The case of Samuel Mudd is often cited as the origin of the phrase "your name is mud," but linguistic references say the pejorative term was in use at least several decades before Mudd was convicted in President Lincoln's assassination.
Martin Davis, a librarian at the University of Virginia's Alderman Library, said the origin of the phrase apparently is British.Davis cited The Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English, which says the phrase dates to about 1820. Originally, the phrase had a much stronger meaning than its modern use, indicating someone was utterly disgraced or defeated, the reference book says.
"It kind of softened and the sense changed in the 20th century" to mean a generally sullied reputation, Davis said.
The Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins says the term is probably related to "mud press," 19th-century scandal sheets that sometimes played loose with the good names of public figures. "Mud press" was in use in 1846, "so it seems most likely the phrase was well-established before Dr. Mudd met his unhappy fate," the reference work said.