# Why is marijuana called "pot?" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 21, 2005, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-marijuana-called-pot/317975 "2005-08-21T13:35:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-marijuana-called-pot/317975/1 "2005-08-21T13:35:38Z")
Mankind’s favorite plant has a dazzling variety of slang terms - however, the one which is probably the most common of all is the one that seems to make the least sense. Why is it called “pot?” ---
**Author:** ![Meaty\_Beaty\_Big\_and\_Bouncy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Meaty\_Beaty\_Big\_and\_Bouncy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meaty_Beaty_Big_and_Bouncy)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-marijuana-called-pot/317975/2 "2005-08-21T15:46:53Z")
SWAG it grows in pots? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-marijuana-called-pot/317975/3 "2005-08-21T16:03:46Z")
Wouldn’t mankind’s favorite plant probably be rice or something? It, or one of its sister grains, probably wins for acres cultivated and utility. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-marijuana-called-pot/317975/4 "2005-08-21T16:20:58Z")
Why is _what_ called “pot?” ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-marijuana-called-pot/317975/5 "2005-08-21T16:33:32Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#): > > Why is _what_ called “pot?” Grass, Weed, Dope, Mary Jane, Acapulco Gold, Reefer, Bud, The Green Guy, Ganja, Stuff, Boo-ya, Chronic, Herb, THC, or Indo. ---
**Author:** ![anson2995](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@anson2995](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anson2995)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-marijuana-called-pot/317975/6 "2005-08-21T16:48:33Z")
The use of “pot” to mean “marijuana” originated in the twenties, and evolved from the Mexican usage of “potiguaya” for marijuana leaves. That slang word was probably based on the Spanish phrase “potacion de guaya”, which translates literally as “the wine of grief.” William Safire did a column on the etymology of “pot” in the NY Times on December 22, 2002. I have a hard copy but I’m not sure if it appears online. He puts the first appearance in print in a 1938 short story. See also the entry at [Etymology Online](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=pot&searchmode=none). ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-marijuana-called-pot/317975/7 "2005-08-21T17:19:08Z")
Bomb, KGB, Wacky terbacky, J, Jolly green, Red bud, green bud, purple ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-marijuana-called-pot/317975/8 "2005-08-21T18:34:26Z")
> [@anson2995](#): > > The use of “pot” to mean “marijuana” originated in the twenties, and evolved from the Mexican usage of “potiguaya” for marijuana leaves. That slang word was probably based on the Spanish phrase “potacion de guaya”, which translates literally as “the wine of grief.” > > William Safire did a column on the etymology of “pot” in the NY Times on December 22, 2002. I have a hard copy but I’m not sure if it appears online. He puts the first appearance in print in a 1938 short story. Safire is just quoting the OED’s first cite in print. I’d like to see any evidence that it originated in the twenties, although I wouldn’t doubt that it did. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-marijuana-called-pot/317975/9 "2005-08-22T01:37:33Z")
AKA hemp. In the '30s it grew wild in nearly every vacant lot in and around Chicago. 😃 It could have been Acupulca Gold going to waste but no one thought of smoking it.