Why Is A Potato Called A Spud?

While there are a few theories going around as to the origins of this nickname, the correct roots of nickname "spud" is that it comes from the action of digging of the soil/hole preceding the planting of the potatoes. The exact origins of the term are unknown, but traditionally (c. 1440) it was used to mean a short knife or dagger. This term was later used to refer to a range of digging tools. Finally, roughly around the year 1845 it was transferred over to refer to the tuber itself.

Today the word "spud" is a commonly used nickname in English-speaking countries, given to the potato.

The term spud is also given to a number of other things. For instance, even today a sharp spade-like tool that is used for rooting or in order to dig out weeds is called a spud. It is also the name of a small section of pipe or a short section of a threaded fitting which completes a connection.

SPUD stands for Some Potatoes Under Developed. There are number of speculations on why a potato called spud and where does the term originate, but without any concrete answer. It is said, in one theory that the name came from spudder, which is a shovel type instrument, used to dig up potatoes. The second most popular theory says that the spud is the wooden barrel and the name of potatoes came after that barrel. This barrel is used by the sorters who use it to separate the smaller potatoes from the bigger ones. These two theories are most popular in the support of the origination of the name, though there are many more to tag along.