Why is Hank short for Henry?

The nickname "Hank" for Henry has its roots in medieval times and is thought to be derived from the diminutive form "Henkin" or "Hankin," which eventually shortened to "Hank." This process involved the use of the suffix "-kin," which indicated "little" in names. So "Little Henry" would have been called "Henkin," which then evolved into "Hankin" and was further shortened to "Hank". Additionally, the Dutch form of Henry is "Hendrik," and the diminutive of Hendrik is "Henk," which could have also influenced the transition to "Hank".