10 things you might not realize are the hidden tributes to the brilliant minds who first dreamed them up. Being an inventor is all fine and good, but if no one knows what you invented, then it won’t do you much good. You have to get the word out about your creation. Part of that involves coming up with a good name for your invention as well. Something catchy that will stick in people’s minds. And if you’re thinking of naming it after yourself to capitalize on your invention’s popularity and go down in history like Henry Ford, for instance, you may want to think again. Plenty of inventors named things after themselves and were still promptly forgotten, even if their invention has lived on.
10 Things You Might Not Have Realized
10 Junkers Planes Were Named For Hugo Junkers
Ever heard someone call a German aircraft a “junk‑er” and picture a rusted hunk of metal? That’s a common mis‑pronunciation, but the truth is far more respectable. The name “Junkers” actually honors Hugo Junkers, a pioneering German engineer whose surname became synonymous with a whole line of aircraft. The most celebrated of these, the Junkers F‑13, earned fame in 1913 as the world’s first all‑metal passenger plane, a true marvel of its era.
Hugo Junkers didn’t just dabble in aviation; he reshaped it. He pushed forward both military and civil aviation, inventing sleek, durable metal frames that outlasted the fragile wood‑and‑canvas designs of his rivals. His contributions still echo in modern aircraft construction, even if the average flyer never connects the sleek metal fuselage to his surname. The lingering confusion between the brand name and a generic insult shows just how much his legacy has been eclipsed by everyday language.
9 Shrapnel Is Named For Henry Shrapnel
Most people recognize the term “shrapnel” as the deadly spray of metal fragments that burst from a bomb or artillery shell. Few, however, pause to consider that this chaotic debris was first engineered on purpose. In the late 18th century, a British artillery officer named Henry Shrapnel conceived a shell that would burst mid‑air, scattering smaller projectiles over a wide area—an early form of what we now call a “cluster” munition.
Born in 1761, Shrapnel spent his career perfecting this concept, marrying it to the era’s explosive technology. The result was a shell that detonated before impact, raining down lethal fragments and dramatically expanding the lethal radius of a single shot. Modern anti‑personnel weapons still trace their lineage to his original design, proving that his name lives on—quite literally—in the very fragments that scar battlefields.
8 Nachos Were Named For Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya
About one‑fifth of restaurants worldwide feature a plate of nachos on their menus, and the crunchy‑cheesy snack has been delighting diners since its accidental debut in 1943. The story begins at Club Victoria in Piedras Negras, Mexico, where kitchen manager Ignacio Anaya, affectionately nicknamed “Nacho,” faced a sudden shortage of regular menu items.
Never one to let a hungry crowd down, Anaya improvised: he sliced tortillas into triangles, fried them until crisp, then smothered the chips with jalapeños and grated cheese. A quick blast under a broiler melted the cheese, and he christened the creation “Nachos Especial,” a nod to his own nickname. Patrons gobbled the novel snack, and the name soon slipped from “Nacho’s” to the plural “nachos” we know today, forever obscuring the man behind the moniker.
7 Pap Smear Was Named After a Man
A Pap test, or Pap smear, is a routine screening that scrapes cells from a woman’s cervix to detect precancerous changes. While the procedure is a cornerstone of women’s health, few realize that its name honors a single pioneering scientist: George Papanicolaou.
Born in Greece in 1883, Papanicolaou wore many hats—physician, violinist, soldier, even a rug salesman. In the United States he began experimenting with guinea‑pig cervical secretions, discovering that a simple smear could reveal the reproductive cycle. Extending his work to humans, he proved that microscopic examination could spot early signs of cervical cancer, a breakthrough that has saved countless lives. The eponymous “Pap” test remains a tribute to his relentless curiosity.
6 Popsicles Are Technically Named After Frank Epperson
When summer heat roars, few treats beat the classic frozen stick we call a popsicle. The story behind this icy delight begins with an 11‑year‑old American named Frank Epperson, who accidentally left a soda‑stirring stick on his porch on a freezing night. The mixture solidified, forming a frozen treat with its own built‑in handle.
Epperson didn’t patent his serendipitous snack until he was an adult, initially dubbing it the “Epsicle.” The name didn’t catch on, however, and his children cheekily suggested “popsicle,” short for “pop’s icicles.” The new moniker stuck, and while the invention isn’t formally named after Frank, his youthful mishap gave the world the beloved frozen snack we still love today.
5 The Saxophone Was Named After Adolphe Sax
Most modern instruments have centuries‑old histories, but the saxophone’s lineage is relatively brief. Patented in 1846, the instrument bears the name of its creator, Belgian‑born Adolphe Sax, who grew up in a family of instrument makers.
Sax envisioned a hybrid that combined the power of brass with the agility of woodwinds, aiming to improve upon the bass clarinet. His invention quickly found a home in military bands and later jazz ensembles, becoming a staple of 20th‑century music. Despite the saxophone’s fame, Sax himself struggled financially, relying on friends and even government petitions for support at the end of his life.
4 James Salisbury Gave Us the Salisbury Steak
Walk down any frozen‑food aisle in America, and you’ll likely encounter a shelf of Salisbury steak—often packaged as a convenient TV‑dinner entrée. The dish traces its roots back to Dr. James Salisbury, a 19th‑century physician who championed the health benefits of lean beef and coffee.
During the Civil War, Salisbury promoted his beef‑steak formula as a cure for soldiers’ stomach ailments, arguing that a grilled patty preserved vital B‑vitamins better than boiled meat. The recipe surged in popularity, especially after World War I, when anti‑German sentiment prompted a rebranding from “Hamburg steak” to “Salisbury steak.” Even today, the dish remains a staple for troops abroad, a testament to its enduring practicality.
3 Ritalin Was Named After the Inventor’s Wife
When you think of a medication named after a person, an ADHD drug might not be the first that comes to mind. Yet Ritalin’s brand name honors the wife of its creator, Leandro Panizzon. The drug’s chemical name, methylphenidate, is a mouthful, so Panizzon chose a more personable moniker.
Panizzon first tested the stimulant on himself, then gave it to his tennis‑playing wife, Marguerite, who reported a noticeable boost in focus and performance. In gratitude, he christened the drug “Ritalin,” a blend of “Rita,” Marguerite’s nickname, and a suffix suggesting vitality. The name has endured, becoming synonymous with ADHD treatment worldwide.
2 Ben Gay Was Invented By Jules Bengue
Bengay, the familiar analgesic cream that warms sore muscles, carries a name that most users never connect to its creator. The original formula was developed by Dr. Jules Bengue, a French physician who first marketed the balm in Europe under the label “Baume Analgesique Bengue.”
When the product crossed the Atlantic in the early 20th century, American marketers added the hyphenated “Ben‑Gay” to aid pronunciation. Over time, the hyphen vanished, leaving the sleek brand name “Bengay” we recognize today. Despite its long history, the link between the balm and Dr. Bengue remains a largely forgotten footnote.
1 M&M’s Are Named For Their Creator and Investor
M&M’s rank among the world’s most beloved bite‑size chocolates, with the Mars company churning out roughly 400 million pieces each day. The iconic “M” stamped on each candy isn’t just a decorative flourish; it represents the initials of two key figures behind the treat.
One “M” stands for Forrest Mars, son of Mars founder Frank Mars, while the other honors Bruce Murrie, the son of Hershey’s founder and a crucial investor in the venture. The partnership between Mars and Murrie gave birth to the candy’s name, immortalizing both families in a sweet, crunchy legacy.