Why were British soldiers called pommies?

Why British Soldiers Were Called Pommies

If you have ever wondered why British people or soldiers were historically referred to as "pommies" in Australia, the answer comes down to a clever piece of linguistic history and rhyming slang.

The best-documented and most widely accepted origin of the term is that "pommy" is simply a contraction of "pomegranate." Back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, this word was used in Australian rhyming slang as a substitute for "immigrant"—specifically rhyming with "Jimmy Grant."

Over time, the phrase was shortened. While the full rhyming slang eventually faded from everyday use, the nickname stuck. A popular secondary folk etymology claims that British immigrants or soldiers arriving in the Australian sun quickly developed sunburns that made their skin as red as a pomegranate, which only helped cement the nickname in popular culture. Today, while it is still widely recognized, it is used with varying degrees of affection or banter depending on the context.