'self-promote' originates from the combination of 'self' and 'promote', where 'self' refers to one's own person and 'promote' means to advance or raise in rank.

'self-promote' evolved from the concept of 'self-promotion', which became more prevalent in modern English as individuals began to market themselves in professional settings.

Initially, it meant 'to advance oneself', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'to excessively promote oneself'.