2006-10-14 07:03:11 · 6 answers · asked by roscoedeadbeat 7 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Genealogy
i looked under the derevation of english name dick the only reference i could find was
October 18, 2003
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Who was "clever Dick" and what did he do to be so named?
English culture provides three contenders: probably foremost, Dick Whittington (c.1358-1423) who, at 13, reputedly walked 100 miles to London to seek his fortune in that city "whose streets are paved with gold" (he eventually served three terms as London's mayor); King Richard I, "The Lionheart" (1157-99), an outstanding soldier and Crusader; and Mr Dick from David Copperfield, who, in the eyes of young David and his chums, "was a universal favourite, and his ingenuity in little things was transcendent". While the chronology embeds Whittington and The Lionheart in English culture earlier, the derogatory nature of today's expression favours the Dickensian Mr Dick.
Ken Phelan, Maitland
Clever Dick was Silly Billy's brother.
Norm Neill, Leichhardt
2006-10-17 12:23:53 · answer #1 · answered by spearchukka2003 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure, that is a good question but I found the following news article saying that the name Dick is no longer appropriate. Interesting, huh?
Dick No Longer Appropriate Nickname Says Congresswoman
Written by B. Elliot Stern
Washington, D.C. - Backlash from Janet Jackson’s “boob” incident during the Super Bowl halftime show continues to be a hot topic on Capitol Hill. Republican Congresswoman Heather Wilson of New Mexico has announced that she will introduce a bill this week that will severely limit people with the birth name Richard to go by the nickname of Dick.
“Use of the word dick has evolved over the years to mean something different than it did 50 years ago. My nine year old son came home from school the other day and said his substitute teacher introduced himself as Mr. Richard Johnson to the class, but told the kids that everyone just calls him Dick. I cannot begin to tell you how it made me feel to hear that an adult would use the word dick so freely around a group of children. I have taught my son to call his private parts his wee wee or pee pee, and now he’s coming home saying that kids in the schoolyard are asking him if he knows where his dick is. Adults with the name Richard have to realize that going by Dick is just not acceptable anymore in today’s society,” said Wilson.
Congresswoman Wilson would not elaborate on the details of her bill, but sources say she will look to the White House for support, calling on Vice President Dick Cheney to set an example for the nation by switching back to his birth name of Richard.
The bill is expected to face a tough fight in the House, especially from the likes of former Democratic presidential candidate Congressman Dick Gephardt of Missouri, who is probably the most well known dick outside of the Vice President in politics today.
2006-10-14 16:12:03 · answer #2 · answered by HSK's mama 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Richard Nixon was publicly disgraced, so Dick became short... ?
2006-10-14 07:09:10 · answer #3 · answered by million$gon 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Because most Richards are *****
2006-10-14 07:05:28 · answer #4 · answered by billyboysblue 3 · 6⤊ 3⤋
Dunno but it goes back a long way, at least to when surnames started in england (dickson). Maybe it was just rhyming slang. Richard comes from Ric (ruler) and heard (hard) and was often written "Ric." in the middle ages.
2006-10-15 09:41:40 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
One of life's many mysteries.
2006-10-14 07:13:01 · answer #6 · answered by NOIR 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋