Ulysses S. Grant

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

Ancient Greek Οὐλίξης (Oulíxēs)bor.

Latin Ulixēs

Ancient Greek Ὀδῠσσεύς (Odusseús)influ.

Latin Ulyssēsbor.

English Ulysses

Ancient Greek σῑμός (sīmós)?

Ancient Greek Σῐ́μων (Símōn)bor.

Latin Simonbor.

Middle English Simon

Proto-Semitic *šamaʕ-

Hebrew שָׁמַע

Hebrew שִׁמְעוֹןbor.

Ancient Greek Σῠμεών (Sumeṓn)bor.

Latin Simeonbor.

Middle English Simeon

Middle English Sym

Proto-Indo-European *sew-?

Proto-Indo-European *sewH-

Proto-Indo-European *suHnús

Proto-Germanic *sunuz

Proto-West Germanic *sunu

Old English sunu

Middle English sone

Middle English -son

Middle English Sympson

English Simpson?

Proto-Italic *grandis

Latin grandis

Old French grant

Anglo-Norman grauntbor.

Scottish Gaelic Granndbor.

English Grant

English Ulysses S. Grant

From the portrait of Ulysses S. Grant (1822–1885) featured on them.

Further etymology

The name itself of Grant (who was born Hiram Ulysses Grant) is an alteration by Representative Thomas L. Hamer; Grant’s father wrote to Hamer requesting that he nominate Grant to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, which Hamer did in spring 1839. Grant was accepted on July 1. Unfamiliar with Grant, Hamer altered his name, so Grant was enlisted under the name “U. S. Grant”. Since the initials “U. S.” also stood for “Uncle Sam”, he became known among army colleagues as “Sam”.

One source states Hamer thought the “S.” stood for Simpson, Grant’s mother’s maiden name, hence some sources list his full name as “Ulysses Simpson Grant”. According to Grant, the “S.” did not stand for anything. Upon graduation from the academy he adopted the name “Ulysses S. Grant”. Another version of the story states that Grant inverted his first and middle names to register at West Point as “Ulysses Hiram Grant” as he thought reporting to the academy with a trunk that carried the initials H. U. G. would subject him to teasing and ridicule. Upon finding that Hamer had nominated him as “Ulysses S. Grant”, Grant decided to keep the name so that he could avoid the “hug” monogram; and it was easier to keep the wrong name than to try changing school records.

Noun

Ulysses S. Grant (plural Ulysses S. Grants)

1. (slang) A United States fifty-dollar bill.

   Synonyms: Grant, U.S. Grant

   • 1957, The Monthly Record, volume 61, page 22:

     They respond instantly to the faintest rustling in the covert of a sheaf of Ulysses S. Grants, or the homely, rustic tinkle of a wheelbarrow full of rubies being jounced along over a nightclub floor.

   • 2005, Ombonia Waits, Closed Circles, Bloomington, Ind.: AuthorHouse, →ISBN, page 79:

     She peeped into the unsealed envelope and saw a stack of Ulysses S. Grants.

   • 2013, Christopher Ward, Dead Brilliant, Toronto, Ont.: Dundurn, →ISBN, page 132:

     “Don’t be in there too long, or I’ll know who you’re talking to,” smirked Justin as he grabbed the passing waiter’s sleeve and handed him a pair of Ulysses S. Grants.

   • 2013, Michael Scofield, Smut Busters: Grit, Santa Fe Style, Santa Fe, N.M.: Sunstone Press, →ISBN, page 160:

     “I keep fifties on me in case I need to hit the ER. Give the coke to her, the prostate pain’s eased some.” The cracked-lipped old man reached to unbutton his overalls’ back-pocket flap and eased out two Ulysses S. Grants.

   • 2017, Jerome Charyn, Winter Warning, New York, N.Y.: Pegasus Books, →ISBN, page 226:

     She hadn’t come to barter with Karel in Rembrandt’s behalf, or to sell him a bundle of Ulysses S. Grants. Besides, Rembrandt had already sold him half a ton of paper. It was a much more vital matter than counterfeit currency.

   • 2022, Douglas J. McGregor, Roadtrip 41, Bloomington, Ind.: iUniverse, →ISBN:

     Not counting the loose change jiggling in my pocket, (and it sounded like a lot of pennies to me), I only had one Ben Franklin, two Ulysses S. Grants, a crinkly Andrew Jackson that someone had drawn an ink moustache on, two Lincolns and two Washingtons.

Further reading

• United States fifty-dollar bill on Wikipedia.Wikipedia