why is the name Edward shortened to Ted?

Answer 1

It's best to understand this as part of a much wider practice of "rhyming nicknames".

There was a trend of creating rhyming nicknames (arbitrarily changing the first letter) in the 13th and 14th centuries. That's where we get all these surprising forms like Dick (and Hick!) from Richard, Polly from Molly (for Mary), Bob, Dob and Hob from Rob (from Robert), Bill from Will (from William); and Hodge from Roger.
http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mdick.html

In some cases the substituted letter has some relationship to the original. For example, the "P" of "Polly" and "Peggy" is phonetically akin to the "M" of "Molly" and "Maggie", etc. (Just try saying "Molly" as if you had a cold!) But in many cases the substitution is arbitrary. (Perhaps, though, there were favorite letters to use -- note all the uses of B,D and H as subsitutes for men's name in the list above.)

For other forms of "letter swapping" to create nicknames, and a variety of other methods by which English nicknames developed see:
http://www.geocities.com/edgarbook/names/other/nicknames.html

Apparently ONE impetus for all this letter swapping was a dislike among the native English for the harsh Norman French "r". (Note how many nicknames made substitions for r's -- not only at the beginning of words [Richard, Robert], but in the middle of them -- Mary > Molly, Sarah > Sally/Sadie, Dorothy > Dolly; Harold/Harry > Hal).

Another reason for rhyming nicknames was the limited number of different personal names at the time. Changing the first letter was one way of distinguishing people who had the same given name. (Consider especially the case of a parent and child with the same first name. Even today it is not unusual for the child to be called by a different nickname to distinguish them from their parent.)
http://www.behindthename.com/bb_gen/arcview.php?id=11051

Given this practice of letter-swapping (especially at the *beginning* of a name), it is not too surprising that the 'Ed' name (Edward, Edgar, Edwin) would end up using a nickname with various arbitrary consonants at the beginning, not only creating "Ned", but borrowing the pre-exising nickname "Ted" (for Theodore).

Answer 2

What Is Ted Short For

Answer 3

TED
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: TED [key]
Short form of EDWARD or THEODORE

Answer 4

Ted is the short name for Edward:

Edward means wealthy guardian. From the Old English name Eadweard, meaning rich or happy, and guardian. Also a diminutive of Edgar: Fortunate and powerful. It is also an abbreviation of Theodore.

I think it is just that it sounds like the beginning of the word and became a common abbreviation.

Answer 5

Edward The teddy Bear

Answer 6

I do not have a true answer, but from Yorkshire, I would like to think it came into use when; "I wer commin oer't road when I saw t'edward from co-op. A reat site e' were an 'all" All Yorkshire people forgive my spelling, but I think you know what I mean!

Answer 7

I always thought that Ed was short for Edward and Ted was short for Theodore, like Theodore Roosevelt, Teddy and the Ruff Riders, I could be wrong but that is what I thought.

Answer 8

What a great question! I've always wanted to know why Billy is short for William and not Willie?

Answer 9

idk...i always thot that was short for theadore.

i guess ed and ted sound the similar.....could be either i guess.

with shortened names its usually the man/womans preferance which one they get called, there usually isnt a reason per say.

Answer 10

You had to of misunderstood what was being said. Ted is the short form of Theodore. Ed is the short form of Edward. Althought I have heard that Ed is the short form of names begining or with "ED" and Ted is included unfortunately I could not find any evidence to support this. Any how I go with the norm and use Ed for Edward and Ted for Theodore.