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The stories behind this name for coffee are as plentiful as its aliases: joe, java, jamoke, and mud. According to Mavens' Word of the Day, the leading theory connects the nickname to an 1860 song by Stephen Collins Foster, "Old Black Joe." The American Heritage Dictionary seems to agree. However an examination of the lyrics results in no mention of a morning beverage. Another theory holds that the beverage was nicknamed after Admiral Josephus "Joe" Daniels, who was
secretary of the U.S. Navy during World War I. He abolished the officers' wine messes in 1914, resulting in "dry" ships. But World Wide Words pours cold water on that idea, arguing the phrase "cup of joe" first appeared in print in 1930. World Wide Words leaves us with one last suggestion. The name could have been a modification of java or jamoke, which were other names for coffee. It could also have been influenced by expressions at that time, such as "an ordinary Joe." Whatever the real story, next time you're at Starbucks for your morning fix, try ordering a "grande joe." See if the baristas have any clue what you're talking about.
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