# Why are New Zealanders called "kiwis"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 12, 2003, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-new-zealanders-called-kiwis/174630 "2003-05-12T05:13:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-new-zealanders-called-kiwis/174630/21 "2003-05-13T00:58:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Caught@Work \* > \*\*I’m sure it has something to do with sheep. \*\* Okay, I’ll live dangerously: “Hey! In Australia we shear sheep!” “Sorry mate, I’m not shearing 'er with innybody!” :grin (Note t’ mods: acceptable trans-Tasman “shit-stirring”, is all) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-new-zealanders-called-kiwis/174630/22 "2003-05-13T01:45:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DreadCthulhu \* > \*\*Because the kiwi fruit is native to New Zealand; and food-based nicknames are relatively common for inhabitants of a nation; i.e. krauts for Germans, Limeys for Brits, and Frogs for the French. \*\* So what are us Americans? ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-new-zealanders-called-kiwis/174630/23 "2003-05-13T02:02:49Z")
I don’t think you really wanna know. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-new-zealanders-called-kiwis/174630/24 "2003-05-13T02:06:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Desmostylus \* > \*\*I don’t think you really wanna know. \*\* Well, I know the “septics” slang. But I’m not going to eat that! ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-new-zealanders-called-kiwis/174630/25 "2003-05-13T02:08:34Z")
Yanks. Bet that makes the southerners feel good! ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-new-zealanders-called-kiwis/174630/26 "2003-05-13T04:14:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by j.c. \* > \*\*Really, I thought this kiwi business was all part of mind-control/word-domination plot hatched by the fiendishly evil rulers and populace of NZ. Slowly, oh so slowly they intend to convince everyone else on the planet that that their Antipodes population is as cute and harmless as a fruit/flightless bird and then, then my friend, they will strike! Oh yes, mark my words. \*\* A Kiwi bird? “Cute and harmless”? 😃 Have you seen one of ‘em up close? Saw a documentary once, where an American zookeeper nearly got th’ gouging of his/her life (can’t recall gender) from the beak and the legs of that fighting bundle of weird feathers. **j.c.** , my fellow poster – they are _mean, ornery li’l beggers!_ Suits our national character rather well, in some quarters. 😉 Aside from that – as far as the World Domination Plot goes … _ahem_ …er … what plot? Have our secrets gone astray _again?_ 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Popup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@Popup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Popup)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-new-zealanders-called-kiwis/174630/27 "2003-05-13T10:14:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by asterion \* > **So what are us Americans?** How 'bout ['merkins](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_232.html) While _etymologically_ not related to eating habits, it does convey certain connotations… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-new-zealanders-called-kiwis/174630.md?page=1)