Benny (slang)

[1][2] One common theory says the term originates from an acronym that was stamped on the beachgoers' train tickets, representing the city in which they boarded the train to the Jersey Shore: Bergen County, Essex County, Newark, and New York City.

The term benny may also originate from the early 20th century practice of wealthy New Yorkers taking trips to the Jersey Shore as treatment for myriad maladies such as anemia, hemophilia, and hysteria.

[5][better source needed] The term shoobie is used by residents of resort communities in the southern New Jersey Shore, from Long Beach Island to Cape May.

However, over time the meaning has changed to include tourists who wear sneakers or shoes on the beach, as opposed to most locals who go barefoot on the sand.

Nowadays these terms are used to describe tourists and beachgoers from neighboring states, not people native to New Jersey.