Or an adjective or adverb? There was a discussion in another thread about “doing a Brodie” (jumping from a bridge) and “Frankie Baileys” (great gams, after the showgirl of that name).
What other peoples’ names have gone into the language as nouns, etc.? The only ones I can think of are “Mae West” (inflatable life jackets, for the obvious reason) and “billieburkes” (lacy one-piece lingerie, worn by Billie Burke in a B’way show in the 1910s).
Oh, yeah, and there’s that Christ guy, too . . . Can you think of any other names that have become part of the language?
“Sideburns” were originally called “mutton chops,” until they were sported by Gen Ambrose Burnside. Then they became “burnsides.” The words later became switched to “sideburns.”
(Although, today, “sideburns” can refer to a little less hair than mutton chops.)
“Sideburns” were originally called “mutton chops,” until they were sported by Gen Ambrose Burnside. Then they became “burnsides.” The words later became switched to “sideburns.”
(Although, today, “sideburns” can refer to a little less hair than mutton chops.)
For those who want to cheat, run out to your library and pick up a copy of Willard Espy’s O Thou Uncommon Thou Improper Noun which lists a couple of thousand of these. (Many are place names rather than people, but there are still lots of both kinds.)
(If you get the book out of the library, don’t bogart it.)
Cool—thanks, I can’t believe I didn’t recall those! I guess I was zoning in on the show-biz ones. There’s also Genl. Hooker, though that’s debatable, historically.
I also can’t believe that Sax or Ike have not popped in with Antoine-Joseph “Adolphe” Sax (1814–94).