Don't some product names
strike you as a bit strange?
Here are some products with
their origins-
| VOLVO automobiles | It's Latin for "I roll" - a logical name for a company that started out making ball bearings. |
| MAZDA automobiles | Mazda = Persian god of light. Why name your cars that? Good question! |
| PEPSI-COLA drinks | Cola from the cola nut used for flavoring (and influenced by Coca-Cola) It was originally promoted as relief from dysPEPSia, which is a fancy name for indigestion. DYS = poor and PEPSIA = digestion in Latin. |
| DR. PEPPER drink | Originated at the Corner Drug Store in Waco, Texas. The inventor mixed together 23 soda fountain ingredients and named his creation after his first employer. Most sodas were originally marketed as medicinal as well as good tasting. |
| FRISBEE thrown toy
(submitted by Michael Alber, USA) |
The pie tins used by the Frisbie Bakery in Connecticut which were thrown in the same manner as the toy. |
| CASTROL motor oil | The original product was based on a derivative of castor oil (from castor beans.) |
| LEGO building toys | From the Danish leg godt meaning "play well." |
| SONY electronics | From the Latin son meaning "sound." |
| MARS candies | Not the planet or the god, but Forrest Mars - the man who established the company. |
| OVALTINE drink mix | Originally spelled Ovomaltine for egg-malt (using the Latin ovum for egg) when a Swiss product. Shortened when introduced in Britain. |
| NIVEA beauty cream | feminine form of Latin niveus meaning "snowy." |
| DRAMBUIE liqueur | Gaelic dram buidh - drink + yellow, for it color. |
| BRILLO polishing pads | from brilliant (not the Italian brillo meaning drunk!) |
| NIKE shoes / clothing | Nike is the Greek goddess of victory - Well, you do want to win when you are wearing them, right? |
| REEBOK shoes / clothing
(submitted by Thomas Holding) |
A reebok is a very fast type of African gazelle |
| ADIDAS shoes / clothing | Adolph Dassler, their German maker, called Adi by friends + the first 3 letters of his last name. |
| HAAGEN DAZ ice cream
(submitted by Madeleine Weiss) |
Is a created name that was picked because it "sounded foreign." |
ADDITIONAL SOURCE: Dictionary of Trade Names, by Adrian Room.
Tell us the origin of an odd product, company or trade name and if you're first to tell us and we use your submission, we'll give you a credit on this page! Be sure to give us your name and what country you are writing from (especially since some products are not known internationally.)