The Spanish word bobo translates to "stupid, daft, naïve, simple, fool, idiot, clown, funny man, one who is easily cheated" and similar pejorative terms. The slang of bobo, bubie, translates to "dunce". Variations of this word exist in other languages (such as Latin), with their meaning being "to stammer".[1]

In approximately 1590, the word began appearing in the English language as booby, meaning "stupid person, slow bird".[2] The seabird in question was the genus Sula, with their common name being boobies. These birds have large flat feet and wide wingspans for marine habitats but are clumsy and slow on shore making them easy to catch.[3] The birds are also known for landing aboard seagoing vessels, whereupon they have been eaten by the crew.[4]

The phrase booby trap originally applied to schoolboy pranks, but took on its more sinister connotation during World War I.[2] The term "booby trap" gives rise to the idea that an individual with the misfortune to be caught in the trap does so because the individual is a "booby", or that an individual who is caught in the trap thereby becomes a "booby".