Where did the name “the blues” come from?

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blues Bessie Smith, photograph by Carl Van Vechten, 1936.

The name "the blues" originated from the 18th-century English phrase "blue devils," which referred to the delirium tremens experienced during severe alcohol withdrawal. Over time, this term was shortened to "the blues" to describe states of depression and melancholy.12

This emotional association was eventually adopted as the name for the musical genre, which is characterized by its plaintive, melancholic sound. Additionally, the genre features specific flatted or "bent" notes in its scale, which are known as "blue notes" and contribute to the music's distinctive quality.123