My family nickname Tuff or Tuffy had its origin in two things. Originally, my sister Joanne named me Tuff when I was a toddler after a 1940s Tom and Jerry comic book character named Tuffy Mouse who ran around in a diaper, and who Jerry called 'Tuff' (see examples below). About that same time, my brother Joe had learned a song he played on the piano called "Tough Guy Levi" - I think Uncle Mack sang it when he dropped by the house and had taught it to him. I loved that song because I thought it was about me. My mother always spelled my name Tough, like in the song, and everybody else spelled it Tuff like in the comic books. Either way, they used to say "Tuff, show us your muscles!" and I would clench my fists and pump up my arms and stick out my 'chest' (my belly really) and they would feel my muscles and get a big kick out of it - kind of like a baby brother dog trick.
1908 sheet music for Tough Guy Levi:
1908 sheet music for Tough Guy Levi:
