A Johnny-come-lately is a person who joins a profession, trend, or situation after it has already started, but acts as if they are an expert. It is an insulting term used to describe an arrogant novice, an undeserving upstart, or a newcomer who demands the same respect as established veterans.
When you call someone a “Johnny-come-lately,” you are expressing strong disapproval. You are essentially saying that their limited experience does not warrant their high level of confidence or success.
Origin of the Idiom (19th-Century Naval Slang)
To understand the history of this phrase, it helps to look at the literal definition of the word lately. In English, “lately” simply means “recently” or “of late.” Therefore, a person who has “come lately” is quite literally someone who has just recently arrived, in other words, a newcomer.
This linguistic connection is exactly how the idiom was born. The phrase Johnny-come-lately began as maritime slang in the early 19th century. During this era, British and American sailors routinely referred to any brand-new, inexperienced recruit on a ship as a “Johnny Newcome” or “Johnny Newcomer.” (The name “Johnny” was a common stand-in for any average, generic man).
Eventually, American sailors began playing with the phrase. Using that literal definition of lately, they morphed “Johnny Newcomer” into the slightly more descriptive and poetic “Johnny-come-lately.” The fact that the new version was easier to say than Johnny-newcomer may have helped cement its use.
The idiom officially made the jump from spoken sailor slang to printed English in 1839. It was featured in the nautical novel The Adventures of Harry Franco by American author Charles F. Briggs. From there, the phrase slowly washed ashore, entering the general vocabulary as a universal term for an arrogant newcomer.
(Note: You can see this same naming convention in the related idiom, Johnny-on-the-spot.)
Television and Movie Citations
There is a specific flavor of resentment in this idiom that makes it useful in film scripts for established, veteran characters who are feeling threatened or annoyed by a new arrival.
- The Late Trend-Chaser: In the Coen Brothers comedy O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), the phrase perfectly describes the embarrassment of trying to copy a competitor’s gimmick too late in the game: “We can hire us a little fella even smaller than Stokes’s.” / “You slump-shouldered sack of nuts! We’d look like a bunch of johnny-come-latelys, bringin’ out our own midget. Don’t matter how stumpy!”
- The Unwelcome Outsider: In the comedy-drama Jumping the Broom (2011), an overly protective mother uses the idiom to dismiss her son’s new fiancé for lacking history with the family: “Jason, what time is the ferry? He’s gonna be fine. We’re just gonna get him some ice, okay?” / “Now, you wait just one minute, Miss Johnny-come-lately. You haven’t known my son over six, what, seven months? And who the hell you think you are to know…”
- The Arrogant Novice: In the musical Funny Lady (1975), a veteran performer uses the phrase to fiercely dress down a young, overconfident producer: “Maybe you’ll agree to…” / “To be in some half-assed sandlot production by a tasteless Johnny-come-lately hustler like you? I was a Ziegfeld star when you were sweating through shorthand class!”
Similar and Related Idioms
New Kid on the Block: The newest person in a place, group, or organization; a new employee; an inexperienced newcomer.
Jump on the Bandwagon: To get involved in something or support something that has recently become popular; to do something because it is trending and fashionable.
A Babe in Arms: Someone who is either very young or very inexperienced holding an important position.
Late to the Party: Discovering a trend, understanding a situation, or getting involved in an activity long after it has already become popular or established.
Greenhorn: An absolute beginner who is completely untrained and prone to naive mistakes due to a lack of real-world experience.
Wet Behind the Ears: Describing someone who is young, immature, and thoroughly lacking in practical life or professional experience.
Tenderfoot: A novice who is unaccustomed to the rigors or hardships of a new environment (originally used in the American West to describe a newcomer unused to the rugged frontier lifestyle).