“肥胖、圆润、丰满”，这个词最早出现在1610年代，字面意思是“像鲶鱼一样”，源自chub，一种短而粗的鱼，加上-y（2）。可能受到古诺尔斯语kumba（“木头”）和kumben（“树桩状”）的影响。
ME chubbe ... was also used of a "lazy, spiritless fellow; a rustic, simpleton; dolt, fool" (1558), whilst Bailey has " Chub, a Jolt-head, a great-headed, full-cheeked Fellow," a description reminiscent of that of the chevin, another name for the chub ... Thus the nickname may have meant either "short and thick, dumpy like a chub," or "of the nature of a chub, dull and clownish." ["Dictionary of English Surnames"]
中世纪英语中，chubbe也用来形容“懒惰、无精打采的人；乡下人、傻瓜、愚人”（1558年），而Bailey则描述Chub为“一个大脑袋、丰满脸颊的家伙”，这个描述让人联想到chevin，鲶鱼的另一个名字……因此，这个绰号可能意味着“矮胖，像鲶鱼一样”，或者“像鲶鱼一样，迟钝而滑稽”。[《英语姓氏词典》]
