<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3OEOaE_0vjWksBh00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3OEOaE_0vjWksBh00" width="980" height="653" ><figcaption>Stephen Lenz</figcaption></figure><p>While doing some “research” for an article called <a href="https://thefw.com/awesome-1980s-candies/">16 Totally Awesome '80s Candies We Were Obsessed With</a>, I stumbled across something that took me right back. You can’t make that list without mentioning the iconic candy, Nerds—but it brought back memories for a whole other reason.</p><p>I <i>loved</i> Nerds. The sweet-tart flavor combo, the genius two-flavors-in-one box, and those devilish, cartoonish characters.</p><h2>FUN FACT:</h2><p>Did you know that Nerds was a short-lived breakfast cereal, complete with a divider down the middle of the box separating two flavors? Check out this neat-o commercial:</p><p>But my love for Nerds got me into trouble on the playground because, well, I <i>was</i> a nerd. Cue the inevitable taunt: “The nerd loves Nerds!” Charming, right? So, I became an expert at stashing my Nerds where the bullies couldn’t spot them.</p><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3ryfuv_0vjWksBh00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3ryfuv_0vjWksBh00" width="980" height="653" ><figcaption>Why Are Nerds Called Nerds?</figcaption></figure><h2>But Why Nerds?</h2><p>I also remember wondering, “Why the heck are they called Nerds?” Back then, there was no Google, and I wasn’t about to write a letter to the editor of <i>Time</i> magazine for answers (that's what we did back then).</p><p>Fast forward to present day, while researching for the article, I found two possible explanations.</p><h2>The Nerds Candy Backstory: Sweet Memories and a Dr. Seuss Connection?</h2><p>One theory on the origin of the word "nerd" traces it back to Dr. Seuss. (Nope, not from <a href="https://youtu.be/kIZH5TKnEeg">Revenge of the Nerds</a>!)</p><p>The first appearance of “nerd” was actually in his book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/If-Ran-Zoo-Classic-Seuss/dp/0394800818">If I Ran the Zoo</a>. According to the <a href="https://lsc.org/news-and-social/news/behind-the-origins-of-the-word-nerd">Liberty Science Center</a> (and how cool is it that they did a history of the word “nerd”?), the narrator in the book says that if he had a zoo, he’d collect “a Nerkle, a Nerd, and a seersucker too.”</p><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=30aBIc_0vjWksBh00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=30aBIc_0vjWksBh00" width="1600" height="1067" ><figcaption>Dr. Seuss</figcaption></figure><p>After that, the word “nerd” evolved to mean someone passionate about math, science, and other “uncool” things. Not the nicest label at first, but it stuck.</p><h2>So Why Are Nerds Candy Called Nerds?</h2><p>The official Nerds website gives us a clue. In the "Words on Nerds" section, under “A Brief History of Nerds,” there’s a line that made me smile:</p><blockquote><p>Since 1983, NERDS candy has always been fun and innovative, with perfectly imperfect shapes that are better together.</p></blockquote><p>And there it is: No two Nerds candies are exactly alike. They’re all unique, “perfectly imperfect,” and “better together.”</p><p>A little dramatic? Maybe. But it does remind me of <i>Revenge of the Nerds</i>—how all the misfits had to bring their quirky traits together to defeat the bullies and, well, rule the world.</p><h2>’80s Foods We Wish They Still Made</h2><p>If you grew up in the 1980s, you surely have fond memories of these popular (now discontinued) snacks.</p></div></body>

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Why Is Nerds Candy Called Nerds? The Sweet Reason Will Make You Smile.

While doing some “research” for an article called 16 Totally Awesome '80s Candies We Were Obsessed With, I stumbled across something that took me right back. You can’t make that list without mentioning the iconic candy, Nerds—but it brought back memories for a whole other reason.