"Jimbo"; was: Yumbo

[Benjamin Barrett]

Douglas G. Wilson wrote:
>> I thought "Jimbo" derives from "Jim boy."
>>
>
> If anybody knows one way or the other, it ain't me.
>
> But regardless of whether this is true or not, I think the "-m" just
> somehow calls for a "-bo".
>
> You'll encounter Jimbo and Tombo and Sambo (which is sometimes a
> special case, and possibly was a special case originally).
>
> You won't encounter (at least not very often) Johnbo, Joebo, Billbo
> (outside Tolkien), Jerrybo, Dougbo, etc.
>
> Maybe "Jimbo" and "yumbo" have "Jumbo" or "Sambo" or something as a model?
Johnbo does indeed get a number of hits. I wonder if this is
dialectical. I can't recalled what the pronunciation of "John Boy"
Walton's name was like on the program. B

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