 There are two conflicting claims of the origin of the name Bocksbeutel, although the "Beutel"-part stands for "container" in both cases.One claim is that it is derived from the Low German term "Booksbüdel", which stands for a small sack used to protect and carry books, in particular prayer books or song books carried on travels (see girdle books).These sacks were used already in pre-Reformation times, but became eventually outdated and were seen as a whimsical expression of overly conservative behavior.