tall,高的，boy,男孩。可能為比喻用法，或來自法語 haut bois,字面意思為高的木頭，引申詞 義木制衣柜，來自 haut,高的，詞源同 high,bois,灌木，木材，詞源同 bush.比較 lowboy.
英文詞源
tallboy (n.)
also tall-boy, "high-stemmed glass or goblet," 1670s, from tall + boy, though the exact signification is unclear. In reference to a high chest of drawers it is recorded from 1769, here perhaps a partial loan-translation of French haut bois, literally "high wood."