# "Who's your daddy?" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 5, 2004, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-daddy/248791 "2004-06-05T11:51:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![shewriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@shewriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shewriter)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2004, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-daddy/248791/1 "2004-06-05T11:51:55Z")
Did that phrase appear in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ? Would have been said by (Big Daddy (Burl Ives) to his daughter (Elizibeth Taylor) whenever he wanted “some sugar”, and she would give him a hug and kiss him. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2004, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-daddy/248791/2 "2004-06-05T12:40:20Z")
> [@shewriter](#): > > Did that phrase appear in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ? > Would have been said by (Big Daddy (Burl Ives) to his daughter (Elizibeth Taylor) whenever he wanted “some sugar”, and she would give him a hug and kiss him. I always thought it came from The Byrds’ song in the 60’s, _Time of the Season_. > [@](#): > > What’s your name? > > Who’s your daddy? > > Is he rich like me? ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2004, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-daddy/248791/3 "2004-06-05T14:08:34Z")
My Indiana in-laws inform me that it was a pioneer expression basically asking who you are related to, something commonly asked in a region of newcomers. It predates _Cat on a Hot tin Roof_ and **The Zombies** song _Time of the Season_. It evolved into the nickname “hoosier” for folks from that midwestern state. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2004, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-daddy/248791/4 "2004-06-06T00:30:28Z")
> [@Padeye](#): > > My Indiana in-laws inform me that it was a pioneer expression basically asking who you are related to, something commonly asked in a region of newcomers. It predates _Cat on a Hot tin Roof_ and **The Zombies** song _Time of the Season_. It evolved into the nickname “hoosier” for folks from that midwestern state. You forgot to add a smilie. Some of the youngsters will believe you. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Fanny\_May](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3be4f8/32.png) [@Fanny\_May](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fanny_May)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2004, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-daddy/248791/5 "2004-06-06T00:53:14Z")
[hijack] Re: hoosier [Indiana state library](http://www.statelib.lib.in.us/www/ihb/emblems/hoosier.html) > [@](#): > > Among the more popular theories: > > When a visitor hailed a pioneer cabin in Indiana or knocked upon its door, the settler would respond, “Who’s yere?” And from this frequent response Indiana became the “Who’s yere” or Hoosier state. No one ever explained why this was more typical of Indiana than of Illinois or Ohio. > That Indiana rivermen were so spectacularly successful in trouncing or “hushing” their adversaries in the brawling that was then common that they became known as “hushers,” and eventually Hoosiers. > There was once a contractor named Hoosier employed on the Louisville and Portland Canal who preferred to hire laborers from Indiana. They were called “Hoosier’s men” and eventually all Indianans were called Hoosiers. > A theory attributed to Gov. Joseph Wright derived Hoosier from an Indian word for corn, “hoosa.” Indiana flatboatmen taking corn or maize to New Orleans came to be known as “hoosa men” or Hoosiers. Unfortunately for this theory, a search of Indian vocabularies by a careful student of linguistics failed to reveal any such word for corn. > Quite as plausible as these was the facetious explanation offered by “The Hoosier Poet,” James Whitcomb Riley. He claimed that Hoosier originated in the pugnacious habits of our early settlers. They were enthusiastic and vicious fighters who gouged, scratched and bit off noses and ears. This was so common an occurrence that a settler coming into a tavern the morning after a fight and seeing an ear on the floor would touch it with his toe and casually ask, “Whose ear?” ---
**Author:** ![LordVor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90ced4/32.png) [@LordVor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LordVor)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2004, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-daddy/248791/6 "2004-06-06T04:03:19Z")
> [@Padeye](#): > > My Indiana in-laws inform me that it was a pioneer expression basically asking who you are related to, something commonly asked in a region of newcomers. It predates _Cat on a Hot tin Roof_ and **The Zombies** song _Time of the Season_. It evolved into the nickname “hoosier” for folks from that midwestern state. Finally, I understand why people kept shouting “Who’s your Daddy” at Bobby Knight. Thank you, Padeye. -lv