Joe Frogger (cookie)
"Joe Froggers" are molasses cookies that are a specialty of Marblehead, Massachusetts. According to the legend, a Revolutionary War patriot named Joseph Brown (called "Uncle…
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health
Joe O’Malley (Irish coffee)
"Joe O'Malley" is sometimes given as the lunch counter slang for "Irish coffee." However, Irish coffee became popular in the late 1940s and 1950s -- at the tail end of the…
Joe Sixpack (Jane Sixpack)
"Joe Sixpack" (also "Joe Six-pack" or "Joe Six Pack") is a name for the average Joe -- someone who works hard and enjoys a six-pack of beer. According to William…
Joe Taxpayer or John Taxpayer (Jane Taxpayer)
"Joe Taxpayer" or "John Taxpayer" (also "Jane Taxpayer") is a generic name for a citizen who pays taxes. "John Taxpayer" is cited in print since 1920 and…
Joe Voter or John Voter (Jane Voter)
"Joe Voter” or “John Voter” (also “Jane Voter") is a generic name for a voter. "John J. and Mary Jane Voter" was cited in print in 1926. "John Voter" was cited…
John Chinaman (John Confucius)
"John Chinaman" is a term used to describe someone of Chinese descent that was popular in the 19th century. "John Chinaman" was cited in print in 1826 and "John…
John Q. Public (Jane Q. Public)
"John Q. Public" is a name for the average citizen. "John Public" has been cited in print since at least 1920. "John Q. Public" has been cited in print since 1922,…
Johnny Pump
A "Johnny Pump" is a fire hydrant. It's a name that I don't hear much anymore. I found it first in the following novel, which is full of "classic" New York speech.…
Johnny-on-a-Pony (Johnny-Ride-a-Pony)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Buck buckBuck Buck (also known as "Johnny on a Pony", "Matupaki or Chinchilagua") is a popular team game that has been played for many…
Johnson City, Binghamton, Endicott: Triple Cities
Several cities have been called "Twin Cities." Columbus (GA), Phenix City (AL) and Girard (AL) were called 'Triple Cities" by at least the 1890s. The western New York cities of…
Jokelahoma (Oklahoma nickname)
"Jokelahoma" (joke + Oklahoma) is an unflattering nickname for the state of Oklahoma, or just Oklahoma University. The nickname is sometimes used at the Texas-Oklahoma football game known…
Joker Stairs (1165 Shakespeare Avenue, Bronx)
The movie Joker (based on a DC Comics character) opened in the United States on October 4, 2019. The Joker character danced on the 132 steps at 1165 Shakespeare Avenue in the Bronx. The staircase…
Jolly Green Giant (McGraw-Hill Building)
The McGraw-Hill Building (330 West 42nd Street in Manhattan) was completed in 1931 and is known for its exterior of blue-green terra-cotta ceramic tiles, alternating with green-metal-framed…
Jones Mahal or JonesMahal (Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington)
Cowboys Stadium (the new stadium for the Dallas Cowboys football team, located in Arlington, TX) was completed in May 2009. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones planned such an opulent football palace that…
Joos (spelling of “Jews”)
"Joo" is a spelling of the word "Jew," usually given in the plural as "Joos" or "Jooos" or "Joooos." The spelling "J-O-O" was popularized…
Journey Always Late or Just Arrives Late (Japan Airlines or JAL backronymic nickname)
Japan Airlines (JAL) was founded in 1953 and is the flag carrier of Japan. JAL was given the backronymic (back acronym) of "Joke About Life" in 1992, "Just About Late" and…
Journey Of the Broke (“job” backronym)
The word “job” is not an acronym for anything, but some have used the backronym (back acronym) of “journey of the broke.” The backronym has been applied to minimum wage and other low-paying…
Joy of Sake
"The Joy of Sake" is a new annual festival celebrating Japan's famous drink. Several of New York City's top restaurants participate.…
Joyflation (joy + deflation/inflation)
The term "joyflation" (joy + deflation/inflation) was coined by Oxford Economics Ltd. in December 2014. "Joyflation" referred to the oil-driven slowdown in inflation and…
JPig (JPMorgan Chase nickname)
"JPig" or "JPIG" is an unflattering nickname for the banking firm JPMorgan Chase & Co. The bank is partly named after financier John Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913).…