'goofball' originates from the English word 'goof,' which meant 'a foolish or silly person,' combined with 'ball' to emphasize the playful or exaggerated nature of the term.

'goof' changed from the early 20th-century slang term 'goof,' meaning 'a foolish person,' and eventually became the modern English word 'goofball.'

Initially, it meant 'a foolish person,' but over time it evolved to also mean 'a type of sedative pill.'