The word "nappy"

Argent said:

I don't think the word diaper was originally created to represent disposables. Google search: "diaper origin" and it talks about geometric patterns, medieval Greek words, costly fabric etc.

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indeed.
both 'diaper' and 'nappy' refer to their respective weaves which give either a type of pattern (diaper) or a nap (nappy).
'nap[py]' in particular is likely to be an original English word from Anglo-saxon ('nappy' being recorded in the late 15C as meaning 'shaggy' fabric) and it's original use was in reference to woollen fabrics which had a fuzzy appearance due to their nap. wool was the mainstay of clothing; other fabrics were costly to produce and they were therefore only worn/used by the rich (unless you had happened to have robbed a Norman ).

'napkin' refers particularly to a [hand]kerchief, with the little or small ('kin') probably referring to both the nap and the size of the cloth, as would befit a [hand]kerchief which needs to be discreet and easily rinsed and dried. such a sense is supported by the simultaneous use of 'napless', meaning threadbare (Shakespeare).
also of that time, diaper refers to a towel and you have to imagine that a diaper would have to be quite robust given the lack of running hot water and modern soaps; more of a scrubbing-cloth than owt (as most wives and mothers will still say).

'napkin', in the sense of a sanitary napkin, looks to be an americanism of the late 1900's, coming from adverts of the time. the first use of such a sense i have seen in Britain is from 1947, although it may have been used during the interwar period.
'rag', as in 'on the rag' and 'jam rag' (as still used today), indicates the most common terms of reference and the class snobbery involved in the marketing of 'sanitary napkins' (which shows how America isn't, and probably never was, the class-less society it's often claimed to be).
although, it has to kept in mind that the Victorian era, into the Edwardian era, saw a lot of to-ing and fro-ing of class culture across the pond, and something which we may have been led to believe was american or british, of that time, may be the other.

The word 'diaper,' according to a Frenchwoman I know, originated with cloth diapers used in the Flanders city of Ypres. The infant garments were referred to as 'd'Ypres.'

I prefer 'diaper' because it's more easily used as a verb - as in, my nanny 'diapers' me for bed. I'm not sure she could 'nappy' me, but she could put a nappy on me.

But I don't want to sound too much of a purist. She and I also refer to needing my 'pants' changed.

mikejames said:

Anyone else here HATE it? It's like nails on a chalkboard to me.

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Hi there. I'm from the UK and although the word 'nappy' has that puerile connotation attached to it, uk citizens are used to it, and therefor don't think about it as explicit in sound or pronunciation, in much the same way those who use 'diaper' don't stop to consider the word outside of their social circles. All that said, I hate the word 'init' as it is a very lazy way to say 'isn't it', but several of my younger friends tend to use it from time to time and like everythign else in the world, I simply have to live with it