Is "Barnet" meaning "hair" at all related to the London borough of Barnet?

The problem is that all the rhymes are based on things which are very well known in a very small area of London and not very well known everywhere else.

For example Barnet fair... if the most common things you know about Barnet is the fair, then it makes sense.

If you hadn't ever come across the word barnet meaning hair and someone said you had a nice barnet, and you had no idea that was a place with a fair... well this is why it's called Cockney rhyming slang, because it only really makes sense to people from that area of London.

It spread though, so a lot of it got picked up as general slang, even if the roots of it are forgotten to the general public.

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WorhummerWoy@reddit

I'm from the borough of Barnet and I know your Barnet is your hair, but I've never heard of the Barnet fair - it also probably makes more sense if you're from the 1800s!

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PipBin@reddit

Tea leaf = thief

Half inch = pinch

Aristotle = bottle = bottle and glass = arse. Therefore ‘arris = arse.

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spongey1865@reddit

I genuinely googled it yesterday because I was curious and all I had to do was wait for this

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Do_You_Like_Owls@reddit

It's why I browse Reddit for 12hrs per day. Why go "live" when you can just feed your skull jelly with everything from one website?

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tmr89@reddit

Fayre*

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tobotic@reddit

Fair according to Barnet Council.

https://www.barnet.gov.uk/libraries-old/local-studies-and-archives/pocket-histories/barnet/barnet-market-and-fair

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bh_44@reddit

Fayre enough

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Key_Nectarine5882@reddit

Barnet Fayre - hayre

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thelivsterette1@reddit

Learnt something new today!

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ambiguousboner@reddit

Honestly didn’t know this, rhyming slang is so fucking stupid lol

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Crack398@reddit

Have you never been to the fair in barnet?

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jdsuperman@reddit

Was Google closed for the night?

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PolylingualAnilingus@reddit (OP)

Go ahead and close the whole subreddit then, because anything we ask here can be asked on Google. But Google isn't an actual person with lived experience and knows the cultural relevance

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pretendingtowrite@reddit

Well no, a lot of the questions here are opinion based or asking for people’s experiences. Factual questions like this can just be googled.

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PolylingualAnilingus@reddit (OP)

You can find opinions and experiences on Google too. I wanted this subreddit's answer, simple as

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pretendingtowrite@reddit

I mean that’s fine. Just don’t be surprised that someone is complaining it’s a low effort / spam post.

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AbbreviationsWide235@reddit

I often wonder how Pete Tong feels about his name being used as modern rhyming slang. What a great way to achieve immortality.

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CarbonBasedRings@reddit

You’ll defo enjoy r/etymology !! Loads of great word origins like this

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Sensual_Lover25@reddit

Barnet fair lol

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ActionBirbie@reddit

Barnet Fair...

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bomboclawt75@reddit

Better to have a barnet than a syrup.

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Remote-Field4624@reddit

Try and guess people before you Google this one.

I was born and raised far from London but we used a lot of cockney rhyming slang and I honestly knew this one and some one from London didn't but its hard one and is hair systems now.

Is alot of them and some are dirivitve or not right or again come elsewhere pearly queens etc.

Honestly if I didn't know syrup I'd never get it.

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bomboclawt75@reddit

I got this from watching Regan and Carter on the custard, they had more rabbit than Sainsbury's.

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Remote-Field4624@reddit

This is where my non cockney bow bells northern person is like huh. Ok so let me guess.

I thought Regan was sweeney haha.

Custard and jelly- telly?

Rabbit must be talk, rabbit and hare, rabbit and turtle.

No it's cop or something else if I'm right on telly.

More cop than shop? Doesn't fit.

Rabbit and trap, yap?

I dunno I did my best I sorta missed the sweeney haha.

I remember boon and minder tho

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neilm1000@reddit

Rabbit = rabbit and pork. Talk.

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Remote-Field4624@reddit

Ahhhh see could be fork too....

But fair enough

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neilm1000@reddit

To be fair it could be, I've always been told rabbit and pork but who really knows!

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Remote-Field4624@reddit

I'd think your right like I said some one in another part of this chat they had some wholesome food you tube and Danny dyer and was one he didn't know. And I guessed so all good

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ZaharaWiggum@reddit

Also: Sweeney Todd - Flying squad

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Remote-Field4624@reddit

Ahh I need to watch the sweeny I love John thaw I love that one

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Careless-Actuary6641@reddit

Barnet fair. its cockney rhyming slang :3

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Remote-Field4624@reddit

You know I saw even the last modern final boss of this Dyer not know one the ok there say on a food thing he knew every other tho.

I knew this one for some reason is many I dont or didn't but we would be told we are going to Barnet and know was local fair or Blackpool whatever

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neilm1000@reddit

You know I saw even the last modern final boss of this Dyer not know one the ok there say on a food thing he knew every other tho.

Danny Dyer didn't know one? What didn't he know?

Assuming I read that sentence right.

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Remote-Field4624@reddit

I think was balls or penis mate I'll try find a bit later. Was one of the two for sure

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Remote-Field4624@reddit

A slang for one of em

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FrostySquirrel820@reddit

The Barnet Fair was a very famous horse fair held in Chipping Barnet. It dates back to 1588 and was a massive event in the London calendar for centuries.

Because the fair was a household name for Londoners, it became the perfect candidate for rhyming slang.

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Fun_Jellyfish1982@reddit

Yes, That's why Edgar Davids finished his career there

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DuskAngelX@reddit

No, it comes from Cockney rhyming slang ‘Barnet Fair’, not the London borough.

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Frankenbeasley@reddit

Treat yourself to a ruby.

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motific@reddit

Wait til they hear about Berks.

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Remote-Field4624@reddit

I will ask my mum btw but I feel her singing up the apple and pears to bed when was kids made bed time easier even if was just a small bit lol. Was like a sing along and fun....

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Monkeyboogaloo@reddit

I once saw Amy Winehouse on the bus near where I lived. Unfortunately the bus wasn’t going to High Barnet or I would have had a great joke. Archway doesn't work as a punch line.

All true.

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onion2077@reddit

Wait til you hear about the dog and bone, or the apple and pear's.

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Conscious_Guess9637@reddit

yeah it’s cockney slang, it does originate from Barnet the place that used to be classed as in Hertfordshire, but is now regarded as a London burough. It was because Barnet fair rhymes with hair, and that where Barnet meaning for haircut originates.

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PolylingualAnilingus@reddit (OP)

Thank you!

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ukbot-nicolabot@reddit

OP marked this as the best answer, given by /u/Alarmed-Syllabub8054.

Barnet Fair. Rhyming slang.

^(What is this?)

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Easy-Equal@reddit

No the borough is derived from the Old English bærnet meaning "land cleared by burning"

Barnet to mean are comes from London rhyming slang as Barnet Fair, meaning "hair"

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