why do popes get/chose nicknames instead of using their real name?
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The Popes choosing a Papal name goes back centuries.
Originally the Popes just used their real name.
The first Pope to change his name was Mercurius who believed that being named after a Pagan God was inappropriate for a Pope so he went with John II in honor of his predecessor.
John being the name of an apostle.
Other later Popes would change their names, but this eventually became a tradition.
Papal names are often chosen because of their Christian meaning, or because of the meaning behind the name. Popes will often chose a name reflecting a previous Pope that they want to emulate in terms of policies.
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