# Early use of the phrase 'World War I' (and equivalents)

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-use-of-the-phrase-world-war-i-and-equivalents/688654
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [May 17, 2014, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-use-of-the-phrase-world-war-i-and-equivalents/688654 "2014-05-17T20:57:51Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 20

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### Author: ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2014, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-use-of-the-phrase-world-war-i-and-equivalents/688654/20 "2014-05-18T22:08:09Z")

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> [@Mk\_VII](#):
>
> Colonel Repington’s book, _The First World War_ was published in 1919 and this appears to be one of the earliest, if not the first, public use of the phrase.

Repington’s book was published in 1920. I have it on good authority.

> [@When was "World War 2" First Used?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-world-war-2-first-used/393409/44):
>
> Colonel Repington’s book, _The First World War_, was published in 1920, and this seems to be the earliest popular use of the phrase.

That quote comes from an earlier thread on this topic. There have been several.

Some previous threads on naming WWI:

[What was WWI called before WWII?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=260148)

[When was “World War 2” First Used?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=409708)

[When was the term “World War I” coined?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=686571)

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