When did guys named "Richard" stop going by "Dick"?

[Tami]

Dick was also used as slang for Private Investigator/Detective. Mostly Pre-1970's.

The History of Dick

Why Does the Word "Dick" Have So Many Meanings?

Like I mentioned before, if Dick is growing out of favor, it probably has to do with the negative associations with it and/or just a change in preferences. The name Richard ranked #8 in the 1960's and now ranks #134 this decade [Government website data]. With fewer children being named Richard, there are probably even fewer choosing to go by the diminutive 'Dick'

[MyriVerse]

I've never really got how "Richard" shortens to "Dick" anyway. Neither sounds like the other! Shortening "Jessica" to "Jess" or "Jessy" makes perfect sense, so does "Richard" to "Rich" or "Rick."

Also any Richard I've met hates being called "Dick." One of which is an old manager who totally was a dick that everyone hated.

You think that's strange? Hick is another nickname for Richard. Apparently, the only reason for either is because of rhyming.

[Moon Ronin]

I never got that either, the only person that I've ever met that wanted to be call dick is a sells man I know by the name of Richard Head, yep his parents named him that and he owned it like a boss.

I also never got how Jim was short for James. James was too long of a name?

[Rob Allen]

People still did it in the '60s, but it was very mockable. My sister used to have a bumper sticker that read "Dick Nixon...before he dicks you." so the synonym was around before that.

I have an underground comic with a fake political ad - "Why change dicks in the middle of a screw? Vote for Nixon in '72!"

Nixon had been a major public figure since about 1950, but his increasing unpopularity in the 70s combined with the slang term led to the decline of the name.

[BeastieRunner]

Can you imagine the double whammy of going by the name Dick Johnson?

I wrestled a guy named Phillip Paul Johnson. He went by Big "PP" Johnson.

He was a big guy. Couldn't wrestle for dick, though.

[Moon Ronin]

Couldn't wrestle for dick, though.

Pun intended?

[codystarbuck]

There is definitely a generational divide on this.

Most Generation Xers (typically born from 1964 through 1980) and Millenials (typically born from 1981 through 1995) and whatever the next generation (born 1996 to current?) who are named Richard definitely won't refer to themselves as Dick, but most Baby Boomers (born 1946 through 1963) will.

It seems the cutoff point is if your current age is about 50. Younger than that, you don't go by Dick. Older than that, you might.

So what happened 50 years ago ... around 1966 or a few years thereafter? Did "Dick" as "Penis" suddenly momentum as slang/insult around that time in America?

Well, as said before, Nixon is a big factor in that. I'm hitting 50; so, I hit your divide. i don't recall it being used when I was young; but, by the time I was hitting my pre-teen to teen years; yeah, it was more common. Use by comedians like Richard Pryor might have some contribution to the whole thing. Pryor was the first comedian to presented to a mass audience, unfiltered, outside of nightclubs or just on a record. There were concert films of his performances, which were hugely popular. It got picked up by other comedians, particularly the next generation, with people like Eddie Murphy, in the 80s. I can't remember if it was used on Saturday Night Live or not. I wouldn't be surprised if it turned up in Cheech and Chong; but, I want to place the timeframe more into the mid-70s as when I really started hearing it being used heavily. By the 80s, it was used in films, alot.

[Norm]

Millennials complained it hurts their squishy feelings...

[ed2962]

While it's definitely a generational thing, I'm not so sure it's cuz Nixon or penises. I recently saw a documentary about Nixon and the "Tricky Dicky" nick name goes back to the 50's. And "dick" as slang for penis is even older. It might have something to do with the rise in popularity of calling someone a dick as an insult? That might be 70's/80's...



Having said that, I know a guy named Dick and yes, he's about 60.

[Paradox]

Turn the Page sees nomenclature confusion:

I've never really got how "Richard" shortens to "Dick" anyway. Neither sounds like the other! Shortening "Jessica" to "Jess" or "Jessy" makes perfect sense, so does "Richard" to "Rich" or "Rick."

Those are not "shortenings" or "short for". Such a thing is a misunderstanding of what's going on. They are "nicknames". They don't need to be a shortening of the regular word. One nickname for Margaret is Peggy. We shouldn't use "short for" at all, because that's not how it works. It's not an abbreviation.

[Turn the Page]

Those are not "shortenings" or "short for". Such a thing is a misunderstanding of what's going on. They are "nicknames". They don't need to be a shortening of the regular word. One nickname for Margaret is Peggy. We shouldn't use "short for" at all, because that's not how it works. It's not an abbreviation.

Thanks for the English lesson, teach. I'll be sure to not mix up abbreviations and nicknames again.

[Professor Moriarty]

It's the perfect first name to have if you're a male adult film star.

[Paradox]

Turn the Page says step off pedantic:

Thanks for the English lesson, teach. I'll be sure to not mix up abbreviations and nicknames again.

Sorry. It's just been a pet peeve for years.