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Every week, we put out a call for your redhead questions. This gives you a chance to get advice or input from our team of redheads. From beauty and fashion to lifestyle, redheads are in a unique boat, and we want to help make this community a place where you can turn for all your redhead needs.
This week, we’re addressing an intriguing question from Instagram: “Why are we called redheads and not orangeheads?” While this may initially seem like a lighthearted inquiry, it raises a thought-provoking point. The color of red hair often appears more orange or brown than true red, so where did the term “redhead” originate, and why is orange not used instead?
The simplest explanation is that historically, “red” predates “orange” as a recognized color term. According to Britannica, the world’s oldest continuously published encyclopedia, “red” was the first basic color term introduced into languages after black and white. The term “red” originates from the Sanskrit word rudhira and Proto-Germanic rauthaz. Britannica also notes that one of the earliest recorded uses of the color dates back to 897 CE.
While the word “orange” has been used to refer to the fruit since the 13th century, its use as a color term in English is relatively recent. Historical records indicate that “orange” was primarily used to describe clothing as early as the 16th century. Before this, the color was commonly called “yellow-red” or “saffron.”
The term “redhead” and similar expressions referring to individuals with red hair have been in use since at least the early 16th century, suggesting that the phrase likely predates the introduction of “orange” as a color term in English. Had “orange” been established in the language at the time, it’s plausible that we might have been called “orangeheads.” However, this remains a piece of history we will never fully know.
This phenomenon extends beyond the English language. In many other languages, the term for redheads is derived from the word for “red.” While many redhead nicknames are based on the color red, others, such as “carrot-top” or “copper,” emphasize the orange undertones of red hair. While “orangeheads” may not have the same appeal as “redheads,” it is fascinating to explore the origins of the term and how redheads came to be named.
Over time, redheads have been given a variety of nicknames throughout history, reflecting cultural perceptions and attitudes toward their fiery locks.
Here are some historical nicknames for redheads:
- Ginger (commonly used in English since at least the 18th century)
- Titian (derived from the Venetian painter Titian, whose works often featured auburn-haired figures)
- Carrot-top (emerged in English during the 19th century)
- Russet (used in older English literature to describe reddish-brown hues)
- Fox or Foxy (historically referencing the reddish fur of a fox)
- Rubio (from Spanish, meaning “reddish” or “blonde,” often used poetically)
- Rousse or Roux (French terms for red-haired individuals, dating back centuries)
- Coppernob (an old English term referencing the coppery tone of some red hair)
- Flamehead (an older, more dramatic nickname evocative of fire and passion)
- Sandy (historically used for those with light red or strawberry blonde hair, dating back to medieval Scotland).
These nicknames reflect the evolving ways red hair has been viewed—sometimes admired, sometimes teased, but always noticed.
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