Real McCoy
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April 4, 2025
It is difficult to know who is the Real McCoy when searching for the origins of the phrase, the Real McCoy.
The phrase may come from either Black inventor Elijah McCoy, whose high-quality steam engine lubricators were often faked by others, but engineers demanded the genuine article - the Real MccCoy.
An alternate origin may be Prohibition-era rum-runner Bill McCoy, famous for selling unwatered-down liquor.
Another theory is the Scottish phrase “the real Mackay” for a quality Scotch whisky.
Playing off this phrase, the jazz pianist, McCoy Tyner, named his 1967 album, the Real McCoy.
The phrase may come from either Black inventor Elijah McCoy, whose high-quality steam engine lubricators were often faked by others, but engineers demanded the genuine article - the Real MccCoy.
An alternate origin may be Prohibition-era rum-runner Bill McCoy, famous for selling unwatered-down liquor.
Another theory is the Scottish phrase “the real Mackay” for a quality Scotch whisky.
Playing off this phrase, the jazz pianist, McCoy Tyner, named his 1967 album, the Real McCoy.
Rate of Appearance in English Language Print
Google's Ngram project shows how often a pair of words has appeared in print every year since the 1800's.
Data from Google Books Ngram Viewer. Licensed under CC BY 3.0.
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