# Who is Buck, and what does he have to do with being naked? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 28, 2003, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-buck-and-what-does-he-have-to-do-with-being-naked/185008 "2003-06-28T19:18:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-buck-and-what-does-he-have-to-do-with-being-naked/185008/1 "2003-06-28T19:18:11Z")
I always hear it, “buck naked”. I know what it means, but what does buck have to do with it? ---
**Author:** ![Eilsel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c68b51/32.png) [@Eilsel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eilsel)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-buck-and-what-does-he-have-to-do-with-being-naked/185008/2 "2003-06-28T19:51:06Z")
I dunno, my neighbors always said “ACK! He’s BUTT nekkid!” [http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/mica/monkbum.gif](http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/mica/monkbum.gif) ---
**Author:** ![elephant\_shoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c77e96/32.png) [@elephant\_shoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elephant_shoes)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-buck-and-what-does-he-have-to-do-with-being-naked/185008/3 "2003-06-28T20:11:08Z")
I don’t have any sites, but I suspect it might be derived from the old phrase “bullock naked”. You know, naked enough to be showing one’s bullocks? ---
**Author:** ![Eilsel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c68b51/32.png) [@Eilsel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eilsel)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-buck-and-what-does-he-have-to-do-with-being-naked/185008/4 "2003-06-28T20:20:42Z")
I was trying to post that stinkin’ image. LOL. Apparently it’s not something “allowed” on this particular site. Sandra Bullock is show nekkid??? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-buck-and-what-does-he-have-to-do-with-being-naked/185008/5 "2003-06-28T20:24:01Z")
Um… a bullock is a brahma bull, not a bollock, which is what I believe you’re referring to, elephant shoes. My guess would be it has something to do with Indians (the native american kind) wearing buckskin… can’t back that up, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Eilsel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c68b51/32.png) [@Eilsel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eilsel)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-buck-and-what-does-he-have-to-do-with-being-naked/185008/6 "2003-06-28T20:27:17Z")
There’s a furniture refinisher in this area named “Stan Buck” _shrug_ ---
**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:** [June 28, 2003, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-buck-and-what-does-he-have-to-do-with-being-naked/185008/7 "2003-06-28T20:37:29Z")
From [Take Our Word for It](http://www.takeourword.com/TOW155/page2.html): > [@](#): > > In earlier days it used to be buck naked to refer to a person being observed totally nude. Today, I hear people using the term butt naked, referring to the same condition. Which is it? > > We prefer not to be drawn into discussions regarding which of two variants is “correct”. All we can say is that both are used. On the other hand, that doesn’t stop us having an opinion about which came first and their possible origins. > > [snip] > > It is quite possible that butt naked is the earlier form. As a phrase, it not only makes literal sense but we see clear parallels to the English phrases bare-arse naked and bollock naked. A plausible explanation of the buck in buck naked is that it originated as a polite avoidance of butt. The etymologists at The American Heritage Dictionary think that might be the case. Michael Quinion, on the other hand, seems to think buck naked derives from buckskin, but he only mentions this in passing during a discussion of the word buff. Buff, when referring to nakedness, as in in the buff, comes from the similarity of the color of tanned buffalo hide to human skin. The definition of buffalo in this instance is a discussion better left for another day. It also discusses and doubts the possibility that buck naked was a term used in the slave market. ---
**Author:** ![Eilsel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c68b51/32.png) [@Eilsel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eilsel)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-buck-and-what-does-he-have-to-do-with-being-naked/185008/8 "2003-06-28T20:42:24Z")
Totally o/t here…kind of but… “[snip]” was SO appropriate in that side bar … hee hee ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-buck-and-what-does-he-have-to-do-with-being-naked/185008/9 "2003-06-28T22:04:59Z")
> [@](#): > > a bullock is a brahma bull, not a bollock, which is what I believe you’re referring to, elephant shoes. A bullock is never a bull. A bullock is a castrated bull, and since it lacks testicles it is no longer a bull. The term isn’t specific to any particular breed of cattle. Although bullock now commonly refers to cattle and bollock to testicles the words are essentially the same, being regional variations until very recently. From **elephant shoes** ’s post it seems the words are still interchanable in some regons. Not surprising really. ---
**Author:** ![j.c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@j.c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j.c)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-buck-and-what-does-he-have-to-do-with-being-naked/185008/10 "2003-06-29T04:45:29Z")
I think the “buck” is just added for emphasis. Like when someone says damn-diddley-am instead of just damn. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-buck-and-what-does-he-have-to-do-with-being-naked/185008/11 "2003-06-29T05:02:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ParentalAdvisory \* > \*\*I always hear it, “buck naked”. I know what it means, but what does buck have to do with it? \*\* There was a character on several tv shows who usually went by the name “Buck Naked” (the character, not the actor). I know he was on Hill Street Blues and I think LA Law, and maybe a couple of other shows as well. He would always show up in front of the judge wearing a trench coat, and at some point would drop the trench coat, revealing nothing but a birthday suit underneath, at which time he would scream his trademark “I’m Buck Naked!!” So, if you are wondering who Buck is, he’s an elderly African American with gray hair and a trench coat. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-buck-and-what-does-he-have-to-do-with-being-naked/185008/12 "2003-06-29T05:10:32Z")
Finally figured out how to google it and not end up with a porno movie. “Buck Naked” is actor Lee Weaver, and he apparently played the roll on Hill Street Blues and NYPD Blue, on multiple occasions for each show. Buck’s full anme is apparently William “Buck Naked” Tully. NYPD Blue - Buck Naked - Dead and Gone (1994) NYPD Blue - Buck Naked - Serge the Concierge (1994) NYPD Blue - Buck Naked - Up on the Roof (1994)Hill Street Blues - William “Buck Naked” Tully - Midway to What? (1983) Hill Street Blues - Buck Naked - Here’s Adventure, Here’s Romance (1983) ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-buck-and-what-does-he-have-to-do-with-being-naked/185008/13 "2003-06-29T17:30:36Z")
I was under the impression it was a reference to slave auctions, where the men (the “bucks” of the auction) were stripped down to be inspected. ---
**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:** [June 29, 2003, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-buck-and-what-does-he-have-to-do-with-being-naked/185008/14 "2003-06-29T17:38:28Z")
Again from my earlier link: > [@](#): > > It was not until 1800 that the word came to be applied to the men of other races. Rather than being exclusively applied to slaves, buck was used to describe, generally in a demeaning and superior tone, a man of any race deemed to be “savage”, whether he was African, Native American, Australian aborigine or Maori. So while buck certainly has racist overtones, we think it unlikely that buck naked derives from the practices of the slave market. > > If we consider the written record, you are certainly correct, Gary, when you say that buck naked is older. It first appears in early 20th century novels: > > Fo Gawd’s sake put on some clothes. You ain’ to stand up buck naked like dat. You’s a grown 'oman now. > > - Scarlet Sister Mary, Peterkin (1928) > > and next… > > Den he try ter snatch de chile frum me, buck nekked as she wuz. > > - Gone With the Wind, Mitchell (1936) > > If buck naked did derive from the use of buck to mean “male slave” we would expect its earliest use to refer to male nudity, not female. What is more, if the “slave” origin were correct, buck naked should be more prevalent in white, not black, speech. Note that in both instances the phrase is used by African-American woman about a woman or a girl. These are, of course, merely fictional characters and their words are the creation of white authors but the authors were attempting, albeit clumsily, to recreate the black vernacular speech of North Carolina and Georgia, respectively.