The British Word For 'Arugula' Is So Much More Fun Than Its American Name

As if saying the word "arugula" wasn't fun enough, especially when youngsters play up the long "rooooo" syllable, there are actually spunkier names for this bold and peppery member of the mustard family. A favorite term, mostly because it seems so far-fetched, is the British version: rocket greens. Even more amusing is the shortened form in everyday conversation, as in "Honey, could you pick up some rocket on your way home?" One particular species that's common in Britain, Diplotaxis tenuifolia, is even called "wild rocket," definitely confirming its fun status as a leafy green.

My British grandparents owned a seaside cafe outside London, and I still remember giggling when someone ordered a rocket salad. Erroneously assuming the name came from the leaves of this green being long and straight, I imagined a bowl of tiny rockets preparing for take off. Instead (and disappointingly in a child's mind), rocket was simply another highly nutritious vegetable providing an injection of vitamin A, C, and K, along with calcium, folate, and even glucosinolates, which are compounds believed to detoxify the body. Of course, rocket also provides a pleasantly perky pungency on the palate.

Many popular American foods have totally different UK names, including "chips" rather than "french fries," and "biscuits" instead of "cookies." But using "rocket" for what Americans call arugula? It seems a bit gimmicky — unless you know the history of those spright little greens around the world. Etymologically speaking, both arugula and rocket are legitimate monickers.   

As Shakespeare might ask, "What's in a name?" Plenty, when it comes to rocket, AKA arugula. It's been around a long time, dating as far back as ancient Roman times when it was called "eruca," giving rise to the botanical name still used today for the most common version: Eruca sativa. Different parts of Italy then called and pronounced it according to local dialects. But, the linguistic fun really began as the plant journeyed across the globe through immigration. 

Those carrying it from northern Italy, where is was called "ruchetta," brought it to French cuisine, where it morphed into "roquette." It was only a matter of time until it hopped what we now call the English Channel, where it got the beloved name it still bears today: rocket. On the flip side of the Atlantic, in America, where we call it arugula, the journey took a different route. Those arriving from southern Italy brought the same plant, but under the name of "rucola" or "aruculu," eventually becoming "arugula."

Given the fascinating sojourns of this simple, yet spunky plant, it feels quite natural that both names have survived. In fact, arugula and rocket have surfaced in everything from poetry to medicine to ancient texts like the Bible. Luckily, incorporating them into your own recipes is easier than you might imagine. Just check out any of our many mouthwatering recipes featuring arugula or our list of ways to use arugula other than salad.