affectionate
cute (esp. AmE)
little (esp. AmE)

have, use
He used the nickname ‘Brutus’.

give sb
acquire, gain, get
He got his nickname ‘Ash’ from his heavy smoking.

earn (sb)
live up to
Knockout Nat lived up to his nickname.

hate

stick
He got his nickname when he was at school and it stuck for the rest of his life.

nickname for
Their nickname for the club was ‘Muscle Alley’.

hence her/his nickname
He worked in a garage—hence his nickname ‘Oily’.