The term brownie points, describing imaginary rewards given to those who perform good deeds, has a contentious origin. It was first documented in a 1963 issue of American Speech, a journal published by the American Dialect Society, but its usage predates this publication. Various theories suggest its connection to badges awarded by Girl Scouts, a system of merits and demerits introduced by a railroad superintendent, or brown vouchers distributed by organizations. However, most etymologists agree that it stems from the derogatory term brown-noser, referring to individuals who excessively flatter others. The popularity of the phrase brownie points surged in the 1990s and reached its peak in 2014.
