Why is “joe” a nickname for coffee, as in “a cup of joe?”
A. Joe was a famous Sicilian barista from Palermo, Italy
B. Joe refers to a former secretary of the U.S. Navy who wanted soldiers to drink coffee instead of wine and liquor
C. Originally Johannesburg slang, the word joe was adopted by South African coffee importers
D. Joe was the nickname given to coffee by British servicemen stationed in India during World War I
B.
Joe refers to Josephus Daniels, former secretary of the U.S. Navy under President Woodrow Wilson. During World War I, Daniels tried to reform Navy morals. He increased the number of chaplains, discouraged prostitution, and, most controversially, banned the consumption of alcohol, suggesting the soldiers would be better off drinking coffee
