What’s In a Name: Where “Blackjack” Got Its Handle

You have likely already heard that blackjack is also known as 21, and this was probably one of the earliest names for the game. Lots of people know that. And yet what many of us don’t know – and perhaps don’t even stop to think about – is where the name “blackjack” even came from. After all, 21 makes sense. That’s the aim of the game – not going over 21. What do black jacks have to do with anything? Why is this the more common name for this game now?

There’s quite a bit going on here, and some fascinating twists that have brought us to the point where the game is pretty much ubiquitously referred to as “blackjack.” Not many people call it “21” nowadays! Understanding what’s going on with our language is a fascinating step for many people who are looking to improve their English, and there are many quirks and foibles, like getting to grips with tense. Learning why we use certain names often unlocks amazing insights into how language works… and many games change their names over the years, for a whole range of reasons. With an old game like blackjack, though, it’s not obvious what happened or why we made the shift – so let’s figure out what’s what!

Starting With 21

It’s not difficult to suss out why blackjack was first named Vingt-et-Un (21 in French). That’s the magic number you’re trying to hit (or get as close to as possible while staying under). Of course it’s logical to name the game after it! It’s the perfect hand. And in the early days, this was how the game was always referred to, so everybody would know which game was in question. 

After all, why not keep things simple? As the game spread throughout the world, it retained its name – often with different translations in different countries, of course (becoming “21” in England, for example). It wasn’t until it crossed to the States that things changed…

Born Into “Blackjack”

It’s thought that blackjack didn’t initially enjoy the kind of popularity you might expect when it hit the USA. It’s well-loved now, but at the time it was first appearing, the casino operators realized they’d got to come up with clever ways to sweeten the deal and attract players. So, they added what all casino enthusiasts love – bonuses and bigger payouts. One of these – and it turns out a very popular one – was to reward any player who managed to draw either of the two black jacks.

You can see where this is going. If you got a black jack and an ace of any kind, you’d get a 20:1 payout (which is ten times higher than most offerings). Soon, many people had begun to associate 21 with blackjack because the black jacks were the most valuable cards in the deck. Getting the jack of clubs or the jack of spades made for a very exciting moment!

Of course, the casinos didn’t keep offering that bonus forever; once blackjack was capable of standing on its own, they began withdrawing it gradually… but nonetheless, people had by this point begun referring to the game as “blackjack” instead of 21. That name has hung around firmly ever since. It probably took about 100 years to catch on, but now, we call blackjack “blackjack” internationally, and that’s probably not changing fast! If you play blackjack online or in a physical casino for that matter, you may occasionally see the game referred to by other names – but most of us say “blackjack” and leave it at that.

What Else Attracts Us To The Name?

A lot of people would agree that the name “blackjack” is somehow more appealing than 21. Perhaps it’s because of the “black” in it, conjuring up mystical connotations that ignite the imagination. Maybe it’s just because the jack is a card we’re all familiar with, and as the lowest of the face cards, it’s perhaps more unexpected and interesting than the king or the queen might be. There’s an enormous amount of psychology in the way that we name things – both people and games – and the fact that blackjack took its current name may indicate that “21” just didn’t cut it for most people. After all, it does feel a little dry and basic.

It’s possible that we’re also attracted to the rhyme in the words, which might even be why the casinos that initially created this deal chose to use the black jacks for it – they sound good! Think of this a bit like early advertising; if the name of a promotion is catchy, you’ll remember it far better than if it’s dull. “Blackjack” has a certain snappiness that results from the repeated “ack” sound at the end of each word, and that’s another potential explanation for the popularity of this name.

There are probably many other reasons that “blackjack” stuck so thoroughly, but there’s no doubt it suits the game, and we’re not sorry that it shed its rather bland “21” for the more imaginative title!