TODAY, we use the word "guy" as a casual pronoun, but its origin is widely believed to come from Guy Fawkes, the mastermind behind the failed Gunpowder Plot. Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Does the word "guy" come from the historical figure Guy Fawkes?
From local influencer and entrepreneur Khairul Aming’s signature greeting, “Hey, what’s up, guys!” to the “Chill Guy” meme that’s been going around – the word “guy” is pretty much everywhere.
But did you know that this word that we casually use in our day-to-day lives has a somewhat “explosive” origin? It’s said to originate from British historical figure Guy Fawkes, the leader of the failed Gunpowder Plot in 1605.
VERDICT:
True
Fawkes was caught during his attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London on Nov 5, and since then, people across the UK have marked Nov 5 as Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Bonfire Night or Fireworks Night.
Celebrants will make an effigy of Fawkes out of old clothes stuffed with straw, which they called a “guy”, and burn it in a bonfire.
Later in the 18th century, the word “guy” would be used as an insult to describe men wearing shabby clothes. Over time, the word’s meaning shifted and was used to simply refer to men, before becoming the gender-neutral pronoun for “people” that we know it as today.
References:
1) “Remember, Remember Where the Word ‘Guy’ Comes From”, Literary Hub: https://lithub.com/remember-remember-where-the-word-guy-comes-from
2) “Guy Fawkes May Be the Root of the Word ‘Guys’”, Smithsonian Magazine: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/guy-fawkes-may-be-root-word-guys-180953250
3) Clancy, Steven J. "The Ascent of Guy." American Speech, vol. 74 no. 3, 1999, p. 282-297. Project MUSE, https://muse.jhu.edu/article/2705
