Dick (nickname) (original) (raw)

Dick is a nickname most often for Richard, which likely originated in the Middle Ages as rhyming slang for "Rick", as did William →‎ Will →‎ Bill and Robert →‎ Rob →‎ Bob. The modern association with "penis" is more recent, arising from Dick becoming a cliché name for any man, as in Tom, Dick and Harry. Occasionally it was given as a nickname for other proper names as well but has generally fallen out of favour except for comic intent.