Why are people with the name William called as Bill?

Question

William Henry Gates is Bill Gates

William Jefferson Clinton is Bill Clinton

Answer 1

Not sure but they always have been. There are heaps of other weird shortenings of names like d**k (for Richard) Bob (for Robert) Meg (for Margaret). Some old British person hundreds of years ago probably had a really good reason.

Answer 2

because languages have funny nicknames.

LIke if your name is Ignacio, then your shortened name would be 'Nacho'

Plus, Bill isn't a major stretch from William,

I always thought that Chip for Charles was really weird tho...

Answer 3

The same is for my friend Will. (Last name not being posted). Everyone calls him Bill instead.

Answer 4

Because the English language has a long history of forming diminutive nicknames like that.  William became Will, then Bill, then Billy.  Almost all English names that have been around for a good long while have acquired nicknames that way.

Answer 5

The most common type of nickname is the Diminutive, usually a shortened or otherwise altered version of one’s true name, such as Jim, for James, Jack for John, Ted for Theodore, or Betty for Elizabeth. Diminutives are usually used with inferiors or equals, such as children and servants, or close friends or relatives. Usually meant affectionately, often times there are varying degrees of diminutives.

A man is William to his acquaintances, Will to his friends, and Willie to his mother. Nicknames of this sort are among the oldest parts of language still used. Jack remained a nickname for John for centuries after its origianl connection and lost. Until the 20th century, one could still find Neds and Nans for Edwards and Anns, again, alghouh the original connotations have long since past. Some connections are so old that we do not really undestand how it happened, as in Peggy/Margaret or Polly/Mary or Billy/William.

“Diminutives” are formed by corrupting, shortening, or otherwise changing a person’s given name into something different. This happens in a variety of ways: Every now and then, other letters were switched out. In some cases, a “p” would be swapped for an “m,” as in the names:

Polly - from Molly, from Mary

-or-

Peg - from Meg, from Margaret

And in the 19th century Bill was coined from Will, and Bob from Rob.

Answer 6

not all are named bill! my friend in class is named william but we call him will.