_Pet-Names--"Jack."_--Perhaps one of your many readers, erudite in
etymologies, will kindly explain how "Jack" came to be used as the
_diminutive_ for John. Dr. Kennedy, in his recent interesting
disquisition on pet-names (No. 16. p. 242.), supposes that Jaques was
(by confusion) transmuted into "Jack;" a "metamorphosis," almost as
violent as the celebrated one effected, some two centuries ago, by Sir
John Harrington. "Poor John," from being so long "Jack among his
familiars," has been most scurvily treated, being employed to form
sundry very derogatory compounds, such as, Jackass, Jackpudding,
Jack-a-dandy, Jackanapes, Jack-a-lent, Jack o' oaks (knave of clubs),
Jack-o' th' Lantern, &c. &c. Might not "Jack" have been derived from
John, somewhat after the following fashion:--Johan--Joan--Jan--Janchen
or Jankin.
"Ho! jolly Jenkin,
I spy a knave in drinkin."
Jankin = little John. Jank--Jak. This etymology has, I confess, a very
great resemblance to the Millerian mode of educing Cucumber from
Jeremiah King; but it is the most plausible which occurs at present to