Why are peanuts called Goobers in the US?

[Bretrick]

Such a strange name. Are Goobers peanuts that grow in the ground?

 

[Mr. Ed]

Peanuts are fashioned with two nuts

 

[Bella]

Yes they are.

"Gouber pea. Ground nut. Ground pea. Earth-nut. Pindar nut. Ground bean. The peanut had a legion of names before the war; today, only "goober" reminds us of that tasty, unpretentious legume's long travels."

I think you'll find this article interesting. A Legume With Many Names: The Story Of 'Goober' > https://www.npr.org/sections/codesw.../a-legume-with-many-names-the-story-of-goober



These are the "Goobers" that I used to buy at the movies in my youth.

 

[Bretrick]

Yes they are.

"Gouber pea. Ground nut. Ground pea. Earth-nut. Pindar nut. Ground bean. The peanut had a legion of names before the war; today, only "goober" reminds us of that tasty, unpretentious legume's long travels."

I think you'll find this article interesting. A Legume With Many Names: The Story Of 'Goober' > https://www.npr.org/sections/codesw.../a-legume-with-many-names-the-story-of-goober



These are the "Goobers" that I used to buy at the movies in my youth.

Thank you for the answer I was seeking.

 

[Tommy]

Such a strange name. Are Goobers peanuts that grow in the ground?

Interesting. I've lived on both coasts and in the middle of the US, traveled extensively, and never heard them called anything except peanuts.

 

[Eupher]

Such a strange name. Are Goobers peanuts that grow in the ground?

Pretty sure that ALL peanuts grow in the ground. And because of that, they're not "nuts" at all -- they're legumes. Regular "nuts" of all types grow on trees.

 

[AnneTeak]

Goobers was a chocolate covered peanut when i was growing up. Haven't seen them in years.

 

[Della]

When we first moved to Georgia I was surprised to see little roadside stands where people sold boiled peanuts. One day we drove by such a stand and the cardboard sign said "bulled peanuts" which is how lots of people pronounced it.

When we first moved there my MInnesota husband couldn't understand half of what said so I had too translate for him.

 

[Paco Dennis]

Another Goober.

 

[Jocko]

Funny name.

 

[jujube]

 

[JustDave]

I've only heard it once in a song of my childhood about "Peas, Peas, Eating Goober Peas", or something like that. I can't remember the exact words, but the song was catchy. It confounded me until I found out that Goober Peas were just peanuts, but nowhere ever have I heard anyone use the word "goobers" outside of that song. I would call it a vestigial word, soon to be delegated to a locked vault of unused words that sound like a description of something that came out of someone's nose.

 

[dilettante]

Yep, I remember "goober peas" too.

But I'm waiting to hear more about these peanuts that don't grow in the ground.

 

[Remy]

In California I have never heard them called that. Just peanuts and I have only heard of Goober candy.

I had to look up what ground nut oil was when Holly mentioned it. It's just peanut oil!

Thank goodness for peanut butter!

 

[Jules]

I thought Goobers were just a peanut chocolate covered candy.

 

[dilettante]

I'm pretty sure we covered this in elementary school:

 

[AnneTeak]

googled it says this: Goobers are a chocolate-covered peanut candy that was introduced in the year 1915. Goobers are small, rounded, though irregularly shaped, and are brown in color. The name Goobers may come from a Southern word for peanut that originated in North Carolina, where Goobers candy was first produced. Goobers are fresh roasted peanuts coated in a shell of chocolate, with other ingredients that have included sugar, tapioca, confectioners glaze, and citric acid.

 

[dilettante]

Considering there is at least one Civil War era song using "goober peas" I suspect it's far older than the candy which clearly borrowed the name. I'm pretty sure that as kids we knew that it had been borrowed.

The term "goober" derives from an African word for the peanut. Some southern farmers had their own goober patch, where they grew a supply of peanuts sufficient for their families' use throughout the year.