How did the Royalists and Parliamentarians get the names Cavaliers and Roundheads?
During the English Civil Wars, the terms "Cavalier" and "Roundhead" emerged as labels of derision between the opposing sides.
Cavaliers
Originally derived from the Late Latin caballarius (horseman), the term "cavalier" historically referred to a mounted soldier or knight. While it carried connotations of chivalry, it also held a pejorative sense in English, implying someone who was "swashbuckling" or "overbearing". Supporters of Charles I adopted the name for themselves during the conflict, and it remained associated with the court party until the rise of the term Tory.12
Roundheads
This term was used by Royalists to mock the Parliamentary party, many of whom were Puritans who wore their hair closely cropped, contrasting with the long ringlets fashionable at the royal court. The name appeared in late 1641 as a term of derision. Accounts of its origin vary: one suggests it was used by an officer during a riot to threaten "roundheaded dogs," while another attributes it to a remark by Queen Henrietta Maria regarding the parliamentary leader John Pym.34