The University of Mississippi is called “Ole Miss” because the phrase originated as the winning title of the school’s first yearbook in 1897, and it drew on a Southern term that enslaved people once used for the mistress of a plantation.

Origin of the name

  • In 1896–1897, students held a contest to name the new university yearbook, and “Ole Miss” was the winning entry.
  • Within about two years, students and alumni had adopted “Ole Miss” as the common name for the whole university, not just the book.

Deeper historical meaning

  • Historians note that “Ole Miss” was originally a term used by enslaved people to refer to the white mistress of a plantation, distinguishing her from younger “misses.”
  • Because of this, the name carries ties to the plantation South and the history of slavery, which makes it a sensitive symbol in present-day discussions about the university’s identity and traditions.

Culture and feeling vs. formal name

  • Some alumni and writers say there is a distinction: “the University of Mississippi” refers to the physical institution, while “Ole Miss” describes the emotional spirit, mood, and nostalgic identity people feel for the place.
  • Coaches and faculty have remarked that “Ole Miss” is not just a casual nickname but a long-standing synonym that reflects campus culture and Southern heritage, even as the university increasingly emphasizes the formal name in official settings.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.