Have you ever wondered why we have so many strange names for facial hair?
Let's delve into some more useless history.
GOATEE
A goatee is called as such because of its resemblance to the beard on a billy goat's chin. The word "goatee" is derived from "goaty," which itself refers to the characteristics of a male goat. Specifically, the tuft of hair on a goat's chin is similar to the facial hair style known as a goatee, which typically involves hair on the chin and sometimes the upper lip, but not the cheeks.
SIDEBURNS
Sideburns are named after General Ambrose Burnside, a Union general in the American Civil War. He was known for his distinctive hairstyle, which featured prominent side hair connected to a mustache, with a clean-shaven chin. The style became popular during and after the war, and people started referring to the facial hair on the sides of the face as "burnsides," which later became "sideburns".
SOUL PATCH
The soul patch's association with the jazz scene is significant. Some brass musicians, particularly flute players, found that a small patch of hair helped with the comfort of playing their instruments against their lower lip.
MULLET
The hairstyle known as a "mullet" gets its name from the Beastie Boys, who popularized the term in their 1994 song "Mullet Head". The song described the haircut as having short hair in the front and on the sides, with long hair in the back. While the hairstyle itself has roots in earlier eras and was sometimes called "hockey hair" or other nicknames, the specific term "mullet" is directly attributed to the Beastie Boys, according to the Oxford English Dictionary.
HORSESHOE
A horseshoe beard, also known as a horseshoe mustache, is called that because it resembles an upside-down horseshoe shape. The style features a thick mustache with vertical extensions that drop down from the corners of the mouth towards the jawline, creating the distinctive U-shape.
MUTTON CHOPS
The name "mutton chops" for this beard style comes from its resemblance to a cut of mutton, specifically the meat from a sheep's rib and backbone. The thick sideburns extending down the face towards the chin mirror the shape and size of the mutton chop, a meaty cut of meat.
There are so many more out there. Maybe you can recognize some of them in the puzzle below.
