# How does Richard become Dick?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-richard-become-dick/91227>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 3, 2001, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-richard-become-dick/91227 "2001-11-03T00:05:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![aenea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c68b51/32.png) [@aenea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aenea)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-richard-become-dick/91227/1 "2001-11-03T00:05:28Z")

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And what about Robert turning into a Bob? Where did these nick-names start?

Nicknames seem to usually have most of the sound or part of the actual name to them. Why do some names just not follow this pattern, and where did the change come from?

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**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-richard-become-dick/91227/2 "2001-11-03T00:22:59Z")

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[This page](http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/roots-l/messages/99jul/114753) could help you.

> [@](#):
>
> According to the _Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names_ pet-names and diminuitives were formed in a variety of ways.
> 
> One popular method was substitution of consonants, with apocope (dropping afinal letter). Thus you have Harry = Hal, Mary = Mally, Mall. Then the nicknames were changed a little bit. Mally = Molly. (The earliest nicknames for Mary were the diminuitives Marion, Mariel, and Mariot; Mally was at first much commoner than Molly but died out at the end of the 18th century in England).
> 
> Another process then subjected names or nicknames to rhyming:  
> Ricard = Rick = Dick = Hick  
> Richard = Hitch  
> Robert = Rob = Bob = Hob  
> Margaret = Mag = Meg = Peg  
> Mary = Mally = Molly = Polly

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**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-richard-become-dick/91227/3 "2001-11-03T00:28:41Z")

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drinks too much?

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**Author:** ![fandango](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b5ac83/32.png) [@fandango](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fandango)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2001, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-richard-become-dick/91227/4 "2001-11-03T00:32:17Z")

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First he don’t pay his half of the rent. Then he leaves his dirty dishes in the sink. Next he keeps you up all night playing his guitar. Finally you catch Richard, that good-for-nothing dick, sleeping with your girlfriend. Tada!