Where does goober come from?

The first records of the word goober in English come from the 1800s. It might sound like a silly slang word, but it’s actually of African origin, based on the word nguba found in many African languages, like Kongo and Kimbundu.

The peanut itself (which is not a nut but a legume) is probably native to South America, but it was eventually brought to Africa by trade, where it was grown as food. Both the peanut and the African word for it were introduced to North America by African people who were enslaved and forced to work on plantations there. As an informal word for a peanut, goober is mostly used in the region of the U.S. where the enslaved African people started to grow them: the Southern and Midland states. You’re most likely to find goober pie (or someone who even knows what that is) in the South.

As a slang word meaning something like “goofball” or “bumpkin,” goober may have been popularized by a TV character named Goober on The Andy Griffith Show who was the epitome of a goober: simple and naive but cheery and good-natured. Calling someone a goober can be an insult, but it’s more likely to be used fondly and endearingly.