Answers:
Centuries ago, it used to be common for close friends and family to change the initial letter of the shortened form of someone's name.
For example, "Richard", (which used to be pronounced "Rickard"), had "Rick" and "Dick".
"Robert" had "Rob", "Nob", "Dob", and of course "Bob".
The practice has died out over the last 100-200 years, but as you've noticed, a few have survived.
yes sometimes
the same reason Peggy is short for Margaret - a very stupid one!
At least it IS shorter, but how can Jack be "short" for John?
Would you like to be called Willy?
It is not always the short form of William.
because it just is
None of those linguistic things are meant to make sense. That is just English for you.
is confusin like billy is short 4 george and dick is short for richard
Good question - should really be short for 'Billiam' shouldn't it?!!
Have no idea my dad was called Bill & my brother is called billy.My dad was from Exeter is sister always called him by his middle name which was George.
PS/ My brother is called William maybe its a northern nick name.
Wild guess...it didn't go with "Buffalo (Bill)" in U.S.
No...but I do have another wild guess. Is it because the first ruler of England named William (William I !) was also the first to do a written survey of the economics (bills) of the country, called the Domesday Book, in 1086? No? :-(
Because it's easier to frighten people when you yell, "Bill!" (oh, and police used to be called 'old Bill.') than "Will!"??
Okay, too many guesses... no more nonsense. This time!
Same reason Butch is short for Micheal and Jack is short for John and Dick is short for Richard and Liz is short for Elizabeth and Dot is short for Dorothy it just is!!
Because William is 1.9meters tall and Bill is shorter.
Because it is easier to pass a bill than a william, which would give me the willys, jeep that is...oh forget it..
Because its more courteous than Willy.
I would think that it is most likely due to a vowel shift from it Norse/Germanic roots. W is pronounced as a V sound
Why is Dick short for Robert?
I don't know. Someone wanted to be different.
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