How did Charles Lucky Luciano get his nickname?

Answer 1

Lucky Luciano took advantage of prohibition, passed in 1919, and began selling bootleg liquor. During the 20's, he also met Arnold Rothstein, who among other things was famous for fixing the 1919 World Series. When he died in 1928, Luciano took over many of his rackets.

In October 1929, Luciano was forced into a limousine at gun point by three men, beaten and stabbed, and dumped on a beach on Staten Island. He somehow survived the ordeal but was forever marked with a scar and droopy eye

Answer 2

There is much speculation about how Luciano got the nickname 'Lucky'. Some say it was because he was 'lucky' enough to survive a severe beating and throat slashing, which left him with a droopy eye. Another theory is that he was 'lucky' enough to avoid spending a day in prison despite being arrested 25 times between 1916-1936.

A more likely explination is a simple mispronunciations of Luciano's surname "Lucania", which was eventually just shortened to 'Lucky'. There is no definitive answer, and despite its popularity in recent years, its was probably rarely used by rank and file members of the mafia; Don Salvatore, Don Luciano, or Sally (short for Salvatore) were likely what most people used to talk with him.

Similarly, Benjamin Segielbaum, aka 'Bugsy' Segiel, is thought to have disliked being called Bugsy, preffereing 'Benny', though those close to him were allowed to use the nickname.

Im many areas of Cosa Nostra, nicknames are reserved for men of respect, and no underling calls their superior by a nickname without expressed consent.