Why are male burros/donkeys called jacks and female burros/donkeys called jennies or jennets?
The name Jack is a derivative of the name John. Going back through the centuries, John is a pretty ubiquitous name, and, over time, the name Jack became synonymous with anything male. Thus, you get names like lumberjack, jackrabbit, bootjack, jack-of-all-trades, and even Jack the Ripper. And, yes, jackass too, since ass is the proper name for the animal we are discussing.
The terms “jenny” and “jennet” is a bit harder to pin down. Going back to the 1500s the name “jenny” is associated with female animals and birds, for example a female wren would have been called a jenny wren. The term “jennet” has a couple of origins. It refers to a small Spanish horse breed. But it also was an Old English girls name that was a derivative of John. In either case, sources aren’t clear or definitive about these terms’ use in association with donkeys. We might never know the origin but it is fun to do the research.
Tell us - do you have a favorite burro fact?
Thank you to @pjkaszas for this interesting background on burros and their names!
Credit: @pjkaszas
Location: Just outside Oatman, Arizona (Black Mountian HMA)
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