Why are there shorter versions of names that don't seem to make sense?

[Shell Beau]

Such as Dick for Richard, Bob for Robert, Bill for William,etc.

[meegbear]

1. Peggy for Margaret

[Shell Beau]

4. Yeah! I can see Maggie for Margaret. Strange!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. GMTA!

[meegbear]

9. Well ...

explain yourself.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

11. Great minds think alike...

You and I posted the same thing at nearly the same moment!

That's what I meant, my dear meegbear...:hug:

[meegbear]

12. I mean how does Peggy become Margaret?

:hug:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

13. Oh, that!

I really have no idea...

There must be some historical explanation, but I have no idea what it is...

:hug:

[Zavulon]

23. With lots of expensive surgery?

;)

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. My dear Shell Beau!

I don't know why ...

But mine is also a perfect example: Peggy for Margaret!

How are you today, sweetie?

Nice to see you around!

:hug:

[Shell Beau]

6. HA!! Great and you? Nice to see you too!

:hug:

[skygazer]

3. Jack for John

That one's never made any sense to me.

[Shell Beau]

7. Like John isn't short enough!

[Rambis]

8. I thought Jack Kennedy and John Kennedy were two people

Still don't get it:shrug:

[Shell Beau]

10. Its a conspiricy!

[Connonym]

18. When I was younger I didn't realize Jackie Kennedy was the same person as Jackie Onasis

confused the hell out of me

[Magrittes Pipe]

14. "sundog" for "Shell Beau"

:shrug:

[Shell Beau]

15. That one is the oddest I guess!

:P

And how on earth did that one even start? :7

[Magrittes Pipe]

16. Don't ask me.

:shrug:

[Connonym]

17. Ted for Edward

Those wacky Kennedys really had a thing for fucking up names. My uncle Dick was really named John. I really need to find out about that one.

[Redstone]

19. Now, there's a hell of a good question, though "Daisy" for Margaret does

indeed make sense.

Redstone

[jobycom]

20. Here's an explanation that sounds improbable, and therefore possible.

From The Straight Dope:

"What came first, Dick or 'dick'?", by SDSTAFF Dex (22-Aug-2002)
The Straght Dope
http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mdick.html

According to the report, back in the days of Old and Middle English,
everything was written by hand; "it was therefore common and easier to
use agreed-upon abbreviations." An example of an abbreviation was
"Ric." for "Richard".

The abbreviations led to diminutives, such as "Rick".

Rhyming nicknames were fairly common in the 12th and 13th centuries,
such as "Hick" and "Dick" from "Rick". "Dick and Hick were among the
earliest of the rhyming nicknames, first appearing in writing around
1220. Other rhyming nicknames include Polly from Molly, Bob from Rob
(from Robert), Bill from Will (from William); and Hodge from Roger."

Dick has remained a nickname for Richard. "'Hick' has thankfully
become obsolete, except when tied to 'Dick' in rhymes such as
'Hickory, Dickory, Dock.'"

A web site on the etymology and history of first names in English
agrees that "Bob" is a medieval "rhyming nickname" for Robert. This
site also suggests that the change in the initial consonant from
"Rick" to "Dick" may have been caused by "the way the trilled Norman R
was pronounced by the English."

[QueenOfCalifornia]

24. So,

Margaret would be Margie or Marge... and Peggy would somehow rhyme with what?

Jack for John?

And what about Jim for James?

I am so simple at times...

Forgive me.

[jobycom]

25. Maggie and Peggy

would probably have rhymed more centuries ago, given the change in vowel pronunciation.

Jim, James, Gem... I don't know, I can hear the similarity.

Jack for John... "it is believed that "Jack" is the result of adding the French diminutive suffix "-kin" (much like the German "-chen") to the name "Jean," which is the French form of the English "John", or "Jan," which is a shortening of the German "Johann."" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_%28name%29

[MissMillie]

21. "Hank" for Henry

???

[QueenOfCalifornia]

22. And this one...

What About ShitHeadDumbAss for George?

[Roon]

26. Dick for Richard eom