Chuck

Chuck is an English given name that originated as a medieval pet form of Charles, itself derived from the Germanic name Karl, meaning man or free man. The shift from Ch- forms of Charles was a natural phonetic development in Middle English nicknaming patterns, similar to how Will emerged from William. The name gained widespread popular use in the United States during the twentieth century and is associated with figures such as aviator Chuck Yeager and musician Chuck Berry. Charlie and Chick are related nicknames from the same root.