Where did the name chick come from when talking about a girl?

Answer 1

I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE SLANG WORD "CHICK"

ORIGINATED IN Southern California FROM THE SPANISH WORD

"CHICA" AS USED BY MEXICANS LIVING THERE. IT WAS SHORTENED TO

"CHICK" BY THE GRINGOS WHO HEARD THE MEXICANS USING THIS WORD.

I THINK THAT THIS ORIGIN IS MORE PLAUSIBLE THAN THE SINCLAIR LEWIS

ONE SINCE FEW AVERAGE AMERICANS HAVE EVER READ SINCLAIR LEWIS,

BUT MANY MILLIONS HAVE HEARD MEXICANS REFER TO "CHICAS"

Historically, it's the other way around:

Pollita (literally, little female chicken), barrio slang for an underage girl, is derived directly from the American slang "chick," which originally comes from "chicken." The Spanish word chica (little/girl) is merely the female equivalent of chico (little/boy) and has no connection with chickens and the epithet "chick."

"Pollo" (Spanish for CHICKEN) - Pollos are illegal immigrants smuggled in a group by a Pollero (chicken-driver/handler) or Coyote. The slang Pollo implies "prey, victim" as coyotes prey on chickens: Pollos are frequently victimized (robbed, raped, killed) by border gangs of "cazapollos" (chicken hunters) or occasionally by their own Coyote.

Answer 2

The term "chick" as slang for a girl originated in the 1920s in America. It is believed to have been popularized by jazz musicians and later became a common term in popular culture, including movies and music. Its origins are not definitively known, but it likely came about as a casual and colloquial way to refer to women.