Posts by tag: name origin

Was cricket the sport or the animal named first?

As a blogger, I've found myself diving into the quirky world of etymology, specifically focusing on the word 'cricket'. Unsurprisingly, it turns out that the sport and the insect share more than just a name. Historical evidence shows that the insect was named first, dating back to the Old English 'cricce', meaning 'cricket'. The sport got its name much later, around the 16th century, due to the resemblance of the cricket bat to a shepherd's staff, also known as a 'cricket'. So, in this peculiar case, the chirpy insect takes the lead over the beloved sport.