Cindy, you’ve lost the argument

York Times in 2018: ‘‘I just hate the nickname Cindy.’’

I hate it too, because it is a putdown that is meant to belittle her.

Plenty of male politicians are known by their first name: Winston, Donald, Boris. There’s nothing sexist in calling a female politician by her first name: Jacinda is unique and memorable.

For Hillary, there was another Clinton who had served in high office and her Christian name avoided confusion.

Helen is all too common – she was known to the public as Clark. Or by her full name. Sometimes Aunty Helen.

But changing (to the maddening Jacinta) or shortening someone’s name is not inconsequential. It sends a message of disrespect.

Sir John Key was never Johnnie. Sir Bill English was not called Billie. No Jimmy Bolger, Robbie Muldoon or Mikey Moore?

So why do Ardern’s critics use this infantilisation?

Because no matter what she achieves, handles, or leads, they want to sneer and remind her that she is still just a girl.

It could be worse: harassment, threats and violent rhetoric against women in leadership is all too common. (And she gets those too). But most women – and it happens most often to women by men – hate pet names from outside their friends or family.

The informality signals that a woman’s name, her title and therefore her credentials are not meaningful. This shorthand appellation is an insidious way of diminishing Ardern’s power and agency.

But the misogynistic jab says more about the (mostly) men using it, than it does Ardern. If sexist namecalling is all they’ve got, then she has already won the argument. Criticism, voicing your opinion, even disliking a leader is all fine and welcome in a healthy political system. But don’t scold and derogate the prime minister like she’s a little girl.

If you think she’s wrong, hold her failures to the same standards as men.

And her name isn’t difficult: try to get it right. You might find people take you more seriously.

Just like when a stranger uses the endearments love or darlin’, an overfamiliar cutesy name is not meant with affection.

GETTY IMAGES Margaret Thatcher had plenty of nicknames – few intended positively.