In British English slang, Hooray Henry or Hoorah Henry is a pejorative term, comparable to "toff", for an upper-middle class or upper class man who exudes loud-mouthed arrogance and an air of superiority, often flaunting his public school upbringing. It is cited as the male equivalent of a "Sloane Ranger", although the female equivalent of a Hooray Henry is sometimes referred to as a Hooray Henrietta.[1][2]
Coined as "Hoorah Henry" in 1936 by Eric Partridge, it became common in the United Kingdom by the 1950s when it was originally used to refer to the boisterous upper class fans of jazz trumpeter Humphrey Lyttelton who would shout "Hoorah!" between pieces he performed at the 100 Club in London. More recently, the term has become commonly used in British tabloid newspapers to express contempt towards the lifestyles of the upper class and their privileged upbringings in expensive public schools such as Eton College, and esteemed universities such as Oxford and Cambridge (commonly called “Oxbridge”).
In both the United Kingdom and the United States, the term has frequently been used in a political context to refer to certain members of the British Conservative Party, including former Prime Ministers David Cameron and Boris Johnson, who had such an upbringing, and has also been used negatively towards those associated with events such as the University Boat Race and Royal Ascot. Despite its generally negative connotation, several restaurants, clubs and boutiques have adopted the name in a more favourable light to imply class and style.
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