• The April Fool's Day Database (a catalog of April Fool's Day hoaxes throughout history)
• The Origin of April Fools Day
• Top 10 Worst April Fool's Day Hoaxes

Web Hoax Museum

There is disagreement about the correct placement of the apostrophe within the phrase "April Fool's Day." The three options are: April Fool's Day, April Fools' Day, or (no apostrophe at all) April Fools Day.

The phrase does not actually have a definitively correct spelling. Historically, April Fool's Day has been, by far, the most popular choice. This is probably because it looks less awkward than the alternatives. But a more logical argument for this spelling is that The April Fool is a singular, iconic character to whom the day is dedicated. Numerous illustrations of The Fool dressed in his robes and horned hat support this view.

However, a small but vocal group believes that April Fools' Day is the correct spelling. Proponents of this belief point to the parallel term All Fools' Day, which indicates that the day is dedicated to All Fools (plural) in general. Though some etymologists have speculated that All Fools' Day is a corruption of Auld Fool's Day or Old Fool's Day.

The third option, to drop the apostrophe entirely, would be correct if you consider the phrase to be a form of exclamation: "April Fools" being neither singular nor plural, but rather what you yell out when you've tricked someone. This spelling is rarely seen.

This site uses the historical standard, April Fool's Day.