Nicknames I never got..

[draggar]

Why is it if someone's name is Richard a nickname for that is Dick?

How about Margaret? How do they get "Peggy" out of that one?

How does William become Bill far more often than Will? But, there is no Billiam?

[Custard Chick]

I've read before that it has to do with the origin of the name.

Here's an article that explains some of the more common odd nicknames: http://www.associatedcontent.com/art..._jack_and.html

[dalesys]

I figure small_village + long_winter + boredom = new_name(whodat).

[Becks]

Why is it if someone's name is Richard a nickname for that is Dick?

How about Margaret? How do they get "Peggy" out of that one?

You sound EXACTLY like the man of the household upon hearing me mention Auntie Peggy and (great-)Uncle Dick.

I was never able to explain it. It's just how it always is/was in the family.

[It shouldn't]

But, there is no Billiam?

Yes there is. All the spare kids call my hubby Billiam.
We were all sitting around the campfire one night and someone called "Hey Bill!" Somebody else called "Hey William" at the same time. The callers looked at each other and you could just see the light bulb flash briefly in their eyes. "BILLIAM" they shouted in unison. And it stuck!

[protege]

Why is it if someone's name is Richard a nickname for that is Dick?

Well, in my family's case... we all say that Uncle Dick got his name, because he really *is* a dick It's either use that name, or get into trouble for cursing in front of Grandma. She's 92, but could still kick some ass

[Gawdzillers]

How about Margaret? How do they get "Peggy" out of that one?

I've never heard that. I've heard "Maggie" from Margaret, but not "Peggy".

[Jester]

Let's not forget any woman who is nicknamed "Buffy." Since invariably their given name is something else completely.

Or the male nickname Bud. My stepfather's family calls him that. His name is nothing close to Bud. Yet that is his nickname. Go figger.

I have also noticed that invariably any guy nicknamed "Tiny" is a large individual. And yet, any guy nicknamed "Ogre" or "Bear" is a REALLY large individual.

[teller]

Let's not forget any woman who is nicknamed "Buffy." Since invariably their given name is something else completely.

Or the male nickname Bud. My stepfather's family calls him that. His name is nothing close to Bud. Yet that is his nickname. Go figger.

I have also noticed that invariably any guy nicknamed "Tiny" is a large individual. And yet, any guy nicknamed "Ogre" or "Bear" is a REALLY large individual.

bud is most likely a version of Buddie i think richiard/dick was based on a private eye if i remember rightly

[Jester]

bud is most likely a version of Buddie

Which still has nothing to do with most guys who get that nickname. It is nothing like their given name.

Speaking of which, and this may be unique to me, but growing up, my father used to call me "Butch" a lot.

My first name is not Butch, nor is it anything similar to Butch. I don't even have four of those letters anywhere in any of my names!

Luckily for me (and not to be too macabre), that particular nickname died with my father.

[Giggle Goose]

I have an Uncle Butch whose real name is David. I forget where the Butch came from, but that side of the family is all from West Virginia so who knows?

When one of my cousins was little, she had trouble saying it so she always called him Uncle Buck. "Buck" seems to be another one of those nicknames that come from nowhere, too.

[protege]

My grandfather always went by "Bud." He hated his given name. Why? Well, his mother (a real bitch, BTW) named him Sharron...since she really wanted a daughter. Calling him Sharron nearly *guaranteed* you'd get your ass kicked. However, it did cut down on the telemarketing calls--anyone who really knew him would know that the didn't use that name, not even at work. I still remember what I called him when I was little--"Bug"

[Caveat Emptor]

Late great uncle went by Jake. I didn't know until I was in highschool his real name was Harold. Turns out that my GGgrandparents asked his brother (who was 22 when he was born) whether Harold was a good name. He apparenty replied with a popular phrase in the late 1920's - "That's Jake with me." and the nickname stuck. My late grandfather was Eugene and his nickname was "Duge" because one of his younger brothers mispronounced it "Duge-gene."

[draftermatt]

I've never understood why some people who's name is John prefer to go by "Jack"

Of course a lady here at work swears "Jack" is only supposed to be short for John.

[PCGameGuy]

Why is it if someone's name is Richard a nickname for that is Dick?

Heh, reminds me of a co-worker we had who was Richard. He related this tale of a previous workplace:

CW1 : Coworker 1
CW2 : Coworker 2
R : Richard

CW1 - Something I've always wondered about, is the nickname Dick for Richard

CW2 - Yeah, how do you get Dick from Richard?

R - Well, you could start by buying me a few drinks.