Westward Ho !

[kopend]

what does the "ho" mean in westward ho! ?

[Zacs-Master]

The village name comes from the title of Charles Kingsley's novel Westward Ho! (1855), which was set in nearby Bideford. The book was a bestseller, and entrepreneurs saw the opportunity to develop tourism in the area. The Northam Burrows Hotel and Villa Building Company, chaired by Lord Portsmouth, was formed in 1863, and its prospectus stated:

Wiki.

[Stephen_G]

If you believe Wikipedia, the town is actually named after the Novel Westward Ho!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westward_Ho!_(novel)

[Zacs-Master]

Or if you believe their own tourist information website:
Westward Ho! is a picturesque village with a quirky name, sat facing out towards the Atlantic Ocean on the North Devon coast. Born out of a development triggered by the book Westward Ho! written by Charles Kingsley in the mid 1800′s, it grew into a popular holiday destination and remains so today.

[237SJ]

The Ho probably comes from the sailing command "Lee Ho" which you shout when you tack.

[jno]

it just means something like "pay attention", much the same as "hey".

Ho there! Land ho! (which a lookout in the crow's nest might call to fellow sailors when he first spotted land).

[Baldric]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Ho

Lee Ho (Hangul: 이호; born 22 October 1984) is a South Korean footballer who currently plays for Ulsan Hyundai.