The term "gout" refers to an ancient form of inflammatory arthritis characterized by sudden and severe pain in joints caused by the deposition of uric acid crystals. The English term "gout" originates from the Latin word "gutta," meaning "a drop," which is linked historically to the idea that a morbid material was dropping into the joints causing pain and inflammation. Gout has been known since antiquity, with descriptions dating back to around 1550 BC in Egyptian manuscripts, and it was historically called "the disease of kings" due to its association with rich foods and alcohol consumption. The condition arises primarily from elevated uric acid levels in the blood, which leads to crystal accumulation in joints and tissue, provoking inflammation and pain.

Separately, "Gout Gout" is also the name of an Australian sprinter born in 2007 of South Sudanese heritage, with no relation to the disease.

The origin of the disease "gout" is related to metabolic imbalances in uric acid levels and has been recognized as a medical condition for thousands of years, while the name for the sprinter comes from his family's South Sudanese background.