What are the origins of the nicknames Jim, Peg and Chuck for the proper names James, Margaret, and Charles respectively. I have wondered this for some time now. Think about it, “James” doesn’t have an “I” in yet, yet “Jim” does. And “Margaret” doesn’t begin with a “P”, yet “Peg” does, and so forth. I am looking for the etymological origins of these names.
By the way, at least one mystery I have wondered about has been solved for me. For some time now, I have known “James” is ultimately derived from the Latin “Jacobus”. But I never knew where the “M” in “James” came from. Well, a couple of years back I got Webster’s New World College Dictionary (which I highly recommend). And they explain in their etymology that “James” is actually derived from the later Latin “Jacomus”, hence the “M”. No etymology is given for “Jim” though, so I still don’t know where the “I” comes from.
The name comes from either the verb “to chuck,” meaning “to gently touch someone’s chin” or the noun “chuck,” meaning dear one (the two may be interrelated). It seems to derive from calling someone “my chick.” The OED shows the noun form in Shakespeare.
Thus, you loved one was “my chuck.”
At some point, the word attached itself to the name Charles, probably because they both had a “Ch” in the beginning.
I noticed that phrase, too, but decided to leave the quote as-is. “Ratbag” is usually a mild insult, just short of calling someone a bastard. Also someone who does things just to be different and cause annoyance – so I guess that’s what’s meant by “ratbag traditions”. Just doin’ it different 'cause they’re Aussies.
Yeah, but even if their eyes are green they can still be called Bluey. It probably makes more sense when you see them with their mates Slim (the fat guy) and Curly (the bald guy).
In Thailand, lots of people are nicknamed Frog or Pig among other unflatteirng names. Seems there’s a belief that if you name a baby something offensive, the evil spirits will think there’s something wrong with it and thus will not steal it away.
