the word “cock” for the penis has a different history from dick.
- Original meaning: In Old English, cock meant a rooster (male chicken).
- Why it became slang: By the 1600s, English speakers started using “cock” as a slang word for the penis. There are a few likely reasons:
- Shape & behavior – a rooster’s head/neck shape was seen as similar to an erect penis.
- Symbol of masculinity – roosters are loud, dominant, and associated with virility, so people used “cock” as a symbol of manhood.
- Wordplay – in many languages, animals get linked to body parts through metaphor. English just happened to attach “cock” to the penis.
Interestingly, in older English, cock could also just mean a “spout” or “tap” (like in cocktail, stopcock, peacock), because it controlled the flow of liquid. That meaning might also have influenced the sexual slang.
“Dick” can mean two different things, and that’s why it sounds confusing:
- As a name – Dick is a traditional English nickname for Richard. In medieval times, people often made rhyming or shortened versions of names:
- Richard → Rick → Dick (similar to William → Will → Bill).
So, Dick was just a normal given name, especially common in the 18th–20th centuries.
- Richard → Rick → Dick (similar to William → Will → Bill).
- As slang for the penis – By the 19th century, dick had also become a slang word for “penis.” How this happened isn’t 100% clear, but linguists think it came from the fact that Dick was a very common man’s name, so it became a generic way to refer to a man (like “guy” or “fellow”), and then by extension, to male genitalia.
So, people didn’t originally name a person after the genital — it’s the other way around: the common male name “Dick” later got reused as slang for penis.
let’s expand the lineup with Johnson and Peter:
1. Dick
- Origin: Nickname for Richard.
- Shift to slang: Common male name → generic “man” → penis.
- Other use: Still a first name, but slang makes it awkward.
2. Cock
- Origin: Old English cock = rooster; also meant spout/tap.
- Shift to slang: Rooster = masculinity + shape similarity → penis.
- Other use: Neutral in some words (cockpit, stopcock).
3. Prick
- Origin: Old English pricc = point, stab, small hole.
- Shift to slang: Penis = “pointy” organ → prick.
- Other use: Insult for an unpleasant man.
4. Peter
- Origin: Male name Peter, very common in Europe.
- Shift to slang: Likely from the Greek petros (“rock, stone”) but also because it was such a common male name → easy stand-in for penis.
- Other use: In German, Dutch, and Scandinavian slang, Peter is also used for the penis.
5. Johnson
- Origin: English surname meaning “son of John.”
- Shift to slang: In American English (esp. 20th century), Johnson became a polite or humorous euphemism for penis.
- Why: Probably because “John” was a generic man’s name → “Johnson” = “man’s son/part.”
- Other use: Still a very common surname (and brand name).
⚖️ Big picture:
- Dick, Peter, Johnson → came from common men’s names.
- Cock, Prick → came from metaphors/descriptive words.
🔹 Male vs Female Genital Slang Origins
| Category | Male (Penis) | Female (Vulva/Vagina) |
|---|---|---|
| From Names | – Dick (Richard) – Peter (common male name) – Johnson (“son of John”) | – Fanny (Frances) – Dolly/Tottie (diminutives of Dorothy/Charlotte etc.) – Virginia (linked with virginity) |
| From Animals | – Cock (rooster = virility, shape) | – Pussy (cat = soft, feminine, affectionate) |
| From Descriptive Words | – Prick (Old English pricc = point/stab) | – Cunny (Old French con = vulva) |
| Other Influences | – Willy (childish diminutive for penis) – Tool/Member (metaphors) | – Fanny (also = buttocks in US) – Honey pot/Box (metaphors) |
🔑 Key Takeaways
- Men’s names → penis slang (Dick, Peter, Johnson, Willy).
- Women’s names/diminutives → vulva slang (Fanny, Dolly, Tottie).
- Animal metaphors: cock (rooster) for men, pussy (cat) for women.
- Descriptive/shape words: prick (pointy) vs cunny (Old French word for vulva).