Activity 8 - Words from Names

School children around the country eat thousands of sandwiches for lunch each day, but how many know that they are named after John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich? This activity requires that students build a list of English words that originated from a name. Present this list and encourage them to add to it.

​ Word Name

​ Boycott Charles Cunningham Boycott

​ boysenberry Rudolph Boysen

​ Braille Louis Braille

​ cardigan 7th Earl of Cardigan, James Thomas Brudenell

​ cereal Ceres, ancient Roman goddess

​ chauvinism Nicolas Chauvin

​ diesel Rudolf Diesel

​ dunce John Duns Scotus

​ eggs benedict E. E. Benedict

​ Fahrenheit Gabriel David Fahrenheit

​ gardenia Alexander Garden

​ graham cracker Sylvester Graham

​ leotard Jules Leotard

​ macadamia nut John Macadam

​ maverick Samuel Augustus Maverick

​ mesmerize Franz Anton Mesmer

​ nicotine Jean Nicot

​ pasteurize Louis Pasteur

​ Salisbury steak James H. Salisbury

​ sandwich 4th Earl of Sandwich, John Montagu

​ saxophone Antoine Joseph Sax

​ silhouette Etienne de Silhouette

​ teddy bear Theodore Roosevelt