# Words that are somewhat unexpectedly named after people. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 15, 2008, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899 "2008-11-15T21:10:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/1 "2008-11-15T21:10:56Z")
[This](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=492899)tread about boycotts for some reason made me wonder about where the word “boycott” comes from. It turns out that the origin of the word is a certain [Charles Cunningham Boycott](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Boycott), who was ostracised by his community in 1880 because of some business about agrarian tenants’ rights. Some googling turns up more [examples](http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/9773) of words like this. I especially like “dunce”, named after [John Duns Scotus](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duns_Scotus), and “shrapnel”, after [General Henry Shrapnel](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Shrapnel), who invented the “shrapnel shell”. Can you think of more common words named after people? I’m not thinking of words like “aspirin”, that used to be trademarks but have become common terms for a kind of product, just regular words that you normally don’t think of as having their origin in names. (EDIT: I suppose I could have posted this in GQ… feel free to move.) ---
**Author:** ![Gotterfunken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/58956e/32.png) [@Gotterfunken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gotterfunken)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/2 "2008-11-15T21:25:23Z")
After this past election campaign, the term “maverick” (from [Samuel Augustus Maverick](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Augustus_Maverick)) probably deserves a mention. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/3 "2008-11-15T22:42:53Z")
There’s “[cardigan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Brudenell,_7th_Earl_of_Cardigan)” and “[raglan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FitzRoy_Somerset,_1st_Baron_Raglan),” as in the style of sleeve. I’ve always thought it odd that two British military figures who fought in the Crimean War became associated with sweaters. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/4 "2008-11-15T22:52:26Z")
Wasn’t the sandwich named after the Earl of Sandwich? Or is that an urban legend? Also it doesn’t answer the question of who or what the Earl is named after. ---
**Author:** ![Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/5 "2008-11-15T23:16:26Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Wasn’t the sandwich named after the Earl of Sandwich? Or is that an urban legend? Also it doesn’t answer the question of who or what the Earl is named after. He was probably named after his maternal grandfather, also named John. Oh, you’re talking about [Sandwich](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandwich,_Kent)… ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/6 "2008-11-15T23:25:44Z")
“malapropism” (saying the wrong word to hilarious effect) is named after a character prone such such slips of the tongue, named Mrs. Malaprop, in a 1775 comedy called “The Rivals.” ---
**Author:** ![uncle\_squeegee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b5e925/32.png) [@uncle\_squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uncle_squeegee)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/7 "2008-11-15T23:28:35Z")
Sideburns, after [General Burnside](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sideburns). ---
**Author:** ![gelid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/65b543/32.png) [@gelid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gelid)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/8 "2008-11-15T23:45:01Z")
Here’s a foreign one from an ex-pat: I was amused to learn that the French word for garbage can, “poubelle,” comes from a person: Eugène Poubelle, the 19th-century Parisian prefect who first demanded they be used to dispose of household trash. [Link. (in French)](http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poubelle) ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2008, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/9 "2008-11-16T00:12:40Z")
The aerobics-class ubiquitous _leotard_ is named after French acrobat [Jules Leotard](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jules_L%C3%A9otard). ---
**Author:** ![Rich\_Mann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ce73a5/32.png) [@Rich\_Mann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rich_Mann)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2008, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/10 "2008-11-16T00:36:43Z")
The orrery is named for the Earl of Orrery–which is strange because it sounds like exactly the kind of word you might make up to describe such an object. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2008, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/11 "2008-11-16T00:57:49Z")
It’s a grey area, since it’s human name but not an actual person, but the word ‘Gun’ comes from [“Lady Gunilda” aka “Domina Gunilda”,](http://www.wordorigins.org/index.php/site/comments/gun/)a ballista ( very large crossbow ). ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2008, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/12 "2008-11-16T01:37:30Z")
These are all great! A couple more: Diesel, after [Rudolf Diesel](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_Diesel), and silhouette, after 18th century French finance minister [Étienne de Silhouette](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89tienne_de_Silhouette). ---
**Author:** ![Junior\_Spaceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Junior\_Spaceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Junior_Spaceman)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2008, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/13 "2008-11-16T01:46:17Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > “malapropism” (saying the wrong word to hilarious effect) is named after a character prone such such slips of the tongue, named Mrs. Malaprop, in a 1775 comedy called “The Rivals.” Can the name itself, ‘Malaprop’ be translated as something to do with bad choice of words (‘Mal’ meaning ‘bad’ or ‘evil’)? Which would make it a life-word imitating art-name imitating life-word 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2008, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/14 "2008-11-16T02:52:14Z")
Whew. For a moment there I thought we were going to be told that the Supreme Court of the United States (SCotUS) was named after John Duns Scotus. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2008, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/15 "2008-11-16T02:58:28Z")
> [@Gotterfunken](#): > > After this past election campaign, the term “maverick” (from [Samuel Augustus Maverick](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Augustus_Maverick)) probably deserves a mention. The Maverick family actually appeared in an online anti-McCain video commenting on how McCain has been ruining the family name. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2008, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/16 "2008-11-16T03:04:27Z")
> [@Junior\_Spaceman](#): > > Can the name itself, ‘Malaprop’ be translated as something to do with bad choice of words (‘Mal’ meaning ‘bad’ or ‘evil’)? Which would make it a life-word imitating art-name imitating life-word 🆒 Yes, actually, malapropros, roughly, “inappropriate” in French, was the source of the name. However, “malapropism” entered the English language through the play. Which is actually pretty damn funny for a play written in 1775. I recommend it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![dawson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@dawson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dawson)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2008, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/17 "2008-11-16T03:10:58Z")
Hooker - said to be named after Major General Joseph Hooker, of the Union Army. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2008, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/18 "2008-11-16T03:15:52Z")
Very pistol, after U.S. inventor E.W. Very (1847-1907) who created Very flares. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2008, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/19 "2008-11-16T03:19:04Z")
I know [Thomas Crapper](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crapper) didn’t invent the toilet, but does his name play any role in the the etymology of the word “crap”. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2008, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/20 "2008-11-16T03:21:29Z")
I wouldn’t be surprised if there were machinists who didn’t know about [Isaac Babbitt](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babbitt_metal). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899.md?page=2)