Why is the name 'Jack' so often used in folklore and to name a mischievious/ sinister character?
926828
its a generic name for A man and a nickname for a men named John. \nits origin was as an alternate word for Soldier\nJust as we once called British Soldiers   Red Coats\nPeople once called Soldiers  "jacks" because they wore a syle of Coat known as a jacket. \n\nSailors were called Jack Tar's  because their Jackets were splotched with tar stains from the tar used to waterproof wooden ships.
453686
Jack is a nickname for John because toilet was taken.
842936
Wrong section to post this question.\n\nTry re-posting in Mythology and Folklore.\n\nPeace.
385985
The pet names I give are derived from inside jokes that I will not share. I advise you to come up with pet names the way I do and not use something generic.
802210
That's exactly it.  It gives them a false sense of power.  Calling upon the Creator of the universe's Son to damn what you damn is really what they're doing.  That's why it's called taking His name in vein.  Because you're using His name to damn something that's (most likely) not damned.  Make sense?
1053995
FAIRY\n\nA fairy, or faerie, is a spirit or supernatural being that is found in the legends, folklore, and mythology of many different cultures. They are generally human like in their appearance and have supernatural abilities such as the ability to fly, cast spells and to influence or foresee the future. Although in modern culture they are often depicted as young, sometimes winged, females of small stature, they originally were of a much different image: tall, angelic beings and short, wizened trolls being some of the commonly mentioned fay. The small, gauzy-winged fairies that are commonly depicted today did not appear until the 1800s.\n\nEtymology\n\nThe words fae and faerie came to English from Old French which originated in the Latin word "Fata" which referred to the three mythological personifications of destiny, the Greek Moirae (Roman Parcae, "sparing ones", or Fatae) who were supposed to appear three nights after a child's birth to determine the course of its life. They were usually described as cold, remorseless old crones or hags (in contrast to the modern physical depiction). The latin word gave modern Italian's fata, Catalan and Portuguese fada and Spanish hada, all of which mean fairy. The Old French fée, had the meaning "enchanter." Thus féerie meant a "state of fée" or "enchantment." Fairies are often depicted enchanting humans, casting illusions to alter their emotions and perceptions so as to make themselves at times alluring, frightening, or invisible. Modern English inherited the two terms "fae" and "fairy," along with all the associations attached to them.\n\nA similar word, "fey," has historically meant "doomed to die," mostly in Scotland, which tied in the with the original meaning of fate. It has now gained the meaning "touched by otherworldly or magical quality; clairvoyant, supernatural." In modern English, the word seems to be conjoining into "fae" as variant spelling. If "fey" derives from "fata," then the word history of the two words is the same.\n\nStrictly, there should be a distinction between the usage of the two words "fae" and "faerie." "Fae" is a noun that refers to the specific group of otherworldly beings with mystical abilities (either the elves (or equivalent) in mythology or their insect-winged, floral descendants in English folklore), while "faerie" is an adjective meaning "of, like, or associated with fays, their otherworldly home, their activities, and their produced goods and effects." Thus, a leprechaun and a ring of mushrooms are both faerie things (a fairy leprechaun and a fairy ring.), although in modern usage fairy has come to be used as a noun.\n\n\nPIXIES\n\nPixies are mythical creatures of English folklore, considered to be particularly concentrated in the areas around Devon and Cornwall, suggesting some Celtic origin for the belief and name. In regional dialect, these mischievous little folk are sometimes referred to as piskies/piskeys or the little people. They are usually depicted as wingless, with pointed ears, and often wearing a green outfit and pointed hat. Sometimes their eyes are described as being pointed upwards at the temple ends.\n\nMythic origins\n\nOne myth states that pixies were a race of people who were not good enough for Heaven or bad enough for Hell and were therefore forced to remain on Earth forever. Another legend claims that they were Druids who resisted Christianity and were subsequently sentenced by God to grow smaller and smaller until they accepted Christianity.\n\nMore recently a theory has developed that they are named after the nation of Picts that inhabited Scotland during the post-Roman period, whom some believe are descended from an indigenous group of people predating the arrival of the Celts in Britain during the Iron Age, the word 'pixie' ap
535339
Any man can call himself a Christian, but actions speak louder than words.  Jack the Ripper (who's identity is unknown, btw), certainly didn't act like a Christian.\n\nAs for the Freemasonry connection, that was a theory that was put forth and then dismissed.  Later it became the subject of a graphic novel, and eventually a Johnny Depp movie, but it is not a factual account.  If you do a little research, you will see that the whole premise to the movie is bunk.\n\nYou might be referring to "Jack"'s statement written on the wall about the "Jewes", and thinking that this might have a connection to the three men who killed Hiram Abiff in the Masonic Legend.  It has never been common practice for Masons to refer to these men as "Jewes", even though all three of their names start with Joo.\n\nThe whole Masonic connection theory is false speculation.  As for  the Christian thing, was he the only man who was supposedly a Christian who has comitted murder or another horrible sin?
351629
Imp is a term for a mythological being similar to a fairy, frequently used in folklore.\n\nIt's the least and weakest form of a Demon, and is more mischevious then dangerous.
741742
I think it's a euphemism for "jacksh-t"\nSo now the question is, where did THAT phrase come from?
167060
good question. I know that most were references to someone's father or trade as in smith was a metal worker or jackson was the son of jack, they came about when there were too many people for just a first name to identify someone without confusing them with someone else.
817138
In folklore, lycanthropy is the ability or power of a human being to undergo transformation into a wolf. The term comes from ancient Greek lykánthropos. The word can also be used transitively, referring to the act of transforming someone else into a wolf, or werewolf.\n\nThe word lycanthropy is often used generically for any transformation of a human into animal form, though the precise term for that is technically therianthropy. Rarely, zoanthropy is used instead of therianthropy (Guiley, 192).\n\nFolk-etymology also links the word to Lycaon, a king of Arcadia who, according to Ovid's Metamorphoses, was turned into a ravenous wolf in retribution for attempting to serve human flesh (his own son) to a visiting Zeus in an attempt to disprove the god's divinity.\n\nThere is also a mental illness called lycanthropy in which a patient believes he or she is, or has transformed into, an animal and behaves accordingly. This is sometimes referred to as clinical lycanthropy to distinguish it from its use in legends.\n\nIt is all unbeliveable stories. Can't be belived. If it is true we donot see anyone in the world changing their appearence
617788
Hi,\n\nI know there was a movie called "lightning Jack" but I thought it was a fictitious character based on numerous Aussie bushrangers. I thought they drew the name from Captain Thunderbolt.
542453
what a stupid question. What constitutes a "strange name". Maybe the name "Smith" or "Jones" is hilarious in some languages
625989
Not really. The word "heck" is actually used to replace hell right? That's because people want to lessen the unpleasant characteristics of the original expression. Also, it was done to avoid swearing on holy names.
1187927
It's usually "Sawney" and is a first name,a variant on "Alexander"Sawney Been was a legendary Scottish  bandit and supposed cannibal.He and his tribe/family  lived in isolation and were supposedly very in-bred and therefore I guess,stupid.
192428
The surname is often based on people's professions way back in history.  So someone who is a Smith could have been a blacksmith, silversmith, goldsmith etc.  My maiden name was King, but unfortunately it doesn't mean I have royal connections.  When the street players (mummers) used to entertain people in the market places, the character who used to play the King often got called that off-stage.
402880
because evil people see them as easily manipulitive, to use them. it may not be right, but thats why. can i have ten points?