'whim' originates from the 17th-century English word 'whimwham,' where 'whim' meant 'a fanciful or capricious idea.'

'whimwham' transformed into the modern English word 'whim' by the 18th century.

Initially, it meant 'a fanciful object or decoration,' but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'a sudden idea or desire.'