The Art of Literary Nomenclature

ORIGIN:
Like “Bill” and “Willie“, etc., a diminutive of “William“.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Bil, Bill, Billie, Gwil, Liam, Lyam, Pim, Vila, Vili, Viljo, Ville, Wil, Wilkie, Wilkin, Wilky, Will, Willie, Willis, Willy, Wim, etc.

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Uncle Billy Beemer, the benevolent town drunk responsible for Moonstone’s grove of cottonwoods, in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).
– Uncle Billy Jeffers, the Creighton’s neighbor down the road, who survived the War of 1812, in Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt (1964; set during the American Civil War, 1861-1865).

WRITERS:
– Billy Rose (1899-1966), American impresario, lyricist, and showman.
– Billy Strayhorn (1915-1967), American jazz composer, lyricist, musical arranger, and pianist.
– Billy Wilder (1906-2002), Austrian-American artist, filmmaker, journalist, producer, and screenwriter.

Tagged: 1860s, 1890s, 1900s, 1910s, 1960s, B, English

§ One Response to Billy

• Most Common Names for Some Common Jobs | The Art of Literary Nomenclature says:

  January 7, 2015 at 6:51 am

  […] and Suzanne. – Car Salesperson: Allen, Bob, Clay, Larry, Pete, and Travis. – Drummer: Billy, Chad, Dave, Joey, Mickey, and Tommy. – Electrical Engineer: Alfred, Bernard, Charles, Edwin, […]

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