Who started the phrase "Bob's your uncle" and what exactly does it mean?

Question

And "Fanny's your aunt"! What's all that about???

Answer 1

Bob's your uncle is an interjection, a response in conversation expressing compliance or it's all right or there you are. In this case it means there you are!

This British catch phrase, means all will be well or all will be taken care. The origin is not known.

Popular etymology says that it derives from a particular act of nepotism in the British government. Robert, Lord Salisbury, the prime minister (left), appointed Arthur Balfour, his nephew (right), to the post of Secretary for Ireland in 1887. Balfour was, at the time, considered young and a political lightweight, and the post was a high-profile, political plum currently embroiled in the question of Irish independence. Unfortunately for this great story, there is no evidence to link this act with the origin of the phrase.


The first citation in the OED is from 1937, appearing as an entry in Eric Partridge's Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English, 2nd Edition. Partridge dates the phrase to c.1890, but Partridge's dates are notoriously unreliable (he tended to insert his best guess instead of relying on actual citations), so this early date is questionable. The 1890 date works well for the Salisbury-Balfour story, but if the date is indeed closer to 1937, then that story becomes less tenable. For his part, Partridge says the phrase may stem from the cant phrase All is bob, meaning all is safe.

Usage: it's used in normal conversation in Australia. Both young and old use the expression and it is quite common.
It does sound a bit old geezer though. There you go is probably more common among people under thirty but they would understand it. Before you ask geezer is a London word for an older bloke, man, guy.

Answer 2

When someone explains something and then says, so there you are, Bob's your uncle. It's like saying QED, or there you are, it's easily done. It may be derieved from the war time when paternity wasn't so obvious and so developed the phrase, Bob's your uncle, children had lots of 'uncles' sometimes in the old days. And Fanny's your aunt was added on with the Fanny Craddick phase when her name became popular and the brunt of wit, I think.

Answer 3

Someone once said 'Bobs your Uncle, Fanny's your aunt' Doesn't it mean there we go. I don't know who started it though.

Answer 4

Well, I've never heard it said like that, but I have heard both used as euphemisms for a girl being on her period (eg, "My aunt Fanny is visiting...", or "Uncle Bob's coming to town tomorrow, so I'm all stressed out...")

Answer 5

"It is often thought to have originated when Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury promoted his nephew, Irish politician Arthur Balfour, to the esteemed post of Chief Secretary for Ireland in 1886. As he had previously appointed Balfour to the posts of President of the Local Government Board and Secretary for Scotland this led to accusations of nepotism."

Answer 6

it was started by rednecks during the depression. they were cooking a guy over a spit and someone said whos that - its "bob your uncle" was the reply. now we say it whenever hillbillies are cannibalizing each other!

Answer 7

bob is your uncle is what it means i believe...

Answer 8

i think its a cockney expression. it means consider it done

Answer 9

HEY ROMERO,I GOT YOUR HILLBILLY RIGHT HERE YOU GREASER PIECE OF ****

Answer 10

not a clue.