Q. Who first used the word “finest” as a nickname for the New York police, as well as “bravest” for firefighters, “strongest” for sanitation workers and “boldest” for correction officers?

A. The nicknames for the Police and Fire Departments originated around the Civil War, derived from phrases already in use to praise the valor of soldiers. The other two terms are of more recent vintage.

The firefighters’ nickname most likely came from the term “the bravest of the brave.” An early mention of this phrase appeared in The New York Times on Aug. 27, 1862; it was used in a toast to Firefighter John Downey, a Union captain who had been a prisoner of war in Richmond, Va.

During the draft riots the next July, the newspaper described Fire Chief John Decker as “one of the bravest among the brave.”