[Ads-l] Antedating of "Wannabe" (Adjective)

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Thanks, Fred.
The OED has an entry for the noun form of "wannabe". The first citation is 1976.

Here is a citation that I think is an interesting precursor for the
noun form of "wannabe", but I am not sure whether it qualifies as a
proper example. The spelling is slightly different. The term
"wannabee" is wordplay based on "wanna" and "bee". Click the link to
see the full article which describes a contest

A child who wants to become a "sea diver, fireman, nurse, president"
et cetera is a "wannabee".

This citation is not a perfect match. Maybe it should be bracketed.
The 1893 horse name found by Bill was also spelled "wannabee".

Date: May 7, 1953
Newspaper: Daily News
Newspaper Location: Los Angeles, California
Article: I wannabee: Exciting New Contest
Quote Page 4, Column 5
Database: Newspapers.com

https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-wannabee/193831954/

[Begin excerpt]
I wannabee
Exciting New Contest

Here's fun for boys and girls -- and their parents. It's the WANNABEE CONTEST.

What's a WANNABEE? He's an American boy or girl. Because he lives in
America he can be anything he wants to be when he grows up... no dream
too big for him! He's the reason for this unique contest.

Here's how it works. Just have Junior or Sis draw a picture of what he
wants to be when he grows up... sea diver, fireman, nurse, president,
or ...? On the bottom of the paper he explains his picture in just a
few words. It's as easy as that!
[End excerpt]

Garson

On Fri, Mar 20, 2026 at 8:48 PM Shapiro, Fred
<00001ac016895344-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
>
> Very nice antedating, Garson.
>
> Fred
>
> ________________________________
> From: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on behalf of ADSGarson O'Toole <00001aa1be50b751-dmarc-request at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Sent: Friday, March 20, 2026 8:25 PM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Subject: Re: Antedating of "Wannabe" (Adjective)
>
> Fun topic, Fred. Nice work, Bill.  Here is an unambiguous instance of
> the adjective "wanna-be" in 1954.
>
> Date: April 29, 1954
> Newspaper: The Malden Press
> Newspaper Location: Malden, Missouri
> Article: Ladies Day May 3 At Country Club
> Quote Page 1, Column 1
> Database: Newspapers.com
> https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.newspapers.com%2Farticle%2Fthe-malden-press-wanna-be%2F193834112%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cfred.shapiro%40YALE.EDU%7C1985a009984240ecede408de86e05e3b%7Cdd8cbebb21394df8b4114e3e87abeb5c%7C0%7C0%7C639096495392269167%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=cpWoqeV2mMiqdX%2Frh9GeJ3fDUpVQmC8%2FE1jv%2BTC3kaE%3D&reserved=0<https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-malden-press-wanna-be/193834112/>
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> All the ladies, both the golfers and the wanna-be golfers are invited
> and urged to attend.
> [End excerpt]
>
> Garson
>
> On Fri, Mar 20, 2026 at 9:00 AM Shapiro, Fred
> <00001ac016895344-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
> >
> > wannabe, adj. (OED 1986)
> >
> > 1972 Sarasota Journal 20 Oct. 1/1 (Newspapers.com)
> >
> > The big chief of the National Congress of American Indians, Lee Cook, introduces his wife as a Wannabe (want-to-be) Indian.  She's a pretty Swedish girl with not an ounce of Indian blood.
> >
> > Fred Shapiro
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > The American Dialect Society - https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.americandialect.org%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cfred.shapiro%40YALE.EDU%7C1985a009984240ecede408de86e05e3b%7Cdd8cbebb21394df8b4114e3e87abeb5c%7C0%7C0%7C639096495392309582%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=%2FZJ25sJllB8xSAfcQfF9zRotD%2B253aMEY%2BwcH4pDdVc%3D&reserved=0<http://www.americandialect.org/>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.americandialect.org%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cfred.shapiro%40YALE.EDU%7C1985a009984240ecede408de86e05e3b%7Cdd8cbebb21394df8b4114e3e87abeb5c%7C0%7C0%7C639096495392341971%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=D0YFIwDKp2ex37cnhfchXKemKiRDEaPPB7NSc0ymu1A%3D&reserved=0<http://www.americandialect.org/>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org