13 Common Words That Actually Come From Someone’s Name
![13 Common Words That Actually Come From Someone’s Name](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/6/6/899666_320x180.jpg)
Ah, the English language. It’s a complex and ever-evolving organism, full of nuances and surprises. But did you know that many of the words we use every day actually come from someone’s name? Not so much Ted and Tony. More from MacGyvering to Wyatt-ing, from boycotting to leotards, from galvanizing to lynching, many of the words we use on a daily basis have an interesting origin story.
Throughout history, words have been used to describe and define the actions of individuals and the events of their time. They can tell us about the people who lived before us, and the things that they did. They have the ability to shape our world and our understanding of it.
In this list, we’ll take a look at thirteen common words that actually come from someone’s name. We’ll explore the stories behind these words, and how they’ve become part of our everyday language. So, without further ado, let’s dive into the fascinating world of etymology and discover the origins of some of our most beloved words.
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Tough-guy wannabes.
![BOGART verb To act like Humphrey Bogart - to be pushy and refuse to share something, or to intimidate someone. It's like taking on the tough-guy persona that Bogart was known for, in other words. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/8/3/899683.jpg)
Bowdlerized Shakespeare: Not Shakespeare.
![BOWDLERIZE verb This comes from Thomas Bowdler, who in the 1800s edited Shakespeare's plays to make them suitable for families. Не removed any offensive language, sanitizing them beyond recognition. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/8/2/899682.jpg)
Boycott: Invented, then deserved.
![BOYCOTT noun In 1880, the word was invented to describe what happened to one Charles Cunningham Boycott. Because of the way he treated the farmers who rented land from him, the people in his town refused to have anything to do with him. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/8/1/899681.jpg)
Cardigans: Named after a war hero.
![CARDIGAN noun The cardigan sweater was named after the Earl of Cardigan, James Thomas Brudenell. During the Crimean War, his Light Brigade wore a tight-fitting, knitted jacket, which is now known as a cardigan. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/7/9/899679.jpg)
Chauvinism: Napoleon’s legacy?
![CHAUVINISM noun The term comes from Nicolas Chauvin, a French soldier who was a big fan of Napoleon. Nowadays, it's used to describe someone who is overly patriotic, and/or who thinks they're better than people of the opposite gender or other species. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/7/8/899678.jpg)
Galvani: Inventor of Galvanizing, 1780.
![GALVANIZING noun The term comes from Luigi Galvani, an Italian doctor who invented the process back in 1780. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/7/4/899674.jpg)
A “humane” solution.
![GUILLOTINE noun The guillotine got its name from Joseph- Ignace Guillotin, a French doctor and politician. Не suggested a simple machine to replace the slow and painful methods of execution that were used at the time. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/8/0/899680.jpg)
Inventor of the flying trapeze and leotards.
![LEOTARD noun Jules Léotard was a French circus performer who came up with the idea of the flying trapeze in 1859. Не also designed a one- piece tight outfit for gymnastics, which we now call leotards, in 1860. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/7/6/899676.jpg)
Justice, Virginia-style.
![LYNCHING noun The word comes from Charles Lynch, a Virginia planter who was a judge during the American Revolution. Не was in charge of a court that was set up to punish people who were loyal to the British. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/7/5/899675.jpg)
MacGyvering: the art of making do.
![CART - - - - MacGYVER verb In 2015, the word MacGyver was added to the Oxford Dictionaries. It means to be creative and use whatever you have to make or fix something, and it comes from the TV character MacGyver, an action hero who improvised solutions on the spot. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/7/7/899677.jpg)
Paramount Network Television
Magnetic healing: not.
![MESMERIZE verb 18th-century Austrian physician Franz Mesmer thought that if your magnetic forces were balanced, you'd be in good health. Не found a treatment that seemed to help, and his patients would go into a trance-like state and come out feeling better. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/7/1/899671.jpg)
One-handed snackin’.
![CRACKED SANDWICH noun John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, is credited with making the sandwich popular in the 18th century. Не wanted something he could eat with one hand while playing cards, or so the story goes - in any case, his name stuck.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/7/2/899672.jpg)
Wyatt-ing: the new way to clear a room.
![WYATT verb Robert Wyatt's 1991 song Dondestan has become so popular that it spawned a verb - to wyatt - which is used to describe the act of choosing an obscure and annoying song from a jukebox in an attempt to empty the establishment. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/7/3/899673.jpg)
Ron Kroon/Wiki Commons,
Chapel Studios