1231 Nick-a-Namian

I was talking to a guy named Richard recently. Except he wasn’t called Richard. He was called Dick. I’ve always wondered about that.
I can see Richard being shortened to Rich. That’s the American way. We shorten names to be familiar. The nickname.
“Nickname” is an odd word, but descriptive. Perhaps it’s because we nick off part of their name. Or possibly the first person a nickname was applied to was named Nicholas.
Back to Dick. I can see Richard to Rich. I can even almost see Richard to Rich to Rick. A “k” sound at the end seems to be important in nicknaming. But how to you jump from Rick to Dick?
Two entirely separate consonants. When I’m on a steamboat I don’t go rolling down the Divver. It’s possible that instead of ringing the bell I could ding the bell. But what if all the frogs, instead of going rebit rebit rebit, went debit debit debit. They’d sound like a bunch of amphibian accountants.
As my name, Jerry, is already nicked, I don’t get as much fun as other people in the choice of a friendly moniker. And it would be hard to use that other nickname convention—putting a “k” sound at the end.
Jerk?
Forget I suggested that...
People named Charles get the “k” sound. They get Charlie, Chaz or Chuck. People named Robert don’t. They get Rob, Robbie, Bob, and Bobby. But no Buck.
Guys named Francis, get Fritz, Fran, Frankie, and Frank.
I knew a guy named Earl. They didn’t call him Earlie or Erk. But they sure worked hard to nickname him with a “k” sound at the end. So in return for nicking his name they promoted him.
Instead of Earl, they called him Duke.
America, ya gotta love it.