Аннотация:The article deals with the analysis of the English soubriquet nomination in terms of its linguo-cultural potentialrealisation in reference to cultural awareness and intercultural competence development in languageeducation process. Soubriquets can be used to pass cultural information and knowledge represented in languageand speech. On the basis of complex methodology that integrates linguistic and linguo-cultural approachesto soubriquets within the English-speaking communities, nicknames are considered as part of culturalhistorical continuum, including their variation properties. The analysis of media materials serves topenetrate into the sphere of linguo-cultural peculiarities of soubriquet nominations used in political discourseto persuade and manipulate target audience by means of memes encoded by the linguistic units inquestion, presented in discourse to pass evaluative and cultural information within new discursive formats,reflecting current trends in the communicative processes. The use of soubriquets in literary works impliesthe reader’s cultural awareness that facilitates recognition and understanding of cultural contexts, which becomesimportant for intercultural competence development as it reflects typical characteristics of a givenculture realised in language manifestations.KEYWORDS: soubriquet, cultural awareness, intercultural communication, background knowledge