Stuff Middle School Kids Don't Know is amazing.

[FAUlty Gator]

For instance, most have ZERO idea about shortened versions of names. No idea that Larry is short for Lawrence. Or Bill is short for William or Jimmy is short for James. Some do but most do not. I never thought that could even be a thing. I'm not holding it against them. They've just never come across that series of data, I guess. But still, pretty amazing that it's the case.

 

[lonestar50]

I remember when I first found out Bill was short for William. Probably grade school. Couldn't figure out why. It makes no sense. Come to think of it, it still doesn't make sense to me

 

[FAUlty Gator]

I remember when I first found out Bill was short for William. Probably grade school. Couldn't figure out why. It makes no sense. Come to think of it, it still doesn't make sense to me

Let me ask my friends Jack, Dick and Ricky.

 

[Ray Kinsella]

Let me ask my friends Jack, Dick and Ricky.

Don't forget their girlfriends Peggy (short for Margaret), Becky, or Betty

 

[ottumwan in tx]

the problem is: it's not short for what's called "xbox" or "vid game" or something. or texting or memes or something.

 

[lonestar50]

Don't forget their girlfriends Peggy (short for Margaret), Becky, or Betty

don't get me started on Peggy/Margaret.

OK so I looked it up. Margaret was shortened to Meg, and rhymed with Peg. Seems like a lot of these are stupid rhymes.

 

[ottumwan in tx]

don't get me started on Peggy/Margaret.

OK so I looked it up. Margaret was shortened to Meg, and rhymed with Peg. Seems like a lot of these are stupid rhymes.

I thought maybe she lost a leg at one point.

 

[ottumwan in tx]

somebody look up "beto".

 

[beanerhawk]

Robert = Bob
Richard = Dick

anyone know the answers to those two?

 

[Rifler]

OK so I looked it up. Margaret was shortened to Meg, and rhymed with Peg.

You had to look this up?...

 

[poophawk]

when i was a kid (80's) i thought jack kennedy was john kennedy's bro

 

[PerkyForHerky]

or Jimmy is short for James.

 

[unIowa]

For instance, most have ZERO idea about shortened versions of names. No idea that Larry is short for Lawrence. Or Bill is short for William or Jimmy is short for James. Some do but most do not. I never thought that could even be a thing. I'm not holding it against them. They've just never come across that series of data, I guess. But still, pretty amazing that it's the case.

Right now it seems as if my 14 year old is getting dumber and dumber every day. I think it has something to do with the lizard teenage male brain.

 

[BelemNole]

OP polling his peer group again?

 

[FlickShagwell]

For instance, most have ZERO idea about shortened versions of names. No idea that Larry is short for Lawrence. Or Bill is short for William or Jimmy is short for James. Some do but most do not. I never thought that could even be a thing. I'm not holding it against them. They've just never come across that series of data, I guess. But still, pretty amazing that it's the case.

Since every f***ing kid (except mine) is named Kaydyn (or some weird spelling of such), awareness of other names is asking a lot. I don't blame them.

 

[BigDelHawk]

Don't forget their girlfriends Peggy (short for Margaret), Becky, or Betty

Elizabeth has a hundred iterations.

 

[ottumwan in tx]

Elizabeth has a hundred iterations.

betsy comes to mind and beth and maybe liz but not sally ha ha

 

[TJ8869]

I thought maybe she lost a leg at one point.

Or she likes rogering her husband with a strap-on.

 

[herkyhawk00]

For instance, most have ZERO idea about shortened versions of names. No idea that Larry is short for Lawrence. Or Bill is short for William or Jimmy is short for James. Some do but most do not. I never thought that could even be a thing. I'm not holding it against them. They've just never come across that series of data, I guess. But still, pretty amazing that it's the case.

You don't know the half of it. Many don't know how to tell time on a face clock, don't know the months of the year, and are horrible spellers.

 

[Irwin Fletcher10]

Since every f***ing kid (except mine) is named Kaydyn (or some weird spelling of such), awareness of other names is asking a lot. I don't blame them.

This is true. Normal names like James, William, David etc. are barely used anymore. It seems like parents are always creating a new name, and some of the names make me feel sorry for the kid that has to go through life with it.

 

[joelbc1]

On the other hand FAU.....the stuff middle schoolers DO know is equally startling....and maybe even more unsettling.

 

[WisestIowan]

For instance, most have ZERO idea about shortened versions of names. No idea that Larry is short for Lawrence. Or Bill is short for William or Jimmy is short for James. Some do but most do not. I never thought that could even be a thing. I'm not holding it against them. They've just never come across that series of data, I guess. But still, pretty amazing that it's the case.

Jimmy and James have the same amount of letters. What an idiot!

 

[hawkifann]

Elizabeth has a hundred iterations.

Liz, Liza, Eliza, Ellie, Beth, Betsy, Bess, Bessy, Lisa, Elise....and those are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head. I'm sure there are 47 more.

I've noticed more and more people just going by the full name. I have three sons and two of the three use a nickname, but the youngest is an "Andrew" that we planned to call "Drew". When he was about 2-3, he basically told us to shove "Drew". He only wants his whole name.

 

[hawkifann]

On the other hand FAU.....the stuff middle schoolers DO know is equally startling....and maybe even more unsettling.

This is true. I was good at math in HS and took AP calculus as a senior. My oldest got through enough math on his track in middle school to be taking calc now as a sophomore. It's a little crazy.

 

[joelbc1]

Liz, Liza, Eliza, Ellie, Beth, Betsy, Bess, Bessy, Lisa, Elise....and those are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head. I'm sure there are 47 more.

I've noticed more and more people just going by the full name. I have three sons and two of the three use a nickname, but the youngest is an "Andrew" that we planned to call "Drew". When he was about 2-3, he basically told us to shove "Drew". He only wants his whole name.

Nothing like "My Three Sons" eh, hawkifann........kids named Ernie, Chip and Robby, by chance?

 

[hawkifann]

Nothing like "My Three Sons" eh, hawkifann........kids named Ernie, Chip and Robby, by chance?

lol....Mrs. hawkifann (no pic) would n ever go for those names. I thought about changing my screen name to 3boysdad, but I thought that would be poor form around here.

 

[seminole97]

This is true. Normal names like James, William, David etc. are barely used anymore.

William was the 3rd most popular baby name for boys in 2018, James was 4th, David was 22nd.

Coincidently, my nephew is named David James after his father’s middle and grandfather’s first names. He was born in 1999.

 

[fezzador]

What gets confusing is the name Edward. I get Eddie, but Ned, Ted, and even Fred can be short for Edward (yes I knew a guy named Edward but insisted on going by Fred).

 

[JRHawk2003]

Bubs Daddy's

 

[SansSouci]

Dick for Richard always confused me. I even ask my Dick neighbor as a youngster, he didn’t know either. My uncles Bob was a Robert, William was Bill, but Roger was Roger. It’s obviously something Western European.

 

[fezzador]

Dick for Richard always confused me. I even ask my Dick neighbor as a youngster, he didn’t know either. My uncles Bob was a Robert, William was Bill, but Roger was Roger. It’s obviously something Western European.

I want to say that many centuries ago (like Shakespeare’s age), the name Richard was pronounced differently than it is today. It’s Germanic in origin, and in German it’s roughly pronounced “wee hard”. In older English the initial “r” was trilled or flipped, which sounds vaguely like the modern English “d”. So with some imagination one can see how “dee hard” or “dee card” get shortened to “Dick”.

 

[NoleATL]

When I first found out Dick was short for Richard I made a boy cry. I still feel bad about that. It could be the reason he's been in and out of prison his entire life.

 

[TailgateTom]

My Mom's actual name is Peggy. The priest wouldn't sign her marriage license in the early 80s because he insisted her actual name, "Margaret" needed to go on it. She had to go get my Grandma to tell him Margaret wasn't her name.

 

[RunRonnieRun]

I had dinner with a German investor earlier this week and learned that when you have a child in Germany the name has to be approved by the government. Despite my incredibly liberal leanings, I don’t hate it.

 

[fezzador]

I had dinner with a German investor earlier this week and learned that when you have a child in Germany the name has to be approved by the government. Despite my incredibly liberal leanings, I don’t hate it.

New Zealand is like that as well.

 

[jamesvanderwulf]

Carlos Danger is short for Anthony Wiener...

 

[Gonolz]

What gets confusing is the name Edward. I get Eddie, but Ned, Ted, and even Fred can be short for Edward (yes I knew a guy named Edward but insisted on going by Fred).

This guy upon learning his real name was Edward.

 

[Gonolz]

Carlos Danger is short for Anthony Wiener...

Ron Mexico approves.