Did German destroyer crews use unofficial names?

Did the crews of numbered German destroyers try to give their ships unofficial names?

Yes. Some crews used unofficial names, but authorities sometimes tried to suppress them, requiring crews to keep the names quiet.

German destroyer crews attempted to retain a personal identity through unofficial names. Authorities sometimes intervened to suppress that practice, so a nickname could have to remain within the ship. A named vessel made a loss more vivid in public reporting. Numbers made losses easier to obscure, placing the propaganda purpose of the policy in conflict with the identity valued by crews.