Hooker comes from Civil War General Joseph Hooker
| Hooker comes from Civil War General Joseph Hooker | |
|---|---|
| FALSE | |
| "The slang word "hooker" for a prostitute comes from the women who followed the army of Union General Joseph Hooker during the American Civil War." | |
| Domain | Language, Folklore & Urban Legends |
| Tactic | Fabrication |
| Era | Historical |
| First seen | 20th century |
| Origin | A popular story told about the Civil War |
| Last reviewed | 2026-10-29 |
| Further reading: books on Language, Folklore & Urban Legends | |
The story that "hooker" comes from General Joseph Hooker is a well-known false etymology. The word was in print before the Civil War: dictionaries record it in the 1830s and 1840s. General Hooker's reputation for lax discipline in his camps may have made the word more popular, but it did not create it.
The claim
Prostitutes who followed Hooker's Army of the Potomac were supposedly called "Hooker's girls," shortened to "hookers."
What the evidence shows
- Earlier use. The word appears in print in the 1830s and in an 1845 North Carolina source, before the war began in 1861.
- Possible origins. Suggested sources include women who "hooked" clients and Corlear's Hook, a district of New York City known for brothels.
Sources
- Oxford English Dictionary, "hooker."
- Online Etymology Dictionary, "hooker."