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Origin and history of Tom

Tom

familiar shortening of masc. proper name Thomas; Middle English Tomme, Tomme, Thom. It was used by late 14c. as a type of a nickname for a common man (as in later Tom, Dick, and Harry, 1734) but often also implying some degree of contempt (compare Jack). It also was a 17c. nickname for several exceptionally large bells.

Tom Walker, U.S. Southern colloquial for "the devil" is recorded from 1833. Tom and Jerry is attested by 1828 and later used in many extended senses, but originally referred to the two chief characters (Corinthian Tom and Jerry Hawthorn) in Pierce Egan's "Life in London" (1821); the U.S. cat and mouse cartoon characters debuted 1940 in "Puss Gets the Boot."

Tom Thumb (1570s) was a miniature man in popular tradition before P.T. Barnum took the name for a dwarf he exhibited. Tom Fool as an emphatic "fool" is from mid-14c. (Thom Fole). Tom-tit "titmouse" is from 1709; tom-titmouse is from 1570s. For animal names also compare tomcat.

As short for Uncle Tom in the sense of "Black man regarded as too servile to whites" it is recorded by 1959. As a verb in this sense by 1963. Tom Jones the novel is from 1749; the movie, which inspired some style trends, is from 1963.

also from late 14c.

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Jack

masc. proper name, attested by 1218, probably via Anglo-French Jake, Jaikes, from Old French Jacques (which was a diminutive of Latin Jacobus; see Jacob), but in English the name always has been regarded as a familiar form of John, and some have argued that it is a native formation. In Middle English spelled Jakke, Jacke, etc., and pronounced as two syllables ("Jackie").

In England, by late 14c., Jack became a generic name applied familiarly or contemptuously to anybody (especially a young man of the lower classes). Later it was used especially of sailors (1650s; Jack-tar is from 1781); Jack-ashore (adj.) "drinking and in high spirits, recklessly spending" (1875) also is an image from the life of sailors (it is by 1840 as a book title).

In U.S., as a generic name addressed to an unknown stranger, attested by 1889. Every man Jack "everyone" is from 1812. Also see jack (n.).

Used in male personifications from 15c.; earliest record of jack-of-all-trades "person handy at any kind of work or business" is from 1610s (Tom of all trades is by 1630s); Jack Frost is from 1826; Jack-nasty "a sneak or sloven" is from 1833 (Jack-nasty-face, a sea-term for a common sailor, is from 1788). Jack Sprat for a small, light man is from 1560s (his opposite was Jack Weight). Jack-pudding "comical clown, buffoon" is from 1630s, translating Italian Zan Salcizza, a comical character in theater and literature (see zany). Jack-Spaniard is from 1703 as a Spaniard, 1833 as "a hornet" in the West Indies.

Other personifications listed in Farmer & Henley include jack-snip "a botching tailor," Jack-in-office "overbearing petty official" (1680s), Jack-on-both-sides "a neutral," Jack-out-of-doors "a vagrant" (1630s), jack-sauce "impudent fellow" (1590s). A supple-jack was a type of strong, pliant cane (1748) and a child's toy, among other things.

The U.S. plant jack-in-the-pulpit (Indian turnip) is attested by 1833. Jack the Ripper was active in London 1888; the name comes from the "Dear Boss" letter alleged to have been written by him. The Scottish form is Jock (compare jockey (n.)). Alliterative coupling of Jack and Jill is from 15c. (Iakke and Gylle, Ienken and Iulyan).

Jack Ketch for "hangman, executioner" (1670s) is said to be from the name of a public executioner in the time of James II (compare derrick); it also was used as a verb meaning "to hang."

Thomas

masc. proper name, from Greek Thomas, of Aramaic origin and said to mean "a twin" (John's gospel refers to Thomas as ho legomenos didymos "called the twin;" compare Syriac toma "twin," Arabic tau'am "twin").

Before the Conquest, found only as the name of a priest, but after 1066, one of the most common given names in English and able to signify "one of the populace taken at random" (OED, 1989). Also see Tom. For spelling, see th. Doubting Thomas is from John xx.25. For Thomas Atkins, see Tommy.

Thomean generally referred to biblical Thomas ("The Doubting Apostle"); a Thomist (1530s, from Medieval Latin Thomista, mid-14c.) was a follower of 13c. scholastic theologian St. Thomas Aquinas ("The Angelical Doctor"); hence Thomistic, Thomistical. Thomasite was used in 1880s in reference to a Christian sect.