Why is a bathroom called a John?

Author: Dasia Kuhn  |  Last update: Friday, October 31, 2025

Medieval Lingo At one point in time these names began to be used for describing a small, smelly restroom area inside of a house. Only the very wealthy had jakes/jacks inside of their homes—most others were located somewhere outside. The name “John” was later derived from “Jake” and “Jack.”

Why do they call the bathroom the John?

The bathroom expression “John” comes from a man by the name of Sir John Harrington. Harrington lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He wrote risqué poetry, and people referred to him as the “Saucy Godson” of Queen Elizabeth I.

What does John mean in the bathroom?

(dʒɒn ) noun. mainly US and Canadian a slang word for lavatory (sense 1)

Why do Brits call the bathroom the loo?

The most commonly cited reason for our use of the word loo is that it comes from the cry of "gardyloo!". This, in turn, comes from the French term "regardez l'eau", which translates literally as "watch out for the water".

Why is the bathroom called a crapper?

The toilets displayed the company logo 'Thomas Crapper & Co Ltd'. The US soldiers stationed in England at the time started referring to the toilet as “the Crapper” and brought that slang term back with them to the United States. The slang word for toilet became more widely taken up and is still being used today.

Porta Potty History: Why is a Toilet Called a John?

Why is a toilet called a potty?

The term 'potty' isn't just a cute name that parents thought up to train their children to use the toilet. Actually, this one dates back to pre-plumbing times, when chamber pots were your best friend on a cold night. Don't run out to the outhouse — use the potty, instead!

How do British say potty?

Below is the UK transcription for 'potty': Modern IPA: pɔ́tɪj. Traditional IPA: ˈpɒtiː 2 syllables: "POT" + "ee"

What do the Irish call restrooms?

In Irish slang, “the jacks” refers to the bathroom or toilet. For example, if someone says, “I'll be back in a minute; I just need to go to the jacks,” they simply mean they're heading to the restroom.

Why is the toilet called WC?

Despite its popularity in American English, the term “W/C” actually arose in 1870s England, short for “Wash-down closet”, which evolved to “water closet” and eventually, the term we recognise today as “W/C”.

What is the posh word for toilet?

Lavatory. Lavatory has Latin origins, deriving from the word “lavare”. During the Medieval period, this evolved to “lavatorium” and finally to lavatory which is still used today, though not commonly and only in the most formal settings.

What is John slang for?

(slang, US) A device or place to urinate and defecate: now usually a toilet or lavatory, but also (dated) a chamber pot or outhouse.

What does Jack and Jill mean bathroom?

With Jack and Jill bathroom suites, space is shared, or at least that's the idea behind it. A Jack and Jill Bathroom is a bathroom that has two doors and is usually accessible from two bedrooms. It's supposed to help cut down on the problems that most families face when it comes to the bathroom; who uses it first?

What does Canada call the bathroom?

This room is commonly known as a "bathroom" in American English, a "lavatory" or "loo" in the United Kingdom, a "washroom" in Canadian English, and by many other names across the English-speaking world.

What is a potty john?

A portable or mobile toilet (colloquial terms: thunderbox, porta-john, porta-potty or porta-loo) is any type of toilet that can be moved around, some by one person, some by mechanical equipment such as a truck and crane.

Why is it called a head on a ship?

In sailing vessels, the head is the ship's toilet. The name derives from sailing ships in which the toilet area for the regular sailors was placed at the head or bow of the vessel.

What do Scots call the restroom?

In the Scottish language, there are a number of words for toilet, such as bog and shunky, but cludgie is our favorite. This word is mainly used in and around Glasgow.

What is the Irish slang for pretty girls?

Feek. Definition: A term of endearment for someone attractive. Example: “Look at her; she's a right feek!”

What do Germans call the restroom?

Bathroom and toilet in German: How to say it

The bathroom is the “Badezimmer” in German and the “toilet” is the “Toilette”.

What is a women's toilet called?

Commonly used to refer to women's toilets in public buildings in America, 'powder room' originated during the Prohibition. Toilets provided for women in bars during this period were referred to as powder rooms… and the name stuck!

What is the British term for diaper?

In the UK, 'diapers' are commonly referred to as 'nappies. ' So, if you're in the UK and find yourself looking after a baby, keep in mind the term 'nappies' when you need to pick up supplies! In the UK, the word 'biscuit' is used to refer to what Americans would call a 'cookie.

What does England call a bathroom?

The loo or the WC (water closet). 2. John Yates.

Why are toilets called crappers?

These doughboys, unfamiliar with the relatively new-fangled invention, referred to the toilets as “crappers”—due to the Crapper brand's ubiquity in England and France—and brought the term back home with them after the war.

What is the polite word for toilet?

'Washroom' is another formal word that most English speakers will understand. It is mostly used in the USA. 'Restroom' is a safe term to use in the United States and won't offend anyone. When traveling on ​motorways​, signs may appear announcing “rest stops”.

Why is a toilet called a bog?

There are stories citing the use of bog deriving from the early days of mass manufacture, especially the making of plain white ceramic toilet bowls, the most basic of which were referred to as Bog Standard. For those not so familiar with colloquial English, a bog is a slang term for the lavatory or toilet.

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