Degsy

[overdale]

Why do people from Liverpool call someone with name Derek, 'Degsy' and is this the correct spelling

[eddiebun]

I come from Liverpool and know a Derrick who is affectionately known as Degsy. I have no idea of the origin.

I would say that Degsy is probably the spelling that I would use, although Deggsy would probably be okay too!

[Quizmonster]

It's just the same as using other friendly name-versions such as Jimmer (for Jim/James), Shazza (for Sharon) or Gazza (for Gascoyne). I don't think any of these is specifically Liverpudlian...in north-east Scotland, for example, Gordon is often called Gogsy, which shows a virtually identical process to the formation of Degsy..

[Bert]

Could it be related to the Southern (London? Cockney?) shortening names to rhyme with bell - Tel (Terence), Del (Derek). I'm sure there's another I cannot call to mind. Then there's Baz (Barry), Daz (Darren), and Shaz (Sharon).

[joko]

surely no-one has ever been called jimmer!!