How did Dick come to be short for Richard?

Answer 1

I assume you are asking about the D for the R at the beginning. (Shortening by eliminating endings --as in Rich/Rick for Richard is a rather common way of forming nicknames.)

"Dick" was actually just one of many examples from Middle English of creating rhyming nicknames (arbitrarily changing the first letter). The forms Hick and Dick (appearing in writing around 1220) were at the beginning of a great 13th-14th century trend That's where we get all these surprising forms like Polly from Molly, Hob [and from it the last name Hobbes] and Bob from Rob (from Robert), Bill from Will (from William); and Hodge from Roger.

An interesting a variant on this is also preserved in the nursery rhyme "HICKORY, dickory, dock"!
http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mdick.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hick

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

The most common substitute letters were H, B (sometimes the related sound P), and D (though I can't demonstrate how that came to be so).

But WHY did they do all this?

Apparently ONE impetus in the letter swapping at that particular time was a dislike amongst 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 or at the end of them -- Mary > Molly, Sarah > Sally/Sadie, Dorothy > Dolly [or just eliminating the R - "Dottie"]; Harold/Harry > Hal. (Though in this position the substition of L for R --a rather understandable one-- is most common, even hear you find the use of D as in "Sadie".)

My suggestion for the SPECIFIC letter changes is that SOME of them were based on sounds related to the original ones. (There is, for instance, a connection between the W and B sounds [of Will/Bill] --just note how you put your lips in almost the same position to say them. Similarly for M > P) Other nicknames could then formed by analogy with these forms, using the same letters. I don't know precisely how close "d" was to the Norman "r", but if we heard it that specific subsitution might make a lot of sense. (The use of "h" --Hick, Hob, Hodge-- almost sounds like an attempt to get rid of the initial sound entirely!)

Answer 2

Is Dick Short For Richard

Answer 3

1

Answer 4

Dick Is Short For

Answer 5

Around the 13th century, people start calling people named Richard the name Rick. Hick and dick were two nicknames used for Rick. For some reason, Hick did not stick, but Dick did. Hence, Dick is now a nickname for Richard

Answer 6

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Because originally Richard nicknamed to Rick, but then in the 12th century people began to give rhyming nicknames, so Dick and Hick came about to nickname Rick (which is already a nickname for Richard). This is also the reason for Bill from Will from William. Polly from Molly, and Bob from Rob from Robert. Basically it's a nickname of a nickname! But I agree, Rich is heaps better

Answer 7

All I know is most of the time I call my husband Richard but sometimes Dick is more fitting. I say "Richard don't be a Dick."

This link kinda explains in a wordy unsatisfying way. I still think it doesn't make much sense.

Answer 8

Around the 13th century people started calling Richard, Rick.
And from Rick we got the rhyming nicknames Hick and Dick.
Hick didn't survive as a name but Dick did.

"Hickory, Dickory, Dock" also refers to these names...but don't ask me what the rhyme really means.

Answer 9

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Answer 10

Bamma say that long story. Bamma say go back to King Richard the Lionhearted. Bamma say once upon a time Richard tried to overthrow his father. Bamma say it no work. Bamma say his father say "YOU DICK", how dare you try to overthrow your own father. Bamma say from that day forward Dick was short for Richard. Bamma say true story. Bamma say look it up for yourself. Bamma otta know.