Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Things unexpectedly named after people (2020)

notes.rolandcrosby.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

281–290 of 346 posts

Re: Things unexpectedly named after people (2020)

#281

Post by BerislavLopac »

carlob wrote: post #243
BerislavLopac wrote: post #196

A few more examples: King Street in Hammersmith, London, was named after John King, Bishop of London in 17th century. [0] Neanderthals were named after Joachim Neumann, a 17th century clergyman and composer who Latinised his surname to Neander (both literally meaning "new man"). He particularly loved a certain valley near Düsseldorf, so much in fact that it was renamed "Neandert(h)al" after him. [1] Sideburns, a once…

> Latinised probably Greekicized

Excellent point! In fact it's both - "neo" from Latin and "ander" from Greek. And I stand corrected on another point: it was actually his grandfather who changed the name, so our Joachim actually was born Neander.

Re: Things unexpectedly named after people (2020)

#282

Post by samatman »

madcaptenor wrote: post #257
Centigonal wrote: post #91

Not quite the same, but the city of Washington, DC is named after George Washington, whose family hails from the town of Washington in northeast England. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington,_Tyne_and_Wear

But Georgetown, part of Washington, isn’t named for him - it predates his rise. It’s named either for King George II or for its founders, two guys named George. I guess George was a very common name back then.

George was such a common name that we have a state of Georgia.

Which isn't named after the country Georgia, or George III whom George Washington rebelled against, but rather George II, his grandfather.

Re: Things unexpectedly named after people (2020)

#283

Post by solarhexes »

GeneralMayhem wrote: post #124
blooalien wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It could (conceivably) be that "in San Francisco" is meant literally, and that in San Francisco it's true, even if not the case for other instances of "Main Street" elsewhere, however; a cursory web search leads me to think "urban legend" is by far the more likely. It's always been my understanding that "Main Street" either is currently, or was at some time nearer the town / city's beginning the main street that went…

It is literally true specifically for San Francisco. The street now named Main in San Francisco didn't exist for the first few decades after the city's founding and grid-laying (it was underwater, just off shore in San Francisco Bay!), and at no point has it been a street of any particular prominence.

> at no point has it been a street of any particular prominence

It’s a good street, Brent.

(There’s actually good motorcycle parking just off Market I used to use all the time when I worked downtown.)

Re: Things unexpectedly named after people (2020)

#284

Post by madcaptenor »

samatman wrote: post #282
madcaptenor wrote: post #257

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But Georgetown, part of Washington, isn’t named for him - it predates his rise. It’s named either for King George II or for its founders, two guys named George. I guess George was a very common name back then.

George was such a common name that we have a state of Georgia. Which isn't named after the country Georgia, or George III whom George Washington rebelled against, but rather George II, his grandfather.

I live in Georgia and this did not occur to me.

Re: Things unexpectedly named after people (2020)

#285

Post by Rygian »

unwind wrote: post #189
Rygian wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is the relationship between the word "toro" (bull in Spanish) and lawnmowers?

This site [1] claims to be a Spanish dictionary and it doesn't agree, it claims the word is "la cortadora de césped". I guess it's possible that the word has become a generic trademark [2] like Kleenex, since of course (?) Toro [3] is a brand of lawnmowers and other equipment. Edit: switching Toro's site to Spanish [4] shows that they at least use the term consistent with [1], which seems to add credibility. :) [1]:…

Nice, that would be a plausible explanation.

Just for fun, here's the definition of "toro" in Spanish-speaking countries [1]:

- Bull. - Strong, well-built man. - Forklift. - (In plural) Bullfight.

- Trim (as in a trim part of a car bodywork). - Torus.

[1] https://dle.rae.es/toro

Re: Things unexpectedly named after people (2020)

#286

Post by samatman »

monitron wrote: post #24

Borders Books (for anyone who remembers it) was named after founders Tom and Louis Borders. Louis went on to found Webvan (for anyone who remembers that ).

This one had never occurred to me, being from Ann Arbor, I went to school with one of their daughters. Everyone in town knew that it was a surname.

But now that you mention it, this fact is not at all obvious from the name.

Re: Things unexpectedly named after people (2020)

#287

Post by samatman »

resolutebat wrote: post #118

Saudi Arabia: the Arabia of the Saud family. Also the only* country unambiguously named after its rulers. * There are a few borderline cases like Liechtenstein and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan though.

Liechtenstein isn't a borderline case at all, the country is unambiguously named after the House of Liechtenstein.

Re: Things unexpectedly named after people (2020)

#288

Post by Skeime »

BerislavLopac wrote: post #281
carlob wrote: post #243

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Latinised probably Greekicized

Excellent point! In fact it's both - "neo" from Latin and "ander" from Greek. And I stand corrected on another point: it was actually his grandfather who changed the name, so our Joachim actually was born Neander.

Um actually, neo is Greek as well. (Latin would be some form of nov-.)

Re: Things unexpectedly named after people (2020)

#290

Post by graemep »

msiemens wrote: post #127

A few German companies: - Aldi (supermarket chain), founded by the Albrecht brothers, thus AL brecht DI skont - Adidas, founded by AD olf DAS sler - Mercedes-Benz, named by Emil Jellinek-Mercedes after his daughter Mercedes, initially with Daimler which then merged with Benz - Audi, founded by August Horch. Initially founded as _A. Horch & Cie. Motorwagenwerke Zwickau_, he later lost the rights to the name "Horch". H…

I was quite surprised to discover the source of the names of British supermarket chains Tesco and Waitrose.

Waitrose is a contraction of "Waite, Rose & Taylor" Tesco is the combination of a supplier's name, with the founder's (Jack Cohen) name. They also have a "Jack's" brand.

Post reply on HN