poor boy

Generally agreed to have originated in New Orleans, Louisiana, in the early 1920s; the explanation for exactly how the term arose is disputed, as discussed in Wikipedia at po' boy § Etymology.

poor boy (plural poor boys)

2. (US, especially the Deep South) Synonym of submarine sandwich.

   Alternative forms: po' boy, po'boy

   Hypernyms: sandwich < food

   Hyponym: muffuletta

4. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see poor,‎ boy: especially, an impoverished male child.

   Near-synonyms: see Thesaurus:pauper

   • 1975, Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody:

     I'm just a poor boy, I need no sympathy.