Why is William, Billy?

[Marmalady]

Was Barry originally a name in it's own right, or was it a shortening of Barrington or something else?
Bal, Baz, Bazza

Certainly a name in its own right now

Possibly from the Welsh town of Barry Island?

[conahy calling]

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01efn/

Some info on Barry surname on this link
It also mentions Barry Island

[Jebber]

And another link.

http://baby-names.familyeducation.com/name-meaning/barry

[Jed59]

Robert Peel gave his name  to the Police force ..initially "peelers"  but then Bobbies.   Bob /Bobby is the abbreviation for  Robert but recently it seems to have become trendy to use  Rob; as indeed  "Rick " instead of "Dick" for Richard.
"Bobby Shafto's gone to sea....Robert Shafto was an 18th-century British Member of Parliament, who was the likeliest subject of a famous North East English folk song and nursery rhyme "Bobby Shafto's Gone to Sea". Wikipedia
also "Bob's your uncle"  from  when Robert Cecil, lord Salisbury, in 1887 appointed his nephew to  the post of Chief secretary for Ireland. the rejoinder is "and Fanny's your aunt"  ie your career can't fail if you have the right relations

[Billyblue]

Was Barry originally a name in it's own right, or was it a shortening of Barrington or something else?
Bal, Baz, Bazza

Certainly a name in its own right now
Possibly from the Welsh town of Barry Island?

A family friend who's known to us as Barry / Bazza, is actually Barrington.
And a neighbour's landlord Barry is "just Barry"     

Bob /Bobby is the abbreviation for  Robert but recently it seems to have become trendy to use  Rob; 
also "Bob's your uncle"  from  when Robert Cecil, lord Salisbury, in 1887 appointed his nephew to  the post of Chief secretary for Ireland. the rejoinder is "and Fanny's your aunt"  ie your career can't fail if you have the right relations

Recently?  My brother Robert who was born 1930 was always known by the family as Rob (except of course when he was in trouble, when it was Robert!      )
And of course my stock answer to "Bob's your uncle" is "no he's not, he's my brother"
[he's now deceased, aged 81, from leukemia.  Didn't know till then that adults get leukemia too, it's not just a childhood cancer     ]

Dawn M

[Bellejazz]

My husbands brother Robert gets Bob, he hates "Rob". He was alway Robert to his mum though 

On a side note, I found out recently that "Jessie" is often a nickname for Janet (that one had me going for a bit with Jessie on some sources and Janet on others, and me thinking there was two of them when it was only the one!).

[Guy Etchells]

My Aunt Margaret was known as Bunty or Bun by her family.
On looking at family photos she was a little plump as a child when compared to her two sisters, so that is possibly the explanation.
Cheers
Guy

[edward1977]

I am a Edward that goes by Teddy, not at a a fan of Theodore. I can see where this will cause someone some confusion in the future since my father and my grandfather are Edward as well.