The word is a portmanteau of breakfast and lunch. Brunch originated in England in the late 19th century and became popular in the United States in the 1930s.

Who came up with brunch?

Brunch was invented by Guy Beringer. So began Guy Beringer's, the infamous inventor of brunch, Brunch: A Plea. The first known written mention of the word brunch was penned by Guy Beringer and published in a British periodical named Hunter's Weekly in 1895.

Why was brunch created?

Apparently brunch was first coined by English writer Guy Beringer, who suggested a "new meal, served around noon, that starts with tea or coffee, marmalade and other breakfast fixtures before moving along to the heavier fare" on Sundays to beat the ol' morning hangover, according to Gothamist.