Dick is a nickname most often for Richard, which likely originated in the Middle Ages as rhyming slang for "Rick", as did William →‎ Will →‎ Bill and Robert →‎ Rob →‎ Bob. The modern association with "penis" is more recent, arising from Dick becoming a cliché name for any man, as in Tom, Dick and Harry. Notable people Dick Assman (1934–2016), Canadian gas station worker Dick Gregory (1932–2017), American civil rights activist and comedian Dick Lee (disambiguation), multiple Dick Wolf American television producer Business Richard S. Fuld Jr. (born 1946), American banker best known as the final chairman and chief executive officer of Lehman Brothers Dick Graves (1912-1990), American casino owner Dick Smith (entrepreneur), Australian businessman Dick Teague (1923–1991), American industrial designer Crime Richard Hickock (1931—1965), one of the murderers of the Clutter family, the subject of the book and film "In Cold Blood" Dick Turpin (1705–1739), English highwayman executed for horse theft Entertainment Dick Cavett (born 1936), American television talk show host Dick Clark (1929–2012), American radio and television personality Dick Contino (1930–2017), American accordionist Dick Couch, American writer Dick Dale (1937—2019), American musician known as "King of the Surf Guitar" Dick Jensen (1942—2006), Musical performer Dick King-Smith (1922-2011), English author Richard McCourt (born 1976), TV presenter and comedian known for Dick and Dom Dick Powell (1930–1963), American actor and musician Dick Sargent (1930–1994), American actor Dick Shawn (1923–1987), American actor and comedian Dick Smothers (born 1939), one of the American folk singer-comedian Smothers Brothers Dick Van Dyke (born 1925), American actor, comedian, writer and producer Dick Van Patten (1928–2015), American actor Dick York (1928–1992), American actor Military Frederick Ashworth (1912–2005), United States Navy officer Richard Joseph Audet (1922–1945), Canadian fighter pilot ace during World War II Richard "Dick" Halsey Best (1910-2001) Former commanding officer of Enterprise bombing squadron 6 (VB-6), hit 2 carriers in the Battle of Midway and is credited for sinking the Japanese aircraft carrier Akagi by himself with a singular 1000 lb bomb. Richard Bong (1920 - 1945), top flying ace of the US during World War II, decorated war hero, National Aviation Hall of Fame inductee Richard Marcinko (born 1940), former United States Navy officer and retired Navy SEAL Richard Winters (1918–2011), an officer of the United States Army and decorated war veteran Politics Dick Armey (born 1940), American politician and member of US House of Representatives from Texas (1985–2003) Dick Cheney (born