Well Looney Tunes would be far more widespread than some play and both of the examples before Bugs seem to be someone being called Nimrod for hunting women in the sense of romantic pursuit. I would argue that it’s actually pretty likely that it was indeed Bugs that made it mean idiot to most people.
Not only that, but if it was already associated with being dumb prior to Loony Tunes, Bugs’ sarcasm would be weird since he is clearly referencing the fact Nimrod was a great hunter to disparage Fudd, a hunter.
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/nimrod has several plausible explanations which predate Bugs Bunny’s use of it
Well Looney Tunes would be far more widespread than some play and both of the examples before Bugs seem to be someone being called Nimrod for hunting women in the sense of romantic pursuit. I would argue that it’s actually pretty likely that it was indeed Bugs that made it mean idiot to most people.
Not only that, but if it was already associated with being dumb prior to Loony Tunes, Bugs’ sarcasm would be weird since he is clearly referencing the fact Nimrod was a great hunter to disparage Fudd, a hunter.