# 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:** 19\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/61 "2008-11-17T13:58:41Z")
Opera Singer Nellie Melba: > [@wiki](#): > > Her name is associated with four foods, all of which were created by the French chef Auguste Escoffier: > > Peach Melba, a dessert > Melba sauce, a sweet purée of raspberries and redcurrant > Melba toast, a crisp dry toast > Melba Garniture, chicken, truffles and mushrooms stuffed into tomatoes with velouté. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/62 "2008-11-17T16:14:33Z")
Czar and Julilus Ceasar…or for that matter, Ceasar salad and restauranteur Ceasar Cardini. Also, fettucine alfredo and restauranteur Alfredo di Lelio. I thought Margarita could be traced to a single person, but Wikipedia says otherwise. The Kimura, a shoulder lock in BJJ, MMA and submission grappling (called gyaku ude-garami in Judo), was named after Judoka [Masahiko Kimura](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masahiko_Kimura) by the Gracie clan, after he used it to break Helio Gracie’s arm. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/63 "2008-11-17T16:49:28Z")
Adidas and the company’s founder, Adolf “Adi” Dassler. The Uzi submachine gun and its creator, Uziel “Uzi” Gal. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/64 "2008-11-17T16:49:51Z")
> [@pravnik](#): > > Czar and Julilus Ceasar…or for that matter, Ceasar salad and restauranteur Ceasar Cardini. For that matter, July and August. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/65 "2008-11-17T16:51:43Z")
Mesmerize comes from Fraz Mesmer who was a German physician and astrologist ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/66 "2008-11-17T16:59:43Z")
And of course, there’s [Lord Douchebag](http://snltranscripts.jt.org/79/79tdouchebag.phtml). 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/67 "2008-11-17T18:31:11Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > **saxophone** from \*Antoine Sax > \* Also [sousaphone](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sousaphone), from JP Sousa of marching fame. ---
**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 17, 2008, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/68 "2008-11-17T20:09:50Z")
> [@pravnik](#): > > Czar and Julilus Ceasar And the German _Kaiser_. But interestingly, despite popular belief, \*not \* [Caesarean section](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caesarean_section). The idea that Caesar was delivered by Caesarean section wouldn’t have worked anyway, because such a procedure in ancient Rome would invariably involve the death of the mother, and Caesar’s mother Aurelia lived to a ripe old age. Anyway, a few more for the road: **Jacuzzi** , from [Roy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Jacuzzi)and/or [Candido Jacuzzi](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candido_Jacuzzi). **Tantalize** , from [Tantalus](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tantalus). **Fata Morgana** , from [Morgan le Fay](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgan_le_Fay) of Arthurian legend. **Jumbo** , as in Jumbo Jet and other jumbo-sized things, from [Jumbo the elephant](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumbo). ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/69 "2008-11-17T22:02:02Z")
Here’s a pretty obscure one: The Ameche for the telephone. Named, not for an inventor, nor for someone who even inspired the invention, but for the actor who played the man who invented the telephone. When Don Ameche played Alexander Graham Bell in the 1939 film, _[The Story of Alexander Graham Bell](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031981/)_, his name became synonymous with Bell’s. [Cite 1](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Ameche#Vaudeville_and_films) [Cite 2](http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/35/messages/919.html) ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/70 "2008-11-17T22:07:07Z")
> [@Alive\_At\_Both\_Ends](#): > > No. “Crap” is Middle English. [Link](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=crap&searchmode=none) Love the synchronicity of the post content and the username. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![stargazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@stargazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stargazer)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/71 "2008-11-17T23:36:51Z")
Nachos are named after the guy who invented them – “nacho” is a nickname for “Ignacio.” [Wiki entry](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nacho) ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/72 "2008-11-20T05:21:57Z")
> [@Peak Banana](#): > > :dubious: [Mogul seems to mean “mongol”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_magnate), and in the context of “rich person” it apparently refers to the emperors of the [Mughal Empire](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mughal_Empire). It doesn’t refer to one specific dude. The OP asked for words named after people. The Mongols were a people, no? [QUOTE=Annie-Xmas] Opera Singer Nellie Melba: [/QUOTE] And in that vein, the Australasian dessert [Pavlova](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavlova_(food)), named after the ballet star Anna Eponymous. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/73 "2008-11-20T05:35:50Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > And in that vein, the Australasian dessert [Pavlova](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavlova_(food)), named after the ballet star Anna Eponymous. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/74 "2008-11-20T07:43:14Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > I have to mention a very common word, derived from the name of a man who may have been my ancestor: “guy”, coming from the name of a Guy who tried to blow up the English parliament about 400 years ago. More specifically, the practice of creating outlandishly dressed effigies of Guy Fawkes, called ‘the guy,’ to burn on November 5; the name was applied to outlandishly dressed persons (“There was an Old Man with a poker, who painted his face with red ochre; When they said, ‘You’re a Guy!’ he made no reply, but knocked them all down with his poker”) and by extension to any fellow. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/75 "2008-11-21T16:17:37Z")
Hooligan was named after a particulary rowdy Irish family named Hoolihan. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/76 "2008-11-21T16:25:26Z")
> [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](#): > > Santorum. Thank you for this one. Didn’t Dan Savage come up with the usage of his name for what it’s now used for (don’t want to get too TMI here)? ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/77 "2008-11-21T23:04:52Z")
> [@HelloNinja](#): > > Thank you for this one. Didn’t Dan Savage come up with the usage of his name for what it’s now used for (don’t want to get too TMI here)? [Yep.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santorum_(fluid)) ( **Wiki** article, perhaps TMI, with links to several Savage columns which employ decidedly more graphic language) ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/78 "2008-11-22T01:04:33Z")
> [@Lust4Life](#): > > Hooligan was named after a particulary rowdy Irish family named Hoolihan. While that’s a possibility, there’s no evidence for it. ---
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899/79 "2008-11-22T02:03:53Z")
I know it doesn’t fit in with the OP, but I recently heard the term, [Jack Welsh](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Welsh) someone. It was used to describe firing someone who was possibly successful, but not in the top 90%, or higher. SSG Schwartz [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-somewhat-unexpectedly-named-after-people/472899.md?page=3)