'cocky' originates from the word 'cock,' which is a term for a male bird, especially a rooster, known for its confident and strutting behavior.

'cock' transformed into 'cocky' in the 19th century to describe someone with a similar demeanor to a rooster.

Initially, it referred to someone with a demeanor like a rooster, and it evolved to mean someone who is overly self-confident or arrogant.