Why do people named Robert get nicknamed Dick or Dicky?

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Why do people named Robert get nicknamed Dick or Dicky?

I just never understood this, and found it to be quite a jump from the name to the nickname.

2006-12-21 10:01:01 · 1 answers · asked by christinem57 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture

1 answers

Actually, Dick is short for Richard.

The change in the initial consonant is said to have been caused by the way the trilled Norman R was pronounced by the English.

2006-12-22 02:43:47 · answer #1 · answered by redhed311 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋