10 Individuals Who Have Been Immortalized in Products

This is not meant to be a comprehensive list. It's simply a quick, random dive into one personal recollection. While a comparative Wikipedia-based list includes nearly 100 entries from A to Z, it was relatively easy to come up with a dozen notable examples that were missing from it.

Note: There is no requirement that the individuals listed actually invented or created the object or process in question. In many cases, this is unrecorded or difficult to verify. As far as we know, none of the people on this list had their names immortalized due to intentionally stealing someone else’s work. The included objects or processes must be physical or involve tangible processes in the creation of physical items. Abstract manipulations of words, such as clerihews or spoonerisms, do not count. The same goes for Morse code and the Fahrenheit scale. A Caesarean section might result in a 'product,' a baby, but those born via this method do not get 'Caesarean' attached to their names. Lastly, and this is the trickiest part, the name must have a broad, general usage, not be limited to one person or company by patent or other restrictive measures. This would exclude items like Doc Martens boots, the Wurlitzer organ, as well as guns by Gatling, Thompson, Browning, or the Colt revolver, for instance.

A few potential candidates were ruled out during the research. Regrettably, it was discovered that no individuals named Herr Howitzer or Mistress Furbelow actually exist! However, the author was pleased to find that there is an item named after him: the Spanner.

10. László Bíró 1899-1985

Biro or Ballpoint Pen

The quick-drying ink used in newspapers was the main inspiration for Hungarian-born László Bíró to create the now-ubiquitous pen that carries his name. At the time, he was working as a journalist. After discovering that this ink wouldn’t work with a traditional fountain pen, he enlisted the help of his brother Georg, a chemist. Together, they developed the now-famous ball-and-socket tip. They filed a patent for their invention in 1938. During World War II, they relocated to Argentina, where they filed a second patent in 1943. The design was used effectively in high-altitude combat aircraft at the time and gained commercial success in the years after the war ended. Over the years, ballpoint pens evolved into affordable, reliable, and clean tools. However, when my grandfather gave me one as a birthday present in 1949, it resembled an expensive fountain pen—boxed like one, priced like one, and equipped with a retractable tip and refillable ink cartridges. Unfortunately, it soon demonstrated a major flaw—leaving smudges of semi-permanent blue ink all over my fingers, clothes, and schoolwork!

9. Robert Wilhelm Eberhardt Bunsen 1811-1899

Bunsen Burner

Anyone who has either willingly or reluctantly studied chemistry in school will immediately recognize the essential lab tool known as the Bunsen burner. For those fortunate enough to have avoided the ‘stinks,’ it consists of a round metal base with a vertical open-ended tube connected to a gas supply via a rubber hose. The metal tube features an adjustable air inlet, and the gas flow can also be regulated. When gas is turned on and ignited at the top of the tube, it creates a controllable flame that can be adjusted to provide the required heat for chemical experiments. Now, you know who to blame for it, though you might also want to credit the English scientist Michael Faraday, who produced the prototype upon which the German chemist Bunsen based his design. Bunsen is also celebrated for his many other contributions to the field of chemistry.

8. Rudolf Christian Karl Diesel 1858-1913

Diesel Engine

No one can deny the immense influence of this French-born inventor and mechanical engineer of German descent and eventual German residency. Nor can anyone claim to have never heard of him. After a distinguished career in the refrigeration industry was marred by patent disputes, Diesel shifted his focus to developing a more efficient engine than the steam engine or the existing combustion engines. His strong academic background in thermodynamics led him, in 1892, to invent the first compression-ignition engine. However, with some reluctance as an Englishman, I must mention that Herbert Akroyd Stuart, a Yorkshireman, is actually considered by some to have invented the compression-ignition engine before Diesel. In fact, he filed his patent two years earlier. So, let’s all say it together now, “the Stuart engine.” But as they say, to the victor go the spoils, much like English football’s 1966 World Cup win over Germany with a goal that wasn’t actually a goal. Diesel mysteriously disappeared at sea while en route to a company meeting in London. Given the success of his engine over steam, one might say that he finally poured his oil on troubled waters (or was it Stuart’s revenge?). Interestingly, Diesel’s original engines ran on... peanut oil! A reminder that there’s nothing truly new under the sun.

7. George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr. 1859-1896

Ferris Wheel or Observation Wheel

The Ferris wheel is a large, slowly rotating upright structure made of metal, with open passenger seats or observation gondolas suspended at regular intervals. Smaller versions can be found at local traveling or fixed fairgrounds, while larger examples have been built as impressive attractions at national or international exhibitions. The biggest, such as the London Eye, have become permanent fixtures in urban settings, offering breathtaking views from high above and carrying large numbers of visitors. As with many well-known inventions, earlier versions existed at a local level, with the first documented examples made of wood and carrying around eight passengers. These appeared in the Ottoman Empire as early as the 17th century. Ferris, an American railway and bridge engineer, invented the metal wheel that bears his name for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. His original wheel stood 80 meters tall, with 36 cars that could carry up to 2,160 passengers. It was powered by two steam engines and remained operational until 1906.

With his full name, it’s surprising the wheel wasn’t called the Washington Wheel! However, Ferris claimed that the exhibition organizers had cheated him and the investors out of most of the profits. Like many inventors, he spent considerable time, money, and energy in the courts trying to recover what he felt was rightfully his by contract. While successful inventors typically live long lives, Ferris was one of the unfortunate exceptions. Typhoid fever claimed him at the young age of 37, just three years after his invention became famous. As a child, I used to spend every summer at Folkestone, Kent, and was always captivated by the summer fairground. There was a tower about 30-35 meters high, where a daring stuntman would dive into a tiny pool of water, similar to the act of Duncan the horse from The Simpsons. I often rode its Ferris wheel. Our family also enjoyed the stunning views of London from the Millennium Wheel, or Eye, including sights as far as the soccer pitch of the professional team we support. It’s a pity Ferris Bueller didn’t take a joyride on one during his cinematic day off.

6. Dr. Joseph-Ignace Guillotin 1738-1814

Guillotine

Poor Dr. Guillotin, how unfortunate to be forever associated with such a grisly invention. Although, given that the device was commonly known as ‘Madame Guillotine,’ perhaps it should be credited more to his wife than to him! Guillotin, a French physician and politician, wasn’t actually the inventor of this device. Surprisingly, the idea behind it was actually motivated by humanitarian concerns. Prior to this, capital punishment often focused on inflicting excruciating pain and suffering on the condemned, prolonging their torment before ending their life. On one occasion, a crowd was so horrified by this cruelty that they intervened, freeing the prisoner before the execution could be completed. Recognizing the need for reform, Guillotin proposed a method that would allow for an instant and painless beheading. Ironically, although he was a vocal opponent of capital punishment, Guillotin hoped this new method would eventually help abolish it. Fortunately, he died of natural causes and did not meet his end at the hands of his own infamous invention. We even have a harmless guillotine in our home, which, when used carefully, simply helps us trim paper, as long as we keep our fingers out of the way.

5. W. H. “Boss” Hoover fl. 1908

Hoover or vacuum cleaner

While researching for this list, one of the most surprising discoveries was the lack of readily available personal information about the individual whose name became synonymous with the vacuum cleaner. In fact, very little is known about him personally. This is likely because he was primarily a corporate figure who started producing an already-established design in 1908. It’s a bit like calling a computer a ‘Gates.’ Another interesting twist is that Hoover, despite being American, became the generic term for vacuum cleaners in the UK. It’s similar to how the Brits might refer to a ‘hovercraft’ while Americans might call it a ‘Cockerell,’ after its English inventor. From an outsider’s perspective, it might be amusing to think of ‘the Hoover’ in the U.S. as either the 31st president or a controversial figure connected to events like the aftermath of JFK’s assassination. For the record, the vacuum cleaner was originally invented as a manual device in 1868, and the Hoover prototype, with its distinctive rotating brush, was the brainchild of James Murray Spangler. This situation fits neatly with Stigler’s Law of Eponymy, which asserts: ‘No discovery is named after its original discoverer.’

4. John Loudon McAdam 1756-1836

Macadam road surface, tar Macadam or tarmac The roads we drive on today, from high-speed motorways to interstates, can trace their lineage to the Scottish aristocrat, the second son of the Baron of Waterhead, who spent some time in the United States. Macadam made one of the earliest and most significant contributions to national highway engineering, following in the footsteps of the Romans who were pioneers in the field. His involvement in road construction stemmed from his role as an estate owner and turnpike trustee. Macadam’s innovations included the creation of a compacted, well-drained foundation made of rock and gravel, raising the road above the surrounding ground level, and adding a camber for proper surface drainage. The further refinement came with the addition of a sealed tar surface. Despite the widespread adoption of his system across Western civilization, Macadam didn’t personally benefit much from his groundbreaking work. One might even say that in political terms, he was metaphorically steamrolled by the forces around him.

3. Luigi Galvani 1737-1798

Galvanised (as iron)

Italy enters the list with the scientist Galvani. His famous experiment with frog legs led him to establish the first link between electricity and the movement of living creatures. Following a brilliant scientific disagreement with the more renowned Volta over the nature and origin of organic electricity, Galvani was honored by having the direct current of electricity generated by chemical action named 'galvanism.' This exchange of ideas also inspired Volta to create the first battery, earning him his own share of recognition. While the term 'galvanism' eventually became outdated, it evolved into the modern terms 'galvanisation' and 'galvanised,' which now describe metal plating through an electrical process. Moreover, the phrase 'galvanised into action' has entered everyday language as a result of this discovery.

Contributor: Spanner-In-The-Works

2. Henry Shrapnel 1761-1842

Shrapnel shell

Common logic might lead one to assume that some eponymous names came from the products they were associated with, not the other way around. A case in point is Thomas Crapper. Surely his name must have been inspired by some indirect association with toilets or perhaps cleaning them? Not so. The unfortunate man earned his name due to his innovative ‘full-flush’ toilet design, cementing his legacy in an unlikely domain! Similarly, Henry Shrapnel, an Englishman known for the explosive fragments of shells bearing his name, would lead you to believe that his family took on this name due to the invention. In reality, Shrapnel was an army officer who created a spherical cannon shell that exploded mid-air, raining deadly metal shards on the enemy. This concept eventually evolved into the modern cluster bomb. His invention was also used in the early days of countering wartime aircraft. During WW1, Allied pilots referred to it as ‘Archie,’ while German shells produced black smoke and Allied shells, white. As kids during the Nazi blitz raids in the 1940s, we would collect shiny shrapnel remnants from the streets the morning after. Shrapnel himself was fortunate enough to receive a lifetime pension worth over $125,000 annually from a grateful British government.

1. John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich 1718-1792

Sandwich, as bread or similar outside with filling between

The practice of placing a filling between two slices of bread has a long and somewhat accidental history before it gained recognition and its now-famous name. Its earliest recorded instance is believed to date back to the ancient Hebrews during the Passover feasts, where unleavened bread, similar to Indian chapattis or Mexican tortillas, was used. The Earl of Sandwich, a man of considerable diplomatic and military influence in his time, was publicly known for his incompetence and corruption. Nevertheless, he also made noteworthy contributions, such as his strong backing of Captain Cook’s maritime expeditions, which earned him the honor of having the Sandwich Islands (now the Hawaiian Islands) named after him. While the islands have since been renamed, his legacy endures through the food item. There are several theories about why he became linked to this early convenience food. One possibility is that, being a man of great busyness, he opted for this simpler meal while working at his desk. Another suggestion is that the dry bread kept his fingers clean during long card games, allowing him to continue playing without the need to leave the table and wash his hands. The bread-based concept also gave rise to variations like the sponge sandwich, while terms like the 'sandwich course' and 'sandwiched between people in a crowd' emerged from this culinary innovation.